MRI: Acquisition of a state-of-the-art thermal ionization mass spectrometer

来自主要研究和仪器计划（MRI）的一项奖励将支持在斯克里普斯海洋学研究所新成立的斯克里普斯同位素地球化学实验室购买一台热电离质谱仪（TIMS），用于最先进的同位素测量。这种新的仪器将增强圣地亚哥地区现有的质谱分析设施。TIMS仪器可以精确测量一系列绝灭同位素（如Mn-Cr）、长寿命放射性成因同位素（如Os、Sr、Nd、Pb）和稳定同位素系统（如Ca）的样品大小，并应用于一系列地质、宇宙化学、海洋学和生物过程。该仪器将用于测量火成岩的放射性同位素组成，以了解行星的形成和分化，并追踪地球上的化学变化。以确定贵金属矿石的形成，并研究在高爆炸性火山爆发期间发生的过程。在生物和海洋科学中，该仪器将用于精确测量海洋生物碳酸盐骨架中的稳定同位素分馏，以研究海洋酸化，并同位素追踪热液蚀变和生物介导的水岩相互作用。新的TIMS设施将有助于实现一项基本义务，即在圣地亚哥地区培养越来越多的、多样化的、有才华的博士后研究人员、研究生和本科生，他们依靠同位素方法进行论文研究。它将通过独立的研究论文、本科课程的研究经验，以及将利用下一代质谱法测量同位素比率的原理、例子和方法整合到课堂上，来提高本科生的参与度。最先进的TIMS还将加强正在进行的社区外展工作，包括为代表性不足的少数民族和女学生在科学、技术、工程和数学活动中使用的示范和实例。

An award from the Major Research and Instrumentation Program (MRI) will support the acquisition of a Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometer (TIMS) for state-of-the-art isotopic measurements at the newly-formed Scripps Isotope Geochemistry Laboratory at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. This new instrumentation will enhance existing mass spectrometry facilities in the San Diego region. A TIMS instrument will allow precise measurements of a range of extinct (e.g., Mn-Cr), long-lived radiogenic (e.g., Os, Sr, Nd, Pb), and stable isotope systems (e.g., Ca) at a range of sample sizes and employed to a range of geological, cosmochemical, oceanographic and biological processes. The instrument will be used to measure radiogenic isotope compositions of igneous rocks to understand planet formation and differentiation and to trace chemical variations in Earth?s mantle, to establish the formation of precious metal ores and to investigate processes occurring during highly-explosive volcanic eruptions. In the biological and ocean sciences the instrument will be used to precisely measure stable isotope fractionations in the carbonate skeletons of marine organisms to study ocean-acidification, and to isotopically trace hydrothermal alteration and biologically mediated water-rock interactions. The new TIMS facility will help achieve a fundamental obligation to train an increasingly large, diverse and talented pool of post-doctoral researchers and graduate and undergraduate students who rely on isotopic approaches for their dissertation research in the San Diego area. It will permit enhanced undergraduate participation through independent research dissertations, research experience for undergraduate programs, and through integration of principles, examples and methods of isotope ratio measurements using next-generation mass spectrometry into the classroom. A state-of-the-art TIMS will also enhance on-going community outreach efforts, including demonstrations and examples used in science, technology, engineering and mathematics events for underrepresented minorities and female students.