Acquisition of Instrumentation for the Interdisciplinary Drew Sedimentology Facility

Riihimaki0958398这项奖励是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案(公法111-5)提供资金的。这项MRI-R2奖励在12个月内提供129,854美元的资金，用于购买德鲁大学的沉积学设施仪器。核心仪器将是粒度分析仪，它将用于测量宽粒度范围(0.04-2000微米)的河流、湖泊和风沙沉积物样品。粒子将主要从来源中选择，这将使建立气候变化和流域尺度的动态指标成为可能。还需要天平、带有数码相机系统的偏光显微镜、马弗炉和对流烤箱。粒度分析仪将允许对替代物质进行基本的沉积学测量，以更好地了解气候变化和流域尺度的动态。这些项目包括编制自上一次冰川盛期(约18,000年前)以来冰川国家公园的气候变化记录，建立塔霍湖沉积物的精细污染物输入历史，确定治理或缓解战略的效力，制作高分辨率的气溶胶测量数据，以更好地了解气候影响，并重建导致厄瓜多尔沿海史前贸易路线的环境条件。该机构在地球和环境科学的合作研究方面有很强的背景，最近建立了一个环境研究和可持续发展计划。所要求的仪器很快就会产生效果，并将纳入课堂环境。学生将被用于实地样本采集，并将被允许使用本科生研究项目的设备。该乐器还将为25名有天赋的高中生提供服务。该仪器将被安置在现有的实验室空间内。该仪器只需要最少的培训，因此PI将检查新用户。业务费用被认为是微不足道的(消耗品很少)，将由部门预算支付。外部用户将被收取运行样本的费用。***

Riihimaki0958398This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).This MRI-R2 award provides $129,854 in funding over 12 months to acquire sedimentology facility instrumentation at Drew University. The core instrument will be a particle size analyzer which will be used to measure stream, lake and eolian sediment samples over a wide particle size range (0.04-2000 µm). Particles will largely be selected from sources which will allow establishing climate change and watershed-scale dynamics proxies. Also requested are a balance, a polarizing microscope with digital camera system, a muffle furnace, and a convection oven. The particle size analyzer will allow fundamental sedimentological measurements on proxy materials to better understand climate change and watershed-scale dynamics. Projects include developing climate change records for Glacier National Park since the last glacial maximum (~18,000 years ago), establishing fine-scale contaminant input histories for sediments in Lake Tahoe and determining the efficacy of treatment or mitigation strategies, producing high-resolution aerosol measurements to better understand climatic impacts, and reconstructing environmental conditions leading to prehistoric trade routes in coastal Ecuador. The institution has a strong background in collaborative research for Earth and environmental science and has recently established an Environmental Studies and Sustainability program. The requested instrument produces rapid results and will be incorporated into the classroom setting. Students will be used in field sample collection and will be given access to the equipment for undergraduate research projects. A program for 25 gifted high-school students will also be served by the instrument. The instrument will be housed in existing laboratory space. The instrumentation requires minimal training, therefore the PIs will check out new users. Operational costs are thought to be minimal (very few consumables) and will be covered by departmental budgets. Outside users will be charged to run samples. ***