Facility Support: The WiscSIMS National Ion Microprobe

该补助金支持WiscSIMS作为稳定同位素地球化学的国家设施。WiscSIMS包括IMS-1280离子微探针，该探针针对稳定同位素（H、Li、B、C、N、O、Mg、Si、S、Cl、Ca和Fe）的分析进行了优化。WiscSIMS开发了独特的功能，可以精确、准确地分析从小到超小点的同位素比。从显微镜底座原位分析小斑点（1-10微米）的能力允许将数据与成像和其他形式的分析结合起来。这些新的原位能力的可用性导致了许多令人兴奋的发现，并正在引起地球化学领域的革命性变化。同位素变化的范围和模式最终可以从以前通过分析块状或粉末样品（如锆石、微体化石和成岩胶结物）而均匀化的小物体中确定。在许多领域都发现了具有根本重要性的新的和令人惊讶的信息。例如，对大陆古气候的高分辨率研究，通过传统的取样技术，仅限于十年至百年尺度的分辨率，但冰芯记录表明，气候的极端变化可能在不到10年的时间内发生。最近，西姆斯分析石笋解决了一个月或更短的氧同位素比值的变化，提供了一个记录的季节性和年度尺度的气候。WiscSIMS已经发表了许多古气候代理物的概念验证研究，包括洞穴沉积物，有孔虫，软体动物，鱼耳石和石灰岩，并计划其他包括硅藻和生物源磷酸盐。该项目的更广泛影响包括稳定同位素地球化学在社会关注问题上的新应用;公共教育;以及在本科生到博士后水平的地球化学培训，包括代表性不足的群体。在运行的头五年里，来自60所不同大学和研究机构的130多名科学家与WiscSIMS合作。

This grant supports WiscSIMS as a National Facility for Stable Isotope Geochemistry. WiscSIMS includes an IMS-1280 ion microprobe that is optimized for analysis of stable isotopes (H, Li, B, C, N, O, Mg, Si, S, Cl, Ca, and Fe). WiscSIMS has developed unique capabilities for precise and accurate analysis of isotope ratios from small to ultra small spots. The ability to analyze small spots (1-10 microns) in situ from microscope mounts allows data to be put in context with imaging and other forms of analysis. The availability of these new in situ capabilities has led to many exciting discoveries and is causing revolutionary changes in areas of geochemistry. The range and pattern of isotope variation can finally be determined from small objects that were formerly homogenized by analysis of bulk or powdered samples such as zircons, microfossils, and diagenetic cements. New and surprising information of fundamental importance has been found in many areas. For instance, high-resolution studies of continental paleoclimate had been limited to resolution at decade- to century-scale by conventional sampling techniques and yet ice-core records show that extreme shifts in climate can occur in less than 10 years. Recently, SIMS analysis of stalagmites has resolved changes in oxygen isotope ratio for one month or less, providing a record of seasonality and annual-scale climate. WiscSIMS has published proof-of-concept studies of many proxies of paleoclimate including speleothems, foraminifera, mollusks, fish otoliths, and calcretes and plans others including diatoms and biogenic phosphates. The broader impacts of this project include new applications of stable isotope geochemistry to problems of societal concern; public education; and training in geochemistry at undergraduate to post-doc level, including under-represented groups. In the first five years of operation, over 130 scientists have worked with WiscSIMS from 60 different universities and research institutes.