MRI: Acquisition of a Superconducting Rock Magnetometer System for Earth Sciences Research

这项重大研究仪器（MRI）计划资助支持购买超导岩石磁力仪（SRM），该磁力仪配备在线岩石磁线圈和自动样品处理系统（RAPID系统）以及所需的辅助设备。 SRM将支持达特茅斯学院地球科学系的研究和研究培训。SRM将支持对地磁场、大陆古地理学和深时环境磁学的发展和演变的研究。 SRM还将支持博士后科学家，研究生和本科生的研究。 调查员计划通过实验室图尔斯和夏季研究实习来推广当地的K-12。 该仪器还将支持区域合作以及来自新英格兰地区及其他地区机构的教师和学生的使用。矿物、沉积物、岩石可以告诉我们地球表面过去的情况--从地磁场的发展和演变到大陆的地理位置，再到地球上关键事件的发生时间（和人类）历史，以跟踪气候和环境条件的变化，这反过来又可以告知我们对地球未来的预测。 在达特茅斯的研究将集中在新的磁性应用和技术，如“深时”环境磁性与磁性矿物形成的绝对定时和一个快速，非破坏性的技术，用于识别磁性铁硫化物存在于低丰度的发展。 SRM-RAPID系统和热退磁器将为热退磁和古强度的测量提供校园资源。 这些方案需要大量样本和高分辨率步骤，每次研究可能会导致数万次测量。该仪器还将支持自动交变磁场退磁和岩石磁性实验，包括磁化率，无滞后剩磁磁化和等温剩磁磁化。由SRM-RAPID系统进行的剩磁测量可用于有效地表征样品的磁性矿物学，以及分析地质样品中的古记录场。 SRM的高灵敏度和RAPID系统保持器的低磁矩将使研究人员能够通过分析弱磁化沉积物、重磁化火山岩和非常小的样品（如生物标本、过滤颗粒、化学残留物、该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的评估被认为是值得支持的。影响审查标准。

This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program grant supports acquisition of a superconducting rock magnetometer (SRM) equipped with in-line rock magnetic coils and automated sample handling system (RAPID system) and required ancillary equipment. The SRM will support research and research training in the Department of Earth Sciences at Dartmouth College. The SRM will support research on the development and evolution of the geomagnetic field, continental paleogeography, and deep-time environmental magnetism. The SRM will also support postdoctoral scientist, graduate, and undergraduate student research. The investigator plans local K-12 outreach through laboratory tours and summer research internships. The instrument will also support regional collaborations and faculty and student use from institutions in the New England region and likely beyond.Magnetic study of minerals, sediments, and rocks can inform us about past conditions on Earth’s surface—from the development and evolution of the geomagnetic field to the geographic position of continents to the timing of key events in Earth (and human) history to tracking changes in climate and environmental conditions—which in turn can inform our projections of Earth’s future. Research at Dartmouth will focus on novel magnetic applications and techniques such as “deep-time” environmental magnetism with absolute timing of magnetic mineral formation and development of a quick, non-destructive technique for identifying magnetic iron sulfides present in low-abundance. The SRM-RAPID system and thermal demagnetizer will provide an on-campus resource for measurements of thermal demagnetization and paleointensity. These protocols require large sample numbers and high-resolution steps that can result in tens of thousands of measurements per study. The instrumentation will also support automated alternating field demagnetization and rock magnetic experiments involving magnetic susceptibility, anhysteretic remanent magnetization, and isothermal remanent magnetization. Remanence magnetic measurements made by the SRM-RAPID system can be used for efficiently characterizing the magnetic mineralogy of samples, as well as analyzing ancient recorded fields in geologic samples. The high-sensitivity of the SRM and the low magnetic moment of the RAPID system holder will allow researchers to push the frontiers of the field through analysis of weakly magnetized sediments, heavily remagnetized volcanics, and very small samples such as biological specimens, filtered particulate, chemical residues, and pure mineral phases.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.