Acquisition of a New Electron Imaging Facility

加州大学圣巴巴拉分校（UCSB）地球科学系将建立一个新的电子成像设备，该设备具有耦合阴极发光、电子背散射衍射和能量色散分析系统。这个最先进的设施将为主要研究人员、学生和参观者提供新的机会和持续的支持，这些研究的主题多种多样，包括：锆石年代学的新方法；地质/环境样品中微生物成像的新方法；iii)超高压岩石的成因和发掘；iv)地球上生命的起源和早期多样化；v)早期动物的生物矿化作用；vi)海底热液系统中矿物-微生物的相互作用；Vii)粘土和石英晶体取向在压力溶液中的作用，viii)甲烷对有孔虫的影响信号，ix)洞穴主题和测试中的古气候记录。我们在这些领域的新进展将通过三个新的能力来促进：i)在低真空下工作，ii)耦合能量色散-电子-背散射衍射，以及iii)位置标记能量色散光谱仪（EDS）光谱。UCSB将提供9万美元的配套资金，并继续为两名开发工程师提供全职工资支持，以运营、增强和维护该设施。随着我们在未来10年替换退休的教师，新设施将吸引有竞争力的年轻新科学家，并确保UCSB的地球化学、地质年代学、岩石学、构造地质学、古生物学和古气候学研究和教育的长期活力。它也将成为我们用来激发当地小学学生游客对科学兴趣的展示仪器之一。

The Earth Science Department at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) will establish a new electron imaging facility with coupled cathodoluminescence, electron-backscatter diffraction, and energy-dispersive analysis systems. This state-of-the-art facility will provide new opportunities and continuing support for a wide range of exciting research by principal investigators, students, and visitors on topics as diverse as: i) new methods in zircon geochronology, ii) new methods of imaging microbes in geologic/environmental samples with genetic probes; iii) the genesis and exhumation of ultrahigh-pressure rocks, iv) the origin and early diversification of life on Earth, v) biomineralization in early animals, vi) mineral-microbe interactions in seafloor hydrothermal systems; vii) the role of clay and quartz crystal orientation in pressure solution, viii) signals of methane influence on foraminifera, and ix) the paleoclimate record in speleothems and tests. Our new progress in these areas will be facilitated by three new capabilities: i) operating at low vacuum, ii) coupled energy-dispersive-electron-backscatter diffraction, and iii) position-tagged energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS) spectrometry. UCSB is providing $90,000 in matching funds, and continuing fulltime salary support for two development engineers to operate, enhance and maintain the facility. As we replace retiring faculty over the next 10 years, the new facility will attract competitive young new scientists and ensure the long-term vitality of geochemistry, geochronology, petrology, structural geology, paleontology, and paleoclimatology research and education at UCSB. It will also be one of our showcase instruments we use to excite interest in science among student visitors from local grade schools.