Acquisition of a Rare Gas Mass Spectrometer

这项奖励提供了购买质谱仪所需资金的一半。该仪器将在罗切斯特大学地质科学系安装、操作和维护。大学将提供购买质谱仪所需的剩余资金。新设备是地质科学系研究项目所需，将能够测量地质样品中稀有气体He、Ne、Ar、Kr和Xe的同位素组成。作为一类地质示踪剂，稀有气体由于缺乏化学反应活性和高度流动性，能够对过去的过程提供限制。稀有气体的同位素组成将用于研究大洋中脊和大洋火山岛的演化，天然气中甲烷的来源，以及浅含水层中地下水的流动速度。

This award provides one-half the funds required to purchase a mass spectrometer. The instrument will be installed, operated and maintained in the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Rochester. The University will provide the remaining funds required for the purchase of the mass spectrometer. The new equipment is needed for research projects in the Department of Geological Sciences and will be capable of measuring the isotopic compositions of the rare gases He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe in geological samples. As a class of geologic tracers, the rare gases are able to provide constraints on past processes due to their lack of chemical reactivity and highly mobile behavior. The isotopic composition of the rare gases will be applied to studies of the evolution of mid-ocean ridges and oceanic volcanic islands, the origin of methane in natural gases and the rate of groundwater flow in shallow aquifers.