Acquisition of a 193 nm laser ablation system for ICP-MS and (U-Th)/He chronometry

这项拨款为耶鲁大学用于激光烧蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱（LA-ICP-MS）和(U-Th)/He计时的193 nm激光烧蚀系统提供部分资金。该激光器将增加耶鲁大学现有部门ICP-MS和无机地球化学项目的多功能性，允许对各种地质材料进行原位、空间分辨的微量元素和同位素分析。除了对正在进行的岩石学和环境研究中的微量元素和同位素研究有益外，激光还将特别有利于两个新的地质年代学应用：(1)研究了锆石晶内U- th分带特征，提高了锆石(U- th)/He年龄及其热年代学的精度和准确性；(2)常规测量了锆石单晶中的U/Pb年龄，也采用了(U- th)/He （He-Pb双定年）法，为沉积岩碎屑物源研究提供了一种新的有力技术。该激光器将为耶鲁大学的研究生和本科生、博士后、技术人员和教职员工，以及进行(U-Th)/He和ICP-MS分析的访问研究人员，包括参加耶鲁大学夏季He约会研讨会的本科生，提供分析经验和最先进的分析。

EAR-0345789ReinersThis grant provides partial funding for a 193 nm laser ablation system for use in laser ablation inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and (U-Th)/He chronometry at Yale. The laser will increase the versatility of the existing sector ICP-MS and the inorganic geochemistry program at Yale, allowing in situ, spatially-resolved trace element and isotopic analyses of a wide variety of geological materials. Besides benefits to trace element and isotopic studies in ongoing petrologic and environmental studies, the laser will particularly benefit two new geochronologic applications: 1) characterization of intracrystalline U-Th zonation in zircon, to improve precision and accuracy of (U-Th)/He ages and thermochronologies derived from them, and 2) routine measurement of U/Pb ages in single zircon crystals also dated by (U-Th)/He (He-Pb double dating), which is a new and powerful technique for detrital provenance studies of sedimentary rocks. The laser will provide analytical experience and state-of-the-art analyses for graduate and undergraduate students, postdocs, technical staff, and faculty at Yale, as well as for visiting researchers performing (U-Th)/He and ICP-MS analyses including undergraduate participating in summer He dating workshops at Yale.