Upgrading the MIT Experimental Petrology Laboratory

申请的资金将用于升级麻省理工学院实验岩石学实验室。实验室进行实验研究，提供关于地球和类地行星内部化学分化过程和时间尺度的资料。研究包括相平衡和动力学研究。项目包括：地球大陆地壳形成和化学演化的实验研究，地球、月球和火星地幔融化过程和压力-温度条件的研究，地球和火星核形成过程的研究以及陨石母体的化学分异和核形成过程的研究。升级将取代实验室继续生产和保持最先进水平所必需的关键部件。请拨资金在三个领域进行升级。1)对外加热气体压力容器炉、常压炉、活塞缸实验炉老化、失效的温控设备进行改造。这台设备正在失效，需要用现代电子设备来替换。2)更换老化的液压设备，为我们的三个活塞缸装置加压，升级液压系统。用最新的仪器替换样品制备和检测中使用的陈旧的分析天平和显微镜。这台新仪器的收购将确保麻省理工学院实验岩石学实验室的持续高效运作，将使实验室保持高水平的生产力，并将使我们能够继续产生高质量的实验结果。

EAR-0447204GroveThe requested funds will be used to upgrade the MIT Experimental Petrology Laboratory. The Laboratory carries out experimental studies that provide information on the processes and time scales of chemical differentiation within the Earth and terrestrial planets. Studies involve both phase equilibrium and kinetic investigations. Projects include: experimental studies of the formation and chemical evolution of the Earth's continental crust, studies of the processes and Pressure - Temperature conditions of mantle melting in the Earth, moon and Mars, studies of the processes of core formation on Earth and Mars and of chemical differentiation and core formation on meteorite parent bodies. The upgrade will replace critical components that are necessary for the laboratory to continue productively and remain state-of-the-art. Funds are requested to carry out upgrades in three areas. 1) Upgrade outdated and failing temperature control equipment for furnaces used for externally heated gas pressure vessel, one-atmosphere and piston cylinder experiments. This equipment is failing and needs to be replaced with modern electronics. 2) Replace aging hydraulic equipment used to pressurize our three piston cylinder devices and upgrade the hydraulic systems. 3) Replace antiquated analytical balances and microscopes that are used in sample preparation and examination with up-to-date instrumentation. The acquisition of this new instrumentation will ensure continued efficient operation of the MIT experimental petrology laboratory, will allow the lab to sustain a high level of productivity and will allow us to continue to produce high-quality experimental results.