Acquisition of a Scanning Electron Microscope for Earth Science Research and Training of the Next Generation of Geoscientists

在提交给EAR仪器和设施项目的提案中，pi要求149,947美元用于支持肯塔基大学（英国）地球与环境科学系的教师和学生购买用于土壤材料粒度结构和化学表征的扫描电子显微镜（SEM）。申请的SEM将支持NSF/EAR资助的岩石构造学和其他领域的研究。具体的研究将包括对中地壳挤压的调查，需要通过锆石U-Pb年代学对变形的深成岩进行定年，以及对与挤压带内和边界带内变质岩的变形微结构有关的独居石生长进行定年。在使用U-Pb和独居石年代学技术之前，需要通过扫描电镜对锆石和独居石进行扫描电镜成像。其他研究包括对花岗岩和沉积岩的岩石成因的研究，后者对碳氢化合物储层评价和对二氧化碳注入对储层岩石矿物学和孔隙演化的影响的研究有影响。所要求的SEM将支持PI的研究生和本科生研究培训以及当地高中的推广工作，并使肯塔基地质调查局校园分支机构的科学家受益，该仪器将被安置在那里。这种支持与美国国家科学基金促进科学进步和促进国家福利的使命是一致的，因为学生在微分析技术方面的培训机会对支持未来的科学劳动力需求和可能有利于未来地下二氧化碳封存工作的研究进展具有重要意义。＊＊＊

1551342MoecherIn this proposal submitted to the EAR Instrumentation and Facilities Program, the PIs requested $149,947 to support acquisition of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) for grain-scale textural and chemical characterization of earth materials by faculty and students in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Kentucky (UK). The requested SEM would support NSF/EAR funded research in petrotectonics and other fields. Specific studies would include investigations of mid-crustal transpression that require dating of deformed plutonic rocks via zircon U-Pb geochronology and dating monazite growth tied to deformation microstructures in metapelites within and bounding zones of transpression. Prior to U-Pb and monazite geochronologic techniques SEM imaging of zircons and monazites via SEM is required. Additional research includes studies of the petrogenesis of granites and sedimentary rocks, the latter with implications for hydrocarbon reservoir evaluation and for studies of the effects of CO2 injection on reservoir rock mineralogy and porosity evolution.The requested SEM would support graduate and undergraduate student research training and local high school outreach efforts by the PI and benefit scientists at the on-campus branch of the Kentucky Geological Survey, where the instrument would be housed. This support is congruent with NSFs mission of promoting the progress of science and advancing the national welfare given the importance of student training opportunities in microanalysis technologies to support future scientific workforce needs and the advancement of research that may benefit future subsurface carbon dioxide sequestration efforts. ***