Sr isotopic ratios of ancient gypsic soils in Atacama Desert, northern Chile

87Sr/86Sr data for Upper Miocene to Pleistocene calcium sulfate soils in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile are provided. Some examples occur as relict soils and others are paleosols. At some locations, full vertical profiles were sampled, while at other locations samples were collected at only one or two depths within the ancient soil profile. The purpose of the Sr isotopic study is to determine the source of the salts that constitute the soil and to use the identification of ancient soils with marine aerosol influence as a paleoaltitude proxy. A total of 98 samples are reported for sites spanning ~330 km strike-parallel distance and elevations between 450 and 1850 m.a.s.l., within the Coastal Escarpment, Coastal Cordillera and Central Depression of northern Chile (18.7-21.8°S).