Collaborative Research: GEOTRACES: Intercalibration exercise for Radium Isotopes in seawater

南卡罗来纳大学和伍兹霍尔海洋研究所的研究人员提议参加2008年大西洋GEOTRACES互校准巡航，收集226Ra、228Ra、224Ra和223Ra的样本。 来自河口、公海站、湾流站和内陆架站的复制样本将被收集并分发到世界各地多达 22 个实验室，以便使用辐射技术、热电离质谱或电感耦合等离子体质谱分析上述镭同位素。 224Ra 和 223Ra 的初始测量将在海上对一组选定的样本进行。 此外，科学家们还计划测试流量对二氧化锰涂层纤维从海水中回收镭、钍和锕的影响，并将这些结果与一些新型提取介质（即锰珠、锰涂层盒）进行比较。就更广泛的影响而言，这种相互校准活动的结果将为科学界提供必要的方案，以准确和精确地测量镭同位素，无论哪个实验室生成，都可以进行比较/对比数据。 作为该项目的一部分，南卡罗来纳大学的一名本科生将得到支持和培训。

Investigators from the University of South Carolina and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution propose to participate in the 2008 Atlantic Ocean GEOTRACES intercalibration cruise to collect samples for 226Ra, 228Ra, 224Ra, and 223Ra. Replicate samples from an estuary, an open ocean station, a Gulf Stream station, and an inner shelf station would be collected and distributed to as many as 22 laboratories around the world to be analyzed for the above mentioned radium isotopes using either radiometric techniques, thermal ionization mass spectrometry, or inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Initial measurements of 224Ra and 223Ra would be made at sea on a selected set of samples. Also, the scientists plan to test the effect of flow rate on the recovery of radium, thorium, and actinium from seawater on manganese dioxide coated fibers, as well as compare these results with some novel extraction media (i.e., Mn beads, Mn-coated cartridges).As regards broader impacts, results from this intercalibration activity would provide the science community with the necessary protocols to accurately and precisely measure radium isotopes that can be compared/contrasted regardless of which laboratory generated the data. One undergraduate student from the University of South Carolina would be supported and trained as part of this project.