Facilities Support: Amino Acid Geochronology Laboratory

考夫曼理解过去的环境变化需要两种同样重要的信息：一是变化的证据，二是变化的时间和速度。现代地质、气候学和考古学事件的年代比放射性碳测年范围(3万年)更早的时间往往鲜为人知。该奖项建立了一个共享设施，旨在提高用于了解地球表面过程的时间、频率和速率的地质年代学工具的可及性和可靠性。氨基酸地质年代学实验室于1996年启动，获得了EAR/IF奖。利用新仪器开发了一种分析程序，使探测能力提高了至少一个数量级，为将氨基酸年代学和古测温法应用于包括介形虫和有孔虫在内的微化石提供了新的机会。氨基酸年代学共享设施的任务是：(1)完善一个重要的年代学工具，(2)将其应用于各种科学问题，(3)培训新用户，(4)协调实施氨基酸年代学的实验室之间的活动。共享设施将通过执行分析和提供解释性信息来支持十几名NSF资助的研究人员和其他研究人员。每年将提供大约1500个分析，象征性收费(每个样本5美元，约为标准费率的十分之一)。一个主要目标是将氨基酸年代学的结果与其他年代学方法的结果进行交叉核对。该设施还将与研究人员合作，设计和进行各种实验，旨在提高该技术的准确性和适用性。该设施将培训新的用户，并将提供服务，以增加氨基酸地质年代学的凝聚力和统一性，包括：分发实验室间标准、共享高效液相色谱柱、汇编扩展的AAR数据集，以及开发一个网站。该设施的运作将由两名指定的顾问指导，他们还将在授权期结束时评估该设施的影响。奖励预算的大部分将用于实验室技术员(Jordon Bright)工资的一半。布莱特在实验室工作了八年多，积累了相当多的专业知识。他的持续参与将使该实验室发展成为一个共享设施，使更广泛的从业者和用户社区能够获得氨基酸分析和其他服务。*

0419617KaufmanUnderstanding environmental changes of the past requires two equally important types of information: one is the evidence of the change, and the second is the timing and rate of the change. The ages of recent geological, climatological, and archeological events older than the range of radiocarbon dating (30,000 years) are often poorly known. This award establishes a Shared Facility aimed at increasing accessibility and reliability of a geochronological tool used to understand the timing, frequency, and rates of Earth surface processes. The amino acid geochronology laboratory was initiated in 1996 with an EAR/IF award. An analytical procedure was developed with the new instrumentation that has improved detection capabilities by at least an order of magnitude, presenting new opportunities to apply amino acid geochronology and paleothermometry to microfossils, including ostracodes and foraminifera. The mission of the Shared Facility for amino acid geochronology is to: (1) refine an important geochronological tool, (2) apply it to a variety of scientific problems, (3) train new users, and (4) coordinate activities among laboratories practicing amino acid geochronology. The shared facility will support more than a dozen NSF-funded and other researchers by performing analyses and providing interpretive information. Approximately 1500 analyses per year will be offered at a nominal fee ($5 per sample, about one-tenth the standard rate). A primary goal is to cross-check the results of amino acid geochronology with results of other geochronological methods. The facility will also work with researchers to design and conduct a variety of experiments aimed at improving the accuracy and applicability of the technique. The facility will train new users, and it will offer services to add cohesion and uniformity to amino acid geochronology, including: distributing inter-laboratory standards, sharing HPLC columns, compiling extended AAR data sets, and developing a website. The operation of the facility will be guided by two designated advisors, who will also assess the impact of the facility at the conclusion of the award period. The majority of the award budget will be devoted to one half of the laboratory technician's (Jordon Bright) salary. Bright has worked in the lab for over eight years and has gained considerably expertise. His ongoing involvement will enable the laboratory to develop into a Shared Facility, which will make amino acid analyses and other services accessible to a broader community of practitioners and users.***