Acquisition of a 40Ar/39Ar Dating Laboratory at Rutgers University

0130292Swisher美国国家科学基金会仪器和设施奖为罗格斯大学完成“最先进的”40Ar/39Ar测年设施所需的设备提供资金，该设施旨在解决地质学、古生物学和人类学中的各种地质年代问题。罗格斯大学的设施以质量分析仪产品215-50质谱仪为中心，该质谱仪最近在普林斯顿大学Ar实验室关闭时获得。MAP 215-50非常适合40Ar/39Ar的研究，然而，为了使罗格斯大学的设施全面运作，还需要辅助的样品提取、气体净化和计算机系统。NSF将提供必要的CO2激光和电阻炉样品加热系统，以及用于气体净化的自动化、低体积、超低本底萃取系统。完成罗格斯大学40Ar/39Ar测年系统所需的样品提取和气体净化系统，在大多数情况下，作为单一的现成物品，是不可用的；相反，必须购买、组装、集成、校准和测试单个组件和部件。因此，除了设备之外，还需要在扩建、测试和校准阶段为额外的技术支助提供资金。作为美国国家科学基金会和罗格斯大学之间成本分担的一部分，罗格斯大学承诺在本提案的任期内提供两年的薪水和福利支持，提供永久博士学位，研究助理教授职位，用于发展和技术援助。此后，罗格斯大学将继续以50%的比例支持这一职位，剩余的时间将分配给研究计划、合作项目和大学讲师。罗格斯大学还承诺为购买MAP 215-50质谱仪提供资金，为研究设施和固定设备的升级和现代化提供超过14.5万美元的资金，并承诺为监督和开发这些设施的私家检察官提供永久的学年工资和福利。私家侦探，研究助理和众多罗格斯大学的教师和学生正在进行的和拟议的研究将立即受益于新仪器的实施。新的Ar设施将起到催化剂的作用，将罗格斯大学的两个独特的科学家工作组聚集在一起；一个由斯威舍、奥布里、伯格伦、肯特和米勒教师组成的时间表小组，以及一个由斯威舍、安东、阿什利、布鲁门斯钦、费贝尔和哈里斯组成的地质古人类学小组。预计将与罗格斯大学和普林斯顿大学的地质学和人类学的教师和学生调查员进行合作研究，并与其他国内和国际同事进行持续的合作研究。＊＊＊

0130292Swisher This NSF Instrumentation and Facilities award provides funds for equipment required for the completion of a "state of the art" 40Ar/39Ar dating facility at Rutgers University designed to address a diverse array of geochronological issues in geology, paleontology and anthropology. The Rutgers facility centers around a Mass Analyzer Products 215-50 mass spectrometer recently acquired with the closure of the Princeton University Ar laboratory. The MAP 215-50 is well suited for 40Ar/39Ar research, however, ancillary sample extraction, gas purification, and computer systems were needed to make the Rutgers facility fully operational. NSF funds from this award will provide necessary CO2 laser and resistance furnace sample heating systems, and, an automated, low volume, ultra low background extraction system for gas purification. Sample extraction and gas purification systems necessary for the completion of the Rutgers 40Ar/39Ar dating system are not available, for the most part, as single off the shelf items; rather individual components and parts must be purchased, assembled, integrated calibrated and tested. Thus, in addition to equipment, funding of additional technical support during build-out, testing and calibration phases is also required. As part of cost sharing between NSF and Rutgers University, Rutgers has committed two years salary and benefit support for a permanent Ph.D. level, Research Associate faculty position for development and technical assistance during the tenure of this proposal. Thereafter, Rutgers will continue to support this position at the 50% level, the remaining time to be allotted to research initiatives, collaborative projects and university lectureships. Rutgers has also committed funds for the purchase of the MAP 215-50 mass spectrometer, over $145,000 on upgrades and modernization of research facilities and fixed equipment, and committed permanent academic year salary and benefits for the P.I. to oversee and develop these facilities. Ongoing and proposed research by the P.I., Research Associate and numerous Rutger's faculty and students will benefit immediately from implementation of the new instrumentation. The new Ar facility will serve as a catalyst, bringing together two unique working groups of Rutger's scientists; a timescale group consisting of faculty Swisher, Aubry, Berggren, Kent and Miller, and a geological paleoanthropology group of Swisher, Anton, Ashley, Blumenschine, Feibel, and Harris. Collaborative research with faculty and student investigators in geology and anthropology at Rutgers and Princeton universities is anticipated, as is continued collaborative research with other national and international colleagues. ***