Replacement of a 23-year-old analytical system for continuing leading-edge stable isotope research on carbonate minerals

在整个地质历史中，碳酸盐在地球表面上无处不在。珊瑚和洞穴等碳酸盐矿物的稳定同位素组成已被广泛用于揭示地球的气候和环境历史，因为碳酸盐矿物的同位素变化受地球气候和环境变化的控制。这项建议是为了更换已有23年历史的碳酸盐分析系统，该系统使我在麦克马斯特大学的稳定同位素实验室能够为众多内部和外部研究人员和HQP提供世界级的分析服务。由于我的研究计划的这个中央分析系统目前不起作用且无法修复，我请求紧急资金，以获得碳酸盐矿物自动分析系统，使我们能够保留并增强我们已被证明的碳酸盐矿物碳和氧同位素组成的分析能力。所要求的分析系统将与我们现有的高灵敏度气源稳定同位素比质谱仪相结合，以实现高分析精度和样品吞吐量，创造一个增值的研究基础设施和环境。我的NSERC资助的研究计划的目标是彻底了解碳酸盐矿物的稳定同位素系统学，开发新的创新的地球化学工具，以重建地球的气候和环境历史，以及探索外星碳酸盐的生物特征。通过获得所需的分析系统，预期的分析能力和灵活性不仅对我的研究计划至关重要，而且对我的HQP的培训和招聘也至关重要。应当强调的是，如果没有拟议的分析系统，我正在进行的和未来的研究项目将被大大推迟，而且无法在当今竞争激烈的就业市场上为训练有素的稳定同位素地球化学家提供适当的HQP培训。我的研究计划使用所要求的分析系统产生的知识将帮助研究人员更好地阐明地球的气候和环境变化，并在建立准确的气候模型方面提供关键的古气候信息。这将使我们的社会能够更好地预测未来的气候变化，并及时制定适当的政府政策和法规，确保社会和经济利益。

Carbonates have been ubiquitous on the surface of the earth throughout its geological history. Stable isotope compositions of carbonate minerals, such as corals and speleothems, have been extensively used to unveil Earth's climate and environmental history because isotopic variations in carbonate minerals are controlled by changes in Earth's climate and environment. This proposal is for the replacement of a 23-year-old carbonate analysis system that allowed my stable isotope laboratory at McMaster University to provide a world-class analytical service for numerous internal and external researchers and HQP. Since this central analytical system to my research program is currently inoperative and irreparable, I am requesting urgent funds to acquire an automated analytical system for carbonate minerals that will enable us to retain and enhance our proven analytical ability for the measurement of carbon and oxygen isotope compositions of carbonate minerals. The requested analytical system will be coupled to our existing high-sensitivity gas-source stable isotope ratio mass spectrometer for high analytical precision and sample throughput, creating a value-added research infrastructure and environment. The goal of my NSERC-funded research program is to gain a thorough understanding of stable isotope systematics of carbonate minerals to develop new innovative geochemical tools for reconstructing Earth's climate and environmental history, as well as for probing biosignatures from extraterrestrial carbonates. The anticipated analytical capability and flexibility by acquiring the requested analytical system is not only essential for my research program, but also critical for training and recruitment of my HQP. It should be emphasized that, without the proposed analytical system, my ongoing and future research projects will be significantly delayed and proper training of HQP for a trained stable isotope geochemist in today's competitive job market cannot be provided. The knowledge generated from my research program using the requested analytical system will help researchers to better elucidate Earth's climate and environmental changes and provide key paleoclimate information in building accurate climate models. This will enable our society to better predict future climate variability and prepare appropriate government policies and regulations in a timely manner, ensuring social and economic benefits to our community.