Laboratory Technician Support: Luminescence Geochronology

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The research activities enabled by this award include fundamental geochronological research on landscape forming processes in river and dune landscapes over a range of environments from the humid mid-continent to the Great Basin of North America, to river systems in China and South Africa. These collaborative projects address the impacts of human-landscape interaction, natural hazards, and sustainability and thereby have significant potential for informing decisions regarding policy and management. This funding supports a full time technician for the Desert Research Institute E.L. Cord Luminescence Laboratory (DRILL). The technician is critical to better serving the user community, training of visiting students and scientists, maintenance of the DRILL, and timely completion of projects. The DRILL is dedicated to luminescence research, which is a geological dating technique that enables geochronologists to define the burial age of sediments and some artifacts. This award also facilitates fundamental research in luminescence dating and training of visiting students and scientists. The goal of this project is to farther develop the DRI Luminescence Laboratory (DRILL) to better serve the geochronology user community and to become a center of learning about luminescence through the support of a full time technician. The research activities enabled by this award include fundamental research on landscape evolution and process geomorphology in addition to technique development including directly dating volcanic glass and the extension of luminescence data to understanding geomorphic processes such as sediment transport in rivers and particle mixing on hillslopes. The goals are to better serve those needing luminescence dating in their projects and training the next generation of luminescence practitioners.