Replacement of an obsolete laser particle size analyzer for multidisciplinary geoscience research

该提案旨在通过更换我们现有的过时激光粒度分析仪，支持在里穆斯基海洋科学研究所（ISMER）和魁北克大学里穆斯基（UQAR）的生物学、化学和地理学系（DBCG）开展的几个由NSERC资助的地球科学研究项目和培训活动。在过去的15年里，该系统被广泛用于UQAR-ISMER及其合作者的20名研究人员的研究项目中，累计使用超过10，000小时（约40，000个分析样本）。200多名高素质人员接受了使用该仪器的培训。此外，在过去11年中，我们目前仪器的结果被纳入100多篇同行评审的出版物。然而，这台仪器现在显示出先进的迹象，零件经常需要更换，导致我们的研究计划延误。因此，需要经费购置一台新的最先进的激光粒度分析仪，以便对各种材料进行快速和定量的粒度分析。所需设备为马尔文Panalytic Mastersizer 3000激光衍射粒度分析仪。该系统允许在更宽的测量范围（0.01-3500 µm，而我们目前的测量范围为0.04-2000 µ m）内分析大量样品（约48个样品/天）的粒度分布。这一基本的激光衍射粒度分析仪将设在卡塔尔研究大学-ISMER的海洋地质实验室。它将直接支持1个一级加拿大海洋地质学研究主席和3个NSERC资助的多学科地球科学研究项目，其中粒度是最基本的分析：描述加拿大北极群岛海底沉积物粒度分布的空间格局，记录巴芬和埃尔斯米尔群岛出口冰川崩解活动的长期变化，提供新的沉积学数据，记录加拿大东部和南半球的地震活动，并将微生境与群落结构和生态系统功能联系起来。因此，所要求的仪器不仅是完成上述多学科研究计划的资本，而且也是参与这些不同研究计划的16名HQP的研究。此外，该基础设施将加强学生的动手实验室实验培训，作为最近提交的MaRIn NSERC CREATE培训计划的一部分，以及在ISMER和UQAR的本科和研究生课程的实验室活动期间。最后，这一设备还将帮助UQAR-ISMER和加拿大巩固其对国家（ArcticNet、Odyssée Saint-Laurent）和国际（ArcTrain、国际海洋发现方案、国际大陆科学钻探方案）科学研究方案的参与，这些方案经常使用粒度分析来确定沉积物的特征。

This proposal seeks to support several NSERC-funded geoscience research programs and training activities at the Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER) and the Département de biologie, chimie et géographie (DBCG) of the Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR) through the replacement of our existing obsolete laser particle size analyzer. This system was used extensively over the past 15 years in the research programs of 20 researchers from UQAR-ISMER and its collaborators, cumulating over 10,000 hours of use (~40,000 analyzed samples). Over 200 highly qualified personal (HQP) were trained for the utilization of this instrument. In addition, results from our current instrument were included in more than 100 peer-reviewed publications during the past 11 years. However, this instrument now shows signs of advanced ware and parts frequently need to be replaced, causing delays in our research programs. Funds are thus requested for the acquisition of a new state-of-the-art laser particle size analyzer to perform fast and quantitative grain-size analyses on a wide range of material. The requested equipment is a Malvern Panalytical Mastersizer 3000 laser diffraction particle size analyzer. This system allows analyzing grain size distribution on a large number of samples (~48 samples/day) in a broader measurement range (0.01-3500 µm compared to our current range of 0.04-2000 µm). This essential laser diffraction particle size analyzer will be located in the marine geology laboratory at UQAR-ISMER. It will directly support 1 Tier I Canada Research Chair in Marine Geology and 3 NSERC-funded multidisciplinary geoscience research programs where grain size is the most fundamental analysis to: characterize the spatial pattern of grain-size distribution in seabed sediments from the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, document long-term changes in the calving activity of outlet glaciers on Baffin and Ellesmere Islands, provide novel sedimentological data to document seismic activity in eastern Canada and the Southern Hemisphere, and relate microhabitats to community structure and ecosystem functioning. The requested instrument is thus capital for accomplishing not only the multidisciplinary research programs described above, but also for the research of 16 HQP involved in these different research programs. Additionally, this infrastructure will reinforce the training of students with hands-on laboratory experiments as part of the recently submitted MaRIn NSERC CREATE training program, as well as during the laboratory activities of undergraduate and graduate courses from ISMER and UQAR. Finally, this equipment will also help UQAR-ISMER and Canada to consolidate their participation in national (ArcticNet, Odyssée Saint-Laurent) and international (ArcTrain, International Ocean Discovery Program-IODP, International Continental Scientific Drilling Program-ICDP) scientific research programs where grain size analysis is routinely used to characterize the sediments.