Development of a high-resolution gas source isotope ratio mass spectrometer

该合同为开发高性能气源同位素比质谱仪（IRMS）提供资金，用于分析各种材料中的多重取代同位素模式。pi将直接与赛默飞世尔科技公司（Thermo）的工程师合作。新的仪器设计依赖于现有气源IRMS （MAT 253）的入口系统和离子源与现有大半径双聚焦多收集器质谱仪（Neptune）的分析仪和检测器阵列的结合。设计目标将是增加稀有同音质的最大质量分辨率。该混合系统将实现高质量分辨率、高灵敏度和高精度。主要动机是推进“团块同位素地球化学”——对自然发生的多取代同位素的研究。目前的分析局限性使得同位素测量极具挑战性。团块同位素地球化学是一个迅速发展的新领域，它有可能扩展到二氧化碳以外的物质，并有可能提供许多新的科学见解。近期科学的总体目标是推进甲烷和其他碳氢化合物气体的“团块同位素”温度计，了解减少的大气气体光化学寿命，并确定有机物质的可能来源。目前应用最发达的碳酸盐团块同位素测温技术将立即受益于这种新型仪器。该仪器将在古气候学、生物地球化学、构造学、大气化学、地球生物学和环境科学中具有广泛的适用性，并最终为有机和无机地球化学提供新的分析方法。新仪器将成为培训下一代同位素地球化学家的资源——为开辟新的研究途径提供一种“新的”分析工具。研究分子键和反应机制的基本原理也将支持与增强的分析能力。与Thermo的合作最终将导致一种商业上可用的仪器。* * *

0949336EilerThis award provides funding to develop a high-performance gas-source isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS) for analyzing multiply-substituted isotope patterns in various materials. The PIs will collaborate directly with engineers from Thermo Fisher Scientific ('Thermo'). The new instrument designs relies on combining an inlet system and ion source from an existing gas-source IRMS (the MAT 253) with the analyzer and detector array of an existing large-radius, double-focusing multi-collector mass spectrometer (the Neptune). The design goal will be to increase maximum mass resolution for rare isoptologues. The hybrid will achieve high mass resolution, high sensitivity, and high precision. The primary motivation is to advance "clumped isotope geochemistry" - the study of naturally occurring multiply substituted isotopologues. Current analytical limitations make isotopologue measurement extremeley challenging. Clumped isotope geochemistry is a rapidly developing new field with potential extensions to materials other than carbon dioxide will potentially provide many new scientific insights. The overall scientific near-term goals are to advance "clumped isotope" thermometers for methane and other hydrocarbon gases, understand reduced atmospheric gas photochemical lifetimes, and determining possible origins for organic materials. Carbonate clumped isotope thermometry, the most developed current application will immediately benefit from the new instrumentation. The instrument will have broad applicability in paleoclimatology, biogeochemistry, tectonics, atmospheric chemistry, geobiology and environmental science, and will ultimately provide new analytical approaches to organic and inorganic geochemistry. The new instrument will be a resource for training the next generation of isotope geochemists - offering a "new" analytical tool for opening new research avenues. Studies into the basic principles of molecular bonding and reaction mechanisms will also be supported with the enhanced analytical capabilities. The partnership with Thermo will eventually lead to a commercially-available instrument. ***