Acquisition of a Stable Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer for Earth Systems Science Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas

这项主要研究仪器（MRI）项目资助内华达大学拉斯维加斯分校（UNLV）地球科学系的两位早期职业研究人员申请了一台稳定同位素比质谱仪。NSF/MRI资助将用于：1)在UNLV建立有史以来第一个稳定同位素实验室（SIL），以促进正在进行的研究项目的数据生成；2)促进主要研究人员之间以及与其他跨学科教师之间在同位素地球化学方面的合作；3)促进本科生和研究生直接参与研究项目；4)将研究设施整合到本科和研究生水平的教学和学习中。马修·拉奇涅特博士和他的研究生们研究了中美洲和其他地区过去的降雨历史，利用保存在洞穴石笋中的稳定氧同位素测量数据，石笋随着时间的推移不断生长，其年龄由放射性测年法确定。这些过去的降雨历史将帮助研究人员了解厄尔尼诺/南方涛动（产生全球气候异常）过去的变化，从而预测未来厄尔尼诺事件在中美洲及其他地区的复发间隔。蒋甘青博士及其研究生的研究调查了大约5亿到7亿年前“雪球地球”事件的同位素证据，当时的地质证据表明，地球的大部分地区可能被冰川覆盖。在联卢大学购置稳定同位素比质谱仪将允许对样品进行内部分析，确保高样品吞吐量。重要的是，SIL将使本科生和研究生有机会在UNLV学习最先进的分析技术，这将促进研究和教育融入他们的研究项目。

0521196LachinetThis Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program grant provides support for acquisition of a stable isotope ratio mass spectrometer, submitted by two early-career researchers in Geoscience Department at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). NSF/MRI grant support will serve to: 1) establish the first-ever Stable Isotope Laboratory (SIL) at UNLV to facilitate generation of data for ongoing research projects, 2) foster collaborations in isotope geochemistry between the principal investigators and with other faculty across disciplines, 3) promote direct undergraduate and graduate student participation in research projects, and 4) integrate the research facility into teaching and learning at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Research by Dr. Matthew Lachniet and graduate students investigates past rainfall histories in Central America and other areas, using the stable oxygen isotope measurements preserved in cave stalagmites, which grow continuously over time and whose age is determined by radiometric dating. These past rainfall histories will help researchers understand past variations in the El Nino/Southern Oscillation, which produces global climatic anomalies, in order to predict future recurrence intervals of El Nino events in Central American and beyond. The research by Dr. Ganqing Jiang and graduate students has investigated the isotopic evidence for "Snowball Earth" events approximately 500 to 700 million years ago, when geologic evidence suggests the possibility that the majority of the Earth was glaciated. Acquisition of a stable isotope ratio mass spectrometer at UNLV will permit in-house analysis of samples, ensuring high sample throughput. Importantly, the SIL will give undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to learn a state-of-the-art analytical technique at UNLV, which will promote the integration of research and education into their research programs.