Establishment of a Facility for 40Ar/39Ar Geochronology

该奖项提供资金用于收购质量 光谱仪安装和操作的部门 休斯顿大学地球科学系。仪器将 主要致力于氩气的同位素分析， 确定形成年代和加热-冷却年代 火成岩、变质岩和沉积岩中的旋回， 钾氩放射性衰变技术。的能力 确定地壳岩石中的温度-时间历史是关键 了解各种构造问题，评估化石 燃料和地热能源，并破译模式， 活火山区的火山活动。这个实验室设施 莱斯大学的研究人员也可以使用 和其他区域研究组织。

This award provides funding for the acquisition of a mass spectrometer to be installed and operated in the Department of Geosciences at the University of Houston. The instrument will be devoted primarily to isotopic analysis of argon gas in order to determine ages of formation and the chronology of heating-cooling cycles in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks using potassium-argon radioactive decay techniques. An ability to determine temperature-time histories in crustal rocks is the key to understanding a variety of tectonic problems, evaluating fossil fuel and geothermal energy sources, and deciphering the pattern of volcanism in active volcanic provinces. This laboratory facility will also be available for use by researchers at Rice University and other regional research organizations.