Journal article

RATIONALE: The measurement of complex isotope systems, notably the multiply substi tuted isotopologu es of CO2derived from carbonates, is challenging from a mass spectrometric point of view, but it is also time consuming and difficultfrom a data reduction and normalization perspective. Dedicated software often lags behind and currently limits fast,reliable and reproducible data analysis and inter-laboratory reproducibility.

METHODS: We have developed new community software ‘Easotope’ using Java and the Eclipse framework. Theobjectives were to reduce and normaliz e complex isotopic data easily using a program that could run on multipleplatforms, with a central database to store data and constants, an open architecture giving end users a complete viewof the data processing steps, and a permissions system allowing the admini strator to empower each user in proportionto their expertise.RESULTS: Easotope is now freely available to download, and comprises both a server and a client executable. The servercan be run either on a remote machine accessible via the internet, or on a localhost. The client allows users to access theserver, an d to enter and manipulate data . Easotope currently support s full data storage, data processing and datanormalization for bulk isotopes of carbon and oxygen, and for clumped isotopes.

CONCLUSIONS: Easotope greatly simplifies data processing, reducing processing time to less than a second com paredwith 30 min when done manually. The software also ensures consistency in data reduction and normalization bothwithin a laboratory and between laboratories. Easotope is designed with the ability to implement other isotopic syste msin the future.