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

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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.