Acquisition of an Electric Pulse Rock Sample Disaggregator

这项拨款为购买和测试依靠电脉冲技术的岩石样品分解系统的费用提供匹配的支持。电脉冲分解（EPD）系统目前由矿业公司和世界上三个学术机构（包括明尼苏达大学）使用。学术机构的EPD系统都是由俄罗斯圣彼得堡的一家小公司定制的。EPD系统沿晶界爆炸石化样品；电压的快速放电导致矿物颗粒或微化石周围较弱的胶结物升华，导致气体沿着这些毛细管薄通道迅速膨胀。与传统的破碎方法相比，EPD系统具有快速提取精致微化石和保存软矿物相的潜力，并且损害最小，因此在微古生物学、地球化学和地质年代学研究中具有不可估量的价值。该仪器由Maxwell Physics International （MPI，前身为PRIMEX Physics International）制造。与成本更低的俄罗斯设计相比，MPI设计具有多种优势，包括：1)完全封闭的高压元件，2)可拆卸和完全密封的样品室，3)低噪音操作，4)快速可调的输入电压。也许最重要的是，MPI设计被认为是一项重大的安全改进，目前使用的俄罗斯EPD系统需要在单独和远程的实验室设施中操作，以确保爆炸样品的完全密封和听力安全。该EPD系统将提供给非whoi地球科学家，用于矿物分离，以便进行随后的地质年代学和微量元素地球化学研究，并用于分离精细的微化石。＊＊＊

9905530Peucker-EhrenbrinkThis grant provide matching support of the costs of purchasing and testing a rock sample disaggregation system relying on electric pulse technology. Electric pulse disaggregation (EPD) systems are currently in use by mining companies and at three academic institutions worldwide (including the University of Minnesota). The EPD systems at academic institutions were all custom built by a small company in St. Petersburg Russia. EPD systems explode lithified samples along grain boundaries; the rapid discharge of voltage causes sublimation of weaker cements surrounding mineral grains or microfossils leading to rapid expansion of the gases along these capillary thin channels. Relative to traditional crushing methods, EPD systems have the potential for rapid extraction of delicate microfossils and preservation of soft mineral phases with minimal damage and could therefore prove invaluable for micropaleontological, geochemical, and geochronological studies.The instrument to be acquired is manufactured by Maxwell Physics International (MPI; formerly PRIMEX Physics International). The MPI design offers multiple advantages over the less costly Russian design, including: 1) completely enclosed high voltage elements, 2) removable and completely sealed sample chamber, 3) low noise operations and, 4) rapidly adjustable input voltage. Perhaps foremost, the MPI design is considered a major safety improvement, Russian EPD systems currently in use require operation in separate and remote laboratory facilities to ensure complete containment of exploding samples and for hearing safety. This EPD system will be made available to non-WHOI geoscientists for mineral separation for subsequent geochronological and trace element geochemical studies and for separating delicate microfossils. ***