Acquisition of a Paleomagnetics Laboratory at Institute of Human Origins

在国家科学基金会的支持下，保罗·雷尼博士和他的 合作者将建立一个古地磁测年实验室， 位于加州伯克利的人类起源研究所。他们将 获得低温和旋转磁力计，并将其放置在 磁屏蔽空间低温磁力计将 具有自动交变磁场退磁和测量 能力。该实验室还将采用传统的 滚筒式AF退磁机和热退磁炉， 磁化率桥和广泛的计算和 图形能力。该设施将进行一些 研究项目，其中许多涉及古人类学 调查事务所其中包括对古地磁场 时间尺度和来自遗址的样本的年代测定， 发现了考古学和古人类化石 科学家们利用地球的磁场 场周期性地反转。多年来的研究表明， 产生了一系列的逆转，并确定了 每个人的年龄。因为沉积物中的铁颗粒 在沉积时与地球磁场对齐， 它实质上提供了一个指南针，科学家可以从地质样品中 并确定地球磁极的位置 在特定的时刻通过引用一份日期为 主序列，然后可以确定大致的年龄。这 这个过程对地质学家来说是无价的， 古人类学家和其他研究人员 过去的具体事件。目前，实验室 美国不存在满足需求的能力， 在人权研究所设立一个设施， 起源将有助于纠正这种情况。 这个项目之所以重要，有几个原因。进行的研究 在实验室将有助于完善古地磁测年， 提供更准确的个别逆转日期。样品 实验室的日期将有助于回答一些紧迫的问题 科学问题。

With National Science Foundation support Dr. Paul Renee and his collaborators will establish a paleomagnetic dating laboratory at the Institute of Human Origins in Berkeley California. They will obtain both cryogenic and spinner magnetometers and house them in a magnetically shielded space. The cryogenic magnetometer will have automated alternating field demagnetization and measurement capability. The laboratory also will feature a conventional tumbling AF demagnetizer and a thermal demagnetization oven, magnetic susceptibility bridge and extensive computational and graphics capabilities. The facility will conduct a number of research projects, many of which relate to paleoanthropological investigations. These include refinement of the paleomagnetic time scale and the dating of samples from sites which have yielded archaeological and fossil hominid remains. Scientists have made use of the fact that the earth's magnetic field periodically reverses. Research over many years has produced a sequence of these reversals and determined the approximate age of each. Because iron particles in sediments align with the earth's magnetic field at time of deposition, they in essence provide a compass and scientists can sample geological sections and determine the position of the earth's magnetic pole at particular moments in time. Through reference to a dated master sequence, approximate age can then be determined. This procedure has proven invaluable to geologists, paleoanthropologists and other researchers who wish to date specific events in the past. Currently sufficient laboratory capacity does not exist in the United States to meet demand and the establishment of a facility at the Institute for Human Origins will help to remedy the situation. This project is important for several reasons. Research conducted at the laboratory will help to refine paleomagnetic dating by providing more accurate dates for individual reversals. Samples dated by the laboratory will help to answer a number of pressing scientific questions.