Collaborative Research: Acquisition of New Instrumentation for Geochemical Studies in the Earth and Environmental Sciences

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This award will provide support for part of a major facility upgrade to benefit geochemical research at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) and the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). Specifically, funds will be allocated over 3 years for acquisition of (1) a new generation noble gas mass spectrometer and inlet system, (2) a high sensitivity single collector (SC) ICP-MS, and (3) a high precision multi-collector (MC) ICP-MS. The timing of this award is motivated by a combination of increasing demand at LDEO and AMNH for access to this type of instrumentation at a time when the performance of aging existing facilities is inadequate to pursue state of the art research, coupled with major new commitments by both institutions to geochemistry. These include ongoing construction of a $45M Geochemistry Building and new appointments of senior and junior Faculty to the Geochemistry Division at LDEO, a new phase of cooperation between LDEO and AMNH, and an unprecedented commitment to stabilize instrument maintenance and technique development through institutional contributions to technical support. The new instrumentation is linked in that it fosters interdisciplinary research across a spectrum of themes. The noble gas mass spectrometer will measure neon isotope ratios for surface exposure dating, further the development of constant flux proxies for paleoceanography, and advance studies of mantle dynamics. The SC-ICPMS will fulfill a growing need for analyses of ultra-low trace element abundances in water, ice and aerosols. At present, these efforts are compromised by other measurements of high concentration samples using shared instruments. The high sensitivity of a new MC-ICPMS will allow measurement of isotope ratios in smaller samples than is currently feasible and will be linked with a laser, bought separately with institutional funds. The laser ablation MC-ICPMS capability will serve a large number of LDEO and AMNH researchers and students who now travel extensively in order to obtain LA-ICPMS analyses. The new instrumentation will open new avenues to advance knowledge on fundamental topics such as solid earth geodynamics, ocean dynamics and climate, as well as the transport and fate of contaminants in aqueous systems and the atmosphere.The instrumentation is also critical for providing state-of-the-art technology for Earth science research and education in the New York City area. The enhanced infrastructure will promote cross-disciplinary and inter-institutional collaborations. The equipment is critical to continuance of both a strong graduate education program and a research training program at both the undergraduate and high school levels. Since 2000 LDEO Geochemistry has produced 19 Columbia PhD dissertations and AMNH has hosted 15 graduate students from various universities. Currently, 27 Columbia PhD students are associated with the groups requesting instrumentation through this proposal. LDEO labs serve graduate students from regional institutions, including CUNY and Stony Brook. LDEO geochemists are actively involved in REU programs ( 40 interns since 2000). The AMNH REU program has hosted 22 interns since it started in 2003, in which most have been women and several have been African American or Hispanic. LDEO geochemists also provide research opportunities for high school students ( 25 since 2000). The new instrumentation will make a fundamental contribution to meeting research and educational needs of at least two CUNY campuses (Queens and Kingsborough CC) and at Fordham University, where LDEO and AMNH adjunct researchers have faculty positions. Geochemists in this project are extensively involved in public education and outreach, such as public lectures, news media contributions, popular articles, and spearheading prominent exhibits (e.g., the Halls of Planet Earth, and of Meteorites, and of Gems and Minerals at AMNH). The AMNH exhibits and other public programs are important tools of public science education; some 4.5M people, including 0.6M K-12 students, visit AMNH each year. Geochemists involved in this proposal regularly give lectures in the Earth2Class Program (www.earth2class.org/) for K-12 science teachers. LDEO scientists use their expertise as members of governmental advisory boards, including NYC Mayor Bloomberg?s Council of Sustainable Development. The new instrumentation provides essential tools for continuation of our public outreach efforts.***