Acquisition of a stable isotope mass spectrometer

这项主要研究仪器（MRI）拨款支持购买最先进的稳定同位素比质谱仪（SIRMS），该质谱仪带有在线样品制备系统，用于在新墨西哥矿业和技术研究所对自然水域和碳酸盐中的碳、氧和氢的稳定同位素进行连续流动分析。新的Finnigan Delta Plus SIRMS将取代已有14年历史的机器（Finnigan Delta E），该机器不再得到制造商的支持，并且由于电子和真空系统故障而停机时间越来越长。新型SIRMS具有用于连续流（CF）分析的在线样品制备系统的增强功能将允许以高通量分析非常小的样品。事实上，新一代的CF-SIRMS系统允许以更高的精度分析数量级较小的样品。这种能力对于研究自生碳酸盐、沉积胶结物和伟晶岩矿物的微空间同位素变化非常重要，因此我们现在正在了解在这种尺度上记录的高度非均质性和潜在的历史信息，而这些信息以前是均匀化和大量分析以解释地质历史的。新的SIRMS将支持一系列研究，从火山排放物中挥发物的来源研究，到美国西南部半干旱地区地下水输送途径的水文和生态研究，以及蒸发和蒸腾过程的研究，再到热液矿床成因的研究。此外，通过与当地印第安人学院（Dine College）的关系，以及与nsf支持的新墨西哥研究生教育和教授联盟（NM-AGEP）的联系，该设施将成为新墨西哥理工大学分析库的一个有吸引力的补充，促进少数民族学生进入地球科学领域，该联盟旨在帮助代表性不足的群体为科学学术界的职业生涯做准备。＊＊＊

0216030CampbellThis Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) grant supports the acquisition of a state-of-the-art stable isotope ratio mass spectrometer (SIRMS) with on-line sample preparation systems for continuous flow analysis of stable isotopes of Carbon, Oxygen and Hydrogen in natural waters and carbonates at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. A new Finnigan Delta Plus SIRMS will replace a 14 years old machine (a Finnigan Delta E) that is no longer supported by the manufacturer and is having increasing periods of down time due to electronics and vacuum system failures. The enhanced capabilities of a new SIRMS with on-line sample preparation systems for continuous flow (CF) analysis will allow for the analysis of very small samples with high throughput. Indeed, the newer generation of CF-SIRMS systems allow for orders of magnitude smaller samples to be analyzed with improved precision. This capability is important for study of micro-spatial isotopic variability in authigenic carbonates, sedimentary cements and pegmatite minerals, as a result of which we are now learning of the great degree of heterogeneity and potential historic information recorded at this scale which was previously homogenized and analyzed in bulk to interpret geologic history. The new SIRMS will support research ranging from studies of the sources of volatiles in volcanic emissions to hydrological and ecological studies of the pathways groundwater transport and processes of evaporation and transpiration in the semi-arid to arid Southwestern U.S. to studies of the genesis of hydrothermal ore deposits. Further, this facility will be an attractive addition to New Mexico Tech's analytical arsenal in facilitating the recruitment of minority students to the geosciences through its relationship with a local Native American College (Dine College) and through its association with the NSF-supported New Mexico Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (NM-AGEP), which seeks to assist underrepresented groups in preparation for careers in science academia. ***