Facilities Support: Amino Acid Geochronology Laboratory

2004年，北方亚利桑那大学的氨基酸地质年代学实验室（AAGL）获得了美国国家科学基金会/IF为期两年的资助，以建立自己作为NSF多用户设施。 在过去的两年中，AAGL已经为15多名参与代表广泛的地球科学学科的研究项目的合作科学家提供了约2300项分析。此外，AAGL还对单个有孔虫试验中氨基酸外消旋的分类学效应和温度敏感性进行了约1600次分析。 AAGL的目标是增加用于了解地球表面过程的时间，频率和速率的地质年代学工具的可访问性和可靠性。 AAGL的持续生产力在很大程度上归功于实验室技术员/经理Jordon Bright的奉献精神，他在AAGL工作了十年。这一提议的主要目的（以及直接费用总额的大约一半）是为Bright的一半工资提供资金。 这一建议的知识价值来自多用户设施目前计划支持的各种研究项目。 最近的分析改进提供的小样本量和分析的方便性提供了新的机会，使用来自混合年龄种群的小贝壳碎片和沉积物岩心的微体化石进行氨基酸地质年代学和古温度测定。 例如，AAGL目前正计划分析最近从圣巴巴拉盆地和北冰洋回收的海洋岩心中的有孔虫，并正在合作对巴西、得克萨斯州和加州大陆架的海底化石组合进行时间平均的新研究。每年将提供大约1000次分析，象征性收费（每份样本10美元，约为标准费率的五分之一）。 AAGL还将与研究人员合作，设计和进行旨在提高该技术的准确性和适用性的实验。

EAR-0620455KaufmanIn 2004, the Amino Acid Geochronology Laboratory (AAGL) at Northern Arizona University was awarded a two-year grant from EAR/IF to establish itself as an NSF Multi-User Facility. During the last two years, the AAGL has provided about 2300 analyses to 15+ collaborative scientists involved in research projects representing a broad range of geoscience disciplines. In addition, the AAGL generated about 1600 analyses on the taxonomic effects and temperature sensitivity of amino acid racemization in single foraminifera tests. The goal of the AAGL is to increase the accessibility and reliability of a geochronological tool used to understand the timing, frequency, and rates of Earth surface processes. The sustained productivity of the AAGL can largely be attributed to the dedication of the laboratory's technician/manager, Jordon Bright, who has worked in the AAGL for ten years. The primary purpose of this proposal (and about one half of the total direct costs) is to fund one half of Bright's salary. The intellectual merit of this proposal is derived from the variety of research projects that the Multi-User Facility is currently scheduled to support. The small sample sizes and the ease of analysis afforded by recent analytical refinements present new opportunities to use small shell fragments from mixed-age populations and microfossils from sediment cores for amino acid geochronology and paleothermometry. For example, the AAGL is currently planning to analyze foraminifera from premier suites of marine cores recently recovered from the Santa Barbara Basin and from the Arctic Ocean, and is collaborating on new research into time averaging of benthic fossil assemblages from the continental shelves of Brazil, Texas, and California. Approximately 1000 analyses per year will be offered at a nominal fee ($10 per sample, about one-fifth the standard rate). The AAGL will also collaborate with researchers to design and conduct experiments aimed at improving the accuracy and applicability of the technique.***