Acquisition of Co2 Laser for Stable Isotope Micro-Analysis

岩石中氧同位素的精确测定 和矿物样品是一个完善的和强大的工具， 解释岩石之间的化学反应程度 矿石矿物形成过程中的物质和水溶液 沉积物和破译温度的形成 岩石变质过程中的矿物组合的能力 测量氧同位素的样品体积越来越小 分析允许更准确和复杂的 解释。氧气是从天然气中定量提取的 氧化物和硅酸盐矿物的任何一种 矿物质（直接释放氧气）或通过碳还原 矿物质（产生CO和CO2）。该项目将适应A 激光加热法这两种氧提取技术， 聚焦在矿物颗粒上的激光束可以用来 从非常小的体积中提取氧气，从而使同位素 显微分析具有出色的空间分辨率。

The accurate measurement of the isotopes of oxygen in rock and mineral samples is a well established and powerful tool for interpreting the extent of chemical interaction between rock masses and aqueous solutions during the formation of ore mineral deposits and for deciphering the temperature of formation of mineral assemblages during rock metamorphism. The capability to measure smaller and smaller volumes of samples for oxygen isotope analysis allows for more accurate and sophisticated interpretation. Oxygen is quantitatively extracted from natural oxide and silicate minerals by either fluorination of the minerals (liberating oxygen directly) or by carbon reduction of the mineral (which creates CO and CO2). This project will adapt a laser heating method to these two oxygen extraction techniques so that a laser beam focused on a mineral grain can be used to extract oxygen from a very small volume, thereby allowing isotope microanalysis with excellent spatial resolution.