Instrument upgrades and supporting equipment to establish a SIMS facility at Memorial university

Cameca IMS 4f离子微探针二次离子质谱仪将得到升级和装备，以便能够对纳克固体天然物质样品进行高精度的现场稳定同位素和微量元素分析。西姆斯技术分析小物体、小体积和小样品的独特能力将应用于地球和环境科学的各种研究，包括：对巨大的Voisey's Bay存款的研究将检查岩浆输入的偶发性，并确定同化的S（和Se）的连续等分试样是否反映为矿石内的环带。如果这被证明是这种情况下，那么成对的硫同位素和硒/硫微量分析将有助于划定和扩大矿体的矿山开发的继续。补充离子成像研究还将用于优化工艺冶金以及尾矿和废物污染的环境控制。火山学。喷发物质中硫同位素的微分析将用于了解哥伦比亚Nevado del Ruiz等会聚板块边界火山喷发前气态硫的积累。这些火山会释放出大量的二氧化硫，造成火山爆发危险和硫再循环到大气中，影响气候和产生酸雨。㈢海洋生物矿化/古气候学。西姆斯分析将应用于现代珊瑚礁的环境监测。例如，在受尾矿污染的地区，离子成像可以揭示珊瑚骨骼内夹带颗粒中的污染金属的分布。这项研究还将使用氧和碳同位素的微量分析来检测由于环境压力（如严重风暴或大火）造成的珊瑚礁骨骼的短期变化。对深水珊瑚物种中Sr/Ca比率和氧同位素的精细测定将用于研究纽芬兰和拉布拉多外大陆坡的温度记录，作为拉布拉多海流强度随时间变化的监测。

A Cameca IMS 4f ion microprobe Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer (SIMS) will be upgraded and equipped to permit high precision in situ stable isotope and trace element analyses of nanogram samples of solid natural materials. The unique capabilities of the SIMS technique for the analysis of small objects, small volumes and small samples will be applied to a wide variety of studies in Earth and Environmental Science, including: i) Ore deposits genesis. A study of the giant Voisey's Bay deposit will examine episodicity of magmatic inputs, and determine whether sequential aliquots of assimilated S (and Se) are reflected as zonations within the ores. If this proves to be the case, then paired sulphur isotope and Se/S microanalysis will assist in delineation and extension of orebodies as mine development continues. Complementary ion imaging studies will also be applied to optimization of process metallurgy, and the environmental control of tailings and waste containments. ii) Volcanology. Microanalysis of sulphur isotopes in erupted materials will be applied to understanding the pre-eruptive accumulation of gaseous sulphur within convergent plate boundary volcanoes such as Nevado del Ruiz, Colombia. These volcanoes can release extremely large volumes of SO2 - with consequences for both volcanic explosivity hazard and recycling of S to the atmosphere, affecting climate and producing acid rain. iii) Marine Biomineralization/Paleoclimatology. SIMS analysis will be applied to the environmental monitoring of modern coral reefs. For example, in areas compromised by mine tailings, ion imaging can reveal the distribution of contaminant metals resident in entrained particles within the coral skeletons. This study will also use microanalyses of oxygen and carbon isotopes to detect short term changes in reef coral skeletons due to environmental stress such as severe storms or large fires. Fine scale determination of Sr/Ca ratios and oxygen isotopes in deep water coral species will be used to study the temperature record on the continental slope off Newfoundland and Labrador, as a monitor of the strength of the Labrador Current over time.