MRI: Acquisition of a Multicollector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer for Earth Science Research at the University of Texas at Austin

该奖项为新一代多接收器电感耦合等离子体质谱仪（MC-ICP-MS）的收购提供资金。 该仪器将取代德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校杰克逊地球科学学院目前使用的老化MC-ICP-MS。 收购一个新的MC-ICP-MS将扩大研究方向和地球科学的杰克逊学校提供的能力，并丰富学生的教育机会。 JSG教师从事各种外展活动，涉及新仪器的研究将被纳入正在进行的REU（本科生研究经验）计划，GK-12外展计划合作K-12教师和STEM研究生，以及GeoFORCE（一个成功的大学预科外展计划，针对德克萨斯州少数民族高中学生）。UT Austin的许多科学家都有当前和计划中的研究项目，需要新一代MC-ICP-MS分析。 这些分析需要包括开发新技术，以及应用现有方法来回答新的和创新的研究问题。 其中包括用于确定碳酸盐年龄的U系列测量。 这将应用于各种研究课题，包括洞穴，成壤和湖泊碳酸盐沉积物的研究和鸵鸟蛋壳的定年，以调查人类进化的时间。 现代MC-ICP-MS还将促进Hf和Pb同位素的同时测量，并使我们能够在锆石的单个生长带内识别同位素指纹和年龄，这对岩浆房演化和沉积物来源的调查至关重要。 其他研究应用包括高空间分辨率的原位Sr同位素测量，a）鱼类中的生物碳酸盐，以重建迁移历史，B）岩溶水文系统中的洞穴沉积物，以重建滴水演化和气候，以及c）长石斑晶，以跟踪岩浆混合和地壳同化。 新仪器还将用于测量各种同位素，包括Li、Os和Pb，用于矿物相和大块岩石的同位素指纹识别，以及Fe和Zn同位素，以研究细胞中的金属吸收。

This award provides funding for the acquisition of a new generation multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS). This instrumentation would replace the aging MC-ICP-MS currently used by the Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas, Austin. Acquisition of a new MC-ICP-MS will expand the research directions and capabilities offered by the Jackson School of Geosciences and enrich educational opportunities for students. JSG faculty are engaged in a variety of outreach activities, and research involving the new instrument will be integrated into an ongoing REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) program, GK-12 outreach program partnering K-12 teachers and STEM graduate students, and GeoFORCE (a successful college preparatory outreach program targeting Texas minority high school students). Numerous scientists at UT-Austin have both current and planned research projects requiring a new generation MC-ICP-MS analyses. These analytical needs include the development of new techniques in addition to applying existing methodologies to answer new and innovative research questions. These include U-series measurements to determine ages on carbonates. This will be applied to a variety of research topics including studies of cave, pedogenic and lacustrine carbonate deposits and dating of ostrich egg shells to investigate the timing of human evolution. A modern MC-ICP-MS would also facilitate the concurrent measurement of Hf and Pb isotopes and allow us to identify both the isotopic fingerprint and age within a single growth zone in zircons, crucial to investigations of magma chamber evolution and sediment provenance. Additional research applications include high spatial resolution in situ Sr isotope measurements in a) biogenic carbonates in fishes to reconstruct migration histories, b) speleothems in karst hydrologic systems to reconstruct drip-water evolution and climate, and c) feldspar phenocrysts to track magma mixing and crustal assimilation. The new instrument will also be used to measure a variety of isotopes including Li, Os, and Pb for isotopic fingerprinting of mineral phases and bulk rocks and Fe and Zn isotopes to investigate metal uptake in cells.