MRI: Acquisition of an XRF Core Scanner for the Lamont-Doherty Core Repository

该项目将支持购置一台X射线荧光(XRF)岩心扫描仪，该扫描仪能够对沉积物岩心和其他地质材料，如板岩岩心或珊瑚进行自动化、高通量、高分辨率的地球化学分析。来自陆地和海洋的沉积物和岩石岩心的地球化学分析是研究过去和现在的气候变化、地球构造史和人类对我们环境的干扰的关键组成部分。特别是在气候研究方面，需要高分辨率的地球化学和矿物学替代数据来模拟和理解几十年到几百万年的时间尺度上的气候变化机制。这一提议最重要的三个更广泛的影响是：a)建立一个地区性分析设施，为纽约三小时半径内的科学家和学生提供服务；b)为哥伦比亚大学众多终身教职前的教师和科学家提供增强的和所需的分析能力；c)获得一种仪器，将提供对他们的职业生活和所选领域至关重要的研究生培训。此外，XRF设施将加强许多学生和外行访问和/或在资料库工作的教育和研究经验。在过去的四年中，Lamont-Doherty核心资源库的访问者数量急剧增加，该资源库已经发展成为一个教育和外联中心，面向同事、当地大学、高中、当地实习生项目、Elhi教师及其当地专业组织、研讨会/会议与会者和记者等。该资料库的目标一直是创造一种环境，有助于教育所有教育水平的学生和成年人，同时激发好奇心和好奇心。已经做出了特别努力，以确保访问者(以适合年龄的方式)理解(以适合年龄的方式)在资料库每天进行的科学与所有公民都应该理解的更大的进化、自然资源可获得性和气候变化问题之间的联系。XRF数据用于研究各种主题，如陆地干旱和降水历史、冰川历史、地下水健康问题、二氧化碳封存以及渔业和资源污染问题。许多以拉蒙特为基地的科学项目将从XRF核心扫描仪的收购中受益，这些项目由整个地球科学局的项目资助。此外，东北走廊内的众多科学家也将受益于拉蒙特分析设施的扩建。许多由NSF资助的陆地或海洋取心探险的科学家认识到在拉蒙特-多尔蒂岩芯储存库对其岩心进行采样和存档的好处，特别是在其岩芯需要冷藏的情况下。拉蒙特-多尔蒂地球天文台的XRF核心扫描仪将实现增强向内部和外部研究人员提供分析服务的目标，并使该地区的学生更容易积极参与他们与顾问共同开展的研究。

This project will support the acquisition of an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) core scanner capable of automated, high-throughput, high-resolution geochemical analysis of sediment cores and other geological materials such as slabbed rock cores or coral. The geochemical analysis of sediment and rock cores, from land and sea, is a critical component of research studying past and present climate change, Earth's tectonic history, and anthropogenic disturbance of our environment. In climate research especially, high-resolution geochemical and mineralogical proxy-data is needed to model and understanding mechanisms of climate change on time scales ranging from decades to millions of years. The three most important broader impacts of this proposal are a) the establishment of a regional analytical facility that will serve scientists and students within a three hour radius of New York; b) the provision of enhanced and needed analytical capability to numerous pre-tenure faculty and scientists at Columbia University; and c) the acquisition of an instrument that will provide graduate student training central to their professional life and chosen fields. In addition, the XRF facility will enhance the educational and research experience of the many students and laypeople that come to visit and/or work in the Repository. The number of visitors to the Lamont-Doherty Core Repository has increased dramatically over the last four years as the Repository has evolved into an educational and outreach center for colleagues, local colleges, high schools, local intern programs, ELHI teachers and their local professional organizations, workshop/conference attendees, and journalists, among others. The goal of the Repository has been to create an environment that lends itself to educating students and adults at all educational levels while simultaneously inspiring curiosity and wonder. Particular effort has been put into to ensuring that visitors understand (in an age-appropriate way) the link between the science carried out every day in the Repository and the larger, issues of evolution, natural resource availability, and climate change that all citizens should understand. XRF data are used to study topics as diverse as terrestrial drought and precipitation history, glacier history, groundwater health issues, CO2 sequestration, and fisheries and resource pollution issues. Numerous scientific projects based at Lamont, funded by programs spanning the breadth of the Geosciences Directorate, will benefit from the acquisition of the XRF core scanner. In addition, numerous scientists within the northeast corridor will also benefit from the expansion of Lamont's analytical facilities. Many scientists who run NSF-funded coring expeditions, on land or sea, recognize the benefits of sampling and archiving their cores at the Lamont-Doherty Core Repository, especially if their cores require cold storage. An XRF core scanner at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory will meet the objective of enhancing the analytical services offered to internal and external investigators, as well as making it much easier for students in the region to be active participants in the research they are undertaking with their advisors.