Upgrading of the Scanning Electron Microscope/X-Ray Microanalysis Facility at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

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0003529OlsenThis grant provides 70% support of the costs of acquiring a modern software-based scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray microanalyzer (EDX), and new sample preparation equipment for Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory to replace the aging analogue units jointly funded by NSF and ONR in 1983-1984. The combined remaining 30% is contributed by Lamont, Columbia University, and the American Museum of Natural History. The eight Principal Investigators, led by P. Olsen of Lamont and including the Facility Manager (D. Breger), represent a range of multidisciplinary users from the three participating institutions. In addition to providing traditional high vacuum/high voltage imaging and analysis of conductive dry samples, the new system will allow low vacuum and low voltage operation, imaging of hydrated and uncoated samples, and X-ray mapping. While primarily dedicated to the earth sciences, the reinvigorated Facility will follow the successful open approach of the current Facility, which is available to academic users from any discipline or institution.The new system will directly benefit numerous current and future research programs of a large number of scientists as well as the education and training of students in the earth sciences, materials sciences, engineering, and other fields. This variety of use will have far-ranging impact for advancing knowledge in a number of intended and unforeseen directions and promote interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaborations. Formal academic coursework utilizing this Facility will be developed, including online. Public outreach and K-12 school programs will continue to expand current activities. The new instrumentation and equipment will be housed in Lamont's existing Electron Optics Laboratory complex under continued management by Breger. This complex has been dedicated to electron microscopy since 1969 and is optimized for the purpose. Support for this grant is shared by the Earth Sciences Instrumentation and Facilities Program (EAR/IF), the Division of Ocean Sciences' Oceanographic Instrumentation and Technical Service Program (OCE/ITS) and the Marine Geology and Geophysics Program (OCE/MGG).***