Acquisition of a stable isotope mass spectrometer

0216030坎贝尔这一重大研究仪器（MRI）补助金支持收购一个国家的最先进的稳定同位素比质谱仪（SIRMS）与在线样品制备系统的碳，氧和氢的稳定同位素在天然沃茨和碳酸盐的连续流分析在新墨西哥州矿业和技术研究所。一台新的Finnigan Delta Plus SIRMS将取代一台14年前的机器（Finnigan Delta E），该机器不再受制造商支持，并且由于电子和真空系统故障而停机时间越来越长。 新的SIRMS具有用于连续流（CF）分析的在线样品制备系统，其增强的能力将允许以高通量分析非常小的样品。 事实上，新一代的CF-SIRMS系统允许以更高的精度分析数量级更小的样品。 这种能力是重要的自生碳酸盐，沉积胶结物和伟晶岩矿物的微观空间同位素变异性的研究，因此，我们现在正在学习的巨大程度的不均匀性和潜在的历史信息记录在这个规模，以前均匀化和批量分析，以解释地质历史。 新的SIRMS将支持从火山排放物中挥发物来源的研究到美国西南部半干旱至干旱地区地下水运输途径和蒸发蒸腾过程的水文和生态研究，以及热液矿床成因的研究。 此外，这一设施将是新墨西哥州理工学院的一个有吸引力的补充，通过与当地美洲土著学院的关系，促进招收少数民族学生从事地球科学研究（Dine College）并通过与NSF支持的新墨西哥州研究生教育和教授联盟（NM-AGEP）的联系，旨在帮助代表性不足的群体为科学学术界的职业生涯做准备。 ***

0216030CampbellThis Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) grant supports the acquisition of a state-of-the-art stable isotope ratio mass spectrometer (SIRMS) with on-line sample preparation systems for continuous flow analysis of stable isotopes of Carbon, Oxygen and Hydrogen in natural waters and carbonates at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. A new Finnigan Delta Plus SIRMS will replace a 14 years old machine (a Finnigan Delta E) that is no longer supported by the manufacturer and is having increasing periods of down time due to electronics and vacuum system failures. The enhanced capabilities of a new SIRMS with on-line sample preparation systems for continuous flow (CF) analysis will allow for the analysis of very small samples with high throughput. Indeed, the newer generation of CF-SIRMS systems allow for orders of magnitude smaller samples to be analyzed with improved precision. This capability is important for study of micro-spatial isotopic variability in authigenic carbonates, sedimentary cements and pegmatite minerals, as a result of which we are now learning of the great degree of heterogeneity and potential historic information recorded at this scale which was previously homogenized and analyzed in bulk to interpret geologic history. The new SIRMS will support research ranging from studies of the sources of volatiles in volcanic emissions to hydrological and ecological studies of the pathways groundwater transport and processes of evaporation and transpiration in the semi-arid to arid Southwestern U.S. to studies of the genesis of hydrothermal ore deposits. Further, this facility will be an attractive addition to New Mexico Tech's analytical arsenal in facilitating the recruitment of minority students to the geosciences through its relationship with a local Native American College (Dine College) and through its association with the NSF-supported New Mexico Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (NM-AGEP), which seeks to assist underrepresented groups in preparation for careers in science academia. ***