Upgrade of the Laser Heating System for the (U-Th)/He Laboratory at the University of Kansas

该奖项是根据2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(公法111-5)提供资金的。这笔资金将用于为堪萨斯大学地质系的(U-Th)/He热年代学实验室购买半导体激光加热系统。收购新的半导体激光加热系统将有助于(1)继续我们由NSF赞助的KU研究，目前有许多研究生和本科生参与，(2)无数的国内和国际合作努力，为众多教职员工、研究人员和学生提供使用最先进设施的途径，以及(3)开发新的热计时技术，探索新的研究途径。对低温热计时数据有巨大的需求，以解决从构造和地貌演化到与能源有关的研究等广泛地质过程的时间和速率的关键问题。除了我们巨大的协作和服务工作量外，此次收购在我们实验室的新研究途径将集中在：(1)碳酸盐和水合相的激光(U-Th)/He测年；(2)更高温度(900-600°C)下的扩散实验，(3)更大样品(如磁铁矿)的加热和脱气，以及(4)沉积盆地中的锆石和金红石的U-Pb和(U-Th)/He双重测年。拟议的收购将有助于维持目前的生产力水平，增强现有设施，并影响我们实验室的国内/国际用户社区。PI和他的同事们也有将研究与教育相结合的长期记录，让研究生和本科生参与研究，并吸引少数族裔和代表性不足的学生学习地质学和地球化学。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). The funds will be used acquire a diode laser heating system for the (U-Th)/He thermochronology laboratory in the Department of Geology of the University of Kansas. The acquisition of a new diode laser heating system will allow (1) continuation of our NSF-sponsored research at KU currently involving many graduate and undergraduate students, (2) countless national and international collaborative efforts, providing a multitude of faculty, researchers, and students access to a state-of-the-art facility, and (3) development of new thermochronometric techniques and exploration of new research avenues. There is a tremendous demand for low-temperature thermochronometry data to address crucial questions about the timing and rates of a wide spectrum of geological processes ranging from tectonics and landscape evolution to energy related research. In addition to our enormous collaborative and service work load, new research avenues in our laboratory as a result of this acquisition will focus among other things on: (1) laser (U-Th)/He dating of carbonate and hydrous phases; (2) diffusion experiments at higher temperatures (900-600ºC), (3) heating and degassing of larger samples (e.g., magnetite), and (4) U-Pb and (U-Th)/He double-dating of zircon and rutile from sedimentary basins. The proposed acquisition will help maintain the current productivity levels, enhance the existing facilities, and impact the national/international user community of our laboratory. The PI and his colleagues also have a long record of integrating research and education, involving graduate and undergraduates in research and attracting minority and underrepresented students to geology and geochemistry.