Continuation of a Facility: Institute for Rock Magnetism

地球材料--岩石、沉积物、土壤--都含有微量的磁性矿物。这些矿物的性质(化学成分、粒度、浓度)由岩石/沉积物最初形成和随后受到影响的地质过程和条件决定。在不同温度和外加磁场条件下对块状岩石/沉积物样品进行实验室测量，能够对微量磁性矿物特征进行定量分析，并为恢复其历史提供有价值的信息。自然材料磁性研究在广泛的科学领域具有重要的应用，包括古气候和古环境研究、大陆和海洋构造板块过去位置的古地理重建以及地球磁场的历史。这笔赠款用于在未来五年内继续支持明尼苏达大学岩石磁性研究所(IRM)。IRM(http://www.geo.umn.edu/orgs/irm/irm.html))是对岩石、沉积物和矿物的磁性进行深入基础研究的国际领先设施。最先进的仪器组合可以通过在温度、时间和外加磁场的大范围变化条件下进行测量来进行详细的磁特性表征。IRM常驻科学家的研究与访问学者的研究相辅相成，访问学者通过从全球地球科学界竞争性提案过程中挑选出来。IRM还通过组织技术讲习班和研究会议，开发和维护岩土材料磁性的公共数据库，以及通过网站和季刊提供与研究有关的新闻和信息，加强了地球科学的研究基础设施。

0218384BanerjeeEarth materials - rocks, sediments, soils - all contain magnetic minerals in trace amounts. The properties of these minerals (chemical composition, grain size, concentration) are determined by the geologic processes and conditions under which the rocks/sediments originally formed and by which they have been subsequently affected. Laboratory measurements of bulk rock/sediment samples, under different conditions of temperature and applied magnetic fields, enable quantitative analysis of the trace magnetic mineral characteristics, and yields valuable information for reconstructing their history. Natural-material magnetic research has important applications over a broad expanse of science, including paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental research, paleogeographic reconstruction of the past locations of the continents and oceanic tectonic plates, and the history of the Earth's magnetic field. This grant provides for continued support of the Institute for Rock Magnetism (IRM) at the University of Minnesota over the next five years. The IRM (http://www.geo.umn.edu/orgs/irm/irm.html) is the leading international facility for in-depth fundamental research on the magnetic properties of rocks, sediments and minerals. A state-of-the-art assemblage of instruments allows detailed magnetic characterization through measurements under widely-varying conditions of temperature, time and applied magnetic field. Research by IRM-resident scientists is complemented by that of Visiting Fellows, selected through a competitive proposal process from the global geoscience community. The IRM also enhances the research infrastructure for Earth sciences by organizing technical workshops and research conferences, developing and maintaining a public database of magnetic properties of geomaterials, and providing research-related news and information through a web site and quarterly newsletter.***