Particle-Size and Carbon Instrumentation for the Integration of Quantitative Sedimentology Into the Undergraduate Geology Curriculum

沉积物的粒度分布（PSD）反映了输送介质的能量（例如，水或风）、沉积环境、化学风化程度和物源。同样，碳的浓度（无论是总的，有机的，或无机的）可以反映弹性和生源输入到湖盆，物源，溶解的原生碳酸盐，碳酸盐粉尘的风成流入土壤之间的平衡。该项目涉及购买一台激光衍射粒度分析仪和一台库仑法碳分析仪，以便将定量沉积学纳入地质学课程的三个领域：全球变化、表层沉积过程和物理沉积学以及应用地质学。这些设备正在增加这些领域独立研究项目的重要性和规模。此外，该仪器使本科生能够以最少的实验室经验准确，精确和快速地测量PSD和碳含量。 该项目使进一步开发面向研究的动手实验室组件成为可能。

The particle-size distribution (PSD) of sediment reflects the energy of the transporting medium (e.g., water or wind), depositional environment, degree of chemical weathering, and provenance. Similarly, the concentration of carbon (either total, organic, or inorganic) may reflect the balance between elastic and biogenic inputs to a lake basin, provenance, dissolution of primary carbonate, and eolian influx of carbonate dust to a soil. This project involves purchase of a laser diffraction particle-size analyzer and a coulometry-based carbon analyzer to enable the integration of quantitative sedimentology into three areas of the geology curriculum: global change, surficial process and physical sedimentology, and applied geology. This equipment is increasing the significance and scale of independent research projects in these areas. Also, the instrumentation enables undergraduates to measure PSD and carbon content accurately, precisely, and rapidly with a minimum of laboratory experience. This project is making it possible to further develop research-oriented, hands-on laboratory components.