MRI: Acquisition of an Ultra-Centrifuge to Enhance Geoenvironmental Research and Education at California State University Los Angeles

这项重大研究仪器(MRI)奖的目标是获得一种具有高有效载荷能力的超速离心机。超离心机使用离心力来加快水文地质和污染物的去向和传输特性的测量。超离心力的范围从0到250，在600转每分钟时最大为20,000 G-lbs。购买的设备将加强各级的研究、培训和教育，特别是在下列领域：(A)非饱和各向异性条件下低渗透率土壤的水力传导性对饱和程度的依赖；(B)围挡屏障的长期恶化；(C)利用多孔介质的各向异性系数表征水文地质和运输特性；(D)包气带低渗透沉积物中的同位素迁移；以及(E)用于固碳的地区土壤的化学风化。在稳态离心法(SSC)下，同样的测量可以在几天甚至几小时内完成，这将通过获得该设备来实现。结果将被广泛传播，以支持在减少地下污染和地下水保护领域的研究。该仪器将很容易地纳入CSULA提供的本科生和研究生研究和教学计划。

The objective of this Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award is to acquire an ultracentrifuge with high payload capacity. The ultracentrifuge uses centrifugation forces to speed up the measurement of hydrogeological and contaminant fate and transport properties. The ultracentrifuge G Force ranges from 0 to 250 with a maximum 20,000 G-lbs at 600 RPM. The acquired equipment will enhance research training and education at all levels, especially in the following areas: (a) hydraulic conductivity dependence on saturation level in low conductivity soils under unsaturated anisotropic conditions; (b) long-term deterioration of containment barriers; (c) characterization of hydrogeological and transport properties using anisotropy coefficient of porous media; (d) isotope transport in low permeability sediments in the vadose zone; and (e) chemical weathering of soils in areas used for carbon sequestration.Measurement of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity in low conductivity soils can take years to be performed using most common approaches. Under steady-state centrifugation (SSC), which will be enabled through the acquisition of this equipment, the same measurement can be performed in a matter of days or even hours. The results will be widely disseminated to support research in the areas of underground contamination mitigation and groundwater protection. The instrumentation will be readily incorporated into undergraduate and graduate research and teaching programs available at CSULA.