MRI: Upgrade of powder X-ray diffraction instrumentation at Vassar College

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1229257WalkerThis Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program grant supports acquisition of a powder x-ray diffractometer for the Department of Earth Science and Geography at Vassar College, a non-Ph.D. Granting institution. A new table XRD will replace an extant but aging Siemens D5000 XRD (vintage 1989). The XRD will support research that requires rapid phase identification of fine grained materials and crystallographic structure refinement. Research that will be supported includes studies of clay mineral assemblages in low grade metamorphic rocks in order to determine zones of metasomatic activity, studies of phyllosilicates in soils to understand the cation exchange behavior of soils; and studies of the clay mineralogy of lacustrine sediments in order to understand the paleoevironmental conditions of their formation. The instrument will support undergraduate student research training at this four year liberal arts institution with a historically high enrollment of women and underprivileged students.***