Acquisition of a Laser Ablation System in Support of (U-Th)/He and U/Pb Multidating of Accessory Minerals

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In recent years, geoscientists have increasingly applied the methods of geochronology - the determination of mineral crystallization ages - and thermochronology - the determination of cooling ages - to minerals in sedimentary rocks with the aim of fingerprinting the bedrock sources of these minerals and the cooling histories of those sources. There is great scientific advantage in performing both geochronologic and thermochronologic studies on the same mineral grains, but conventional analytical techniques seldom enable such 'multidating' studies. This grant permits the acquisition of a new ultraviolet laser ablation instrument that, when integrated with existing instruments in the Noble Gas Geochronology and Geochemistry Laboratories at Arizona State University, will establish the first fully automated analytical system for zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronology and U/Pb geochronology.Broader impacts from this project include opportunities for geology graduate and undergraduate students from outside the ASU community to perform analyses on the system as guest researchers. In addition, the integration of components to build the system will serve as a case study for an on-line 'analytical systems engineering' subject in ASU's B.S. degree program in Exploration Systems Design.