Upgrading of Scanning Electron Microscope for Chemical and Morphological Feature Analysis

9906361 DukeThis奖提供关键资金需要完成现代化的扫描电子显微镜（SEM）实验室在南达科他州矿业和技术学校。 1999年7月，扫描电镜上的能量分散X射线探测器将由机构和实验室资源供资的新的光元件探测器和微量分析系统取代。 这笔NSF赠款提供的额外资金将用于增加先进的化学和形态学图像分析软件，并将现有的背散射电子探测器替换为新的TV率探测器。 升级后的扫描电镜将结合联合收割机在成像、X射线显微分析、成分和形态图像处理方面的最新能力，新的分析和成像能力将有利于以下领域的基础和应用地球科学研究：花岗岩和伟晶岩的岩石学演化;变质过程中的元素再分布;岩石和矿物的光谱特性;热液矿床的成因;海洋和陆地脊椎动物化石的分类学;风沙的流体动力学;以及应用地质遥感。 主要的好处将来自新的反向散射电子探测器检查抛光岩石薄片的效率、根据X射线或反向散射电子信号生成矿物图或模式分析的能力以及快速确定化学和形态特征和对颗粒进行分类的能力。 SEM设备的这些改进被认为是SDSM T地质和地质工程研究和培训活动的关键。 此外，SEM设施服务于整个校园，许多重要的跨学科研究项目已经在实验室启动。 因此，从这个奖项所带来的改进将对整个大学的教师和学生产生广泛的影响。 ***

9906361DukeThis award provides critical funding needed to complete modernization of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) laboratory at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. In July 1999 the energy-dispersive X-ray detector on the SEM will be replaced with a new light-element detector and microanalysis system funded with institutional and laboratory resources. The additional funding provided by this NSF grant will be used to add advanced chemical and morphological image analysis software and to replace the existing backscattered electron detector with a new TV-rate detector. The upgraded SEM will combine state-of-the-art capabilities in imaging, X-ray microanalysis, and compositional and morphological image processing.The new analytical and imaging capabilities will benefit basic and applied geoscience research in the following areas: petrologic evolution of granites and pegmatites; element redistribution during metamorphism; spectroscopic properties of rocks and minerals; genesis of hydrothermal ore deposits; systematics of marine and terrestrial vertebrate fossils; fluid dynamics of wind-blown dust; and applied geological remote sensing. The principal benefits will derive from the efficiency of the new backscattered electron detector for examination of polished petrologic thin sections, the ability to generate mineral maps or modal analyses based on X-ray or backscattered electron signals, and the capability for rapid chemical and morphological characterization and classification of particles. These improvements to the SEM facility are considered critical to the research and training activities in geology and geological engineering at SDSM&T. Moreover, the SEM facility serves the entire campus and many important interdisciplinary research projects have been initiated in the laboratory. Consequently, the improvements resulting from this award will have a broad impact on faculty and students throughout the university. ***