Acquisition of a Multicollector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer for Earth Science Research and Research Training in Northern New England

有了这个奖项，在UNH和其他北方新英格兰机构的PI和教师同事将获得多接收电感耦合等离子体质谱仪（MC-ICP-MS）进行高精度同位素测量适用于地球和环境科学研究的各种元素。地球和环境材料的同位素表征继续彻底改变我们跟踪和量化过程以及了解地球系统不同水库之间元素通量的能力。同位素数据对于解读地球历史上重大事件的时间也至关重要，这些事件深刻影响了生命的进化，地球？气候与大陆、海洋盆地和地球的自然发展之间的关系？的内部。利用该设施的项目将包括：（1）改进和加强地球部分熔融同位素后果的定量模型？地壳;（2）地幔熔融动力学的地球化学评估;（3）土壤矿物、真菌物质和树木组织的同位素特征，这些特征来自新的地球化学实验，旨在开发营养限制的元素和同位素替代物;（4）地球的早期演化？的地幔和岩石圈，如记录在太古代早期的地幔和超镁铁质岩石;（5）地质年代学和示踪剂研究，以量化的速度和机制的地壳过程，重点是现代板块边界和过去的造山事件;（6）同位素示踪剂的应用，以阐明沉积物的来源;（7）地质年代学和示踪剂的应用，以约束环境变化在地球上？的历史;（8）同位素比率在水文地质学中的应用，以确定地表水和地下水的相互作用以及人类对混合用途流域的贡献;（9）同位素追踪气团来源和大气化学反应。这一分析设施的更广泛的影响将包括学生培训，新的分析技术的创新，以及加强（和发展）几个新英格兰机构之间的研究联系。在该设施中收集的数据将促进定量模型的发展，以描述各种地球深部、地球表面、深部时间和大气过程。

With this award, the PIs and faculty colleagues at UNH and other Northern New England institutions will acquire a multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) to carry out high-precision isotopic measurements for a variety of elements applicable to studies in the Earth and environmental sciences. Isotopic characterization of Earth and environmental materials continues to revolutionize our capability to track and quantify processes as well as understand elemental fluxes between different reservoirs of the Earth system. Isotopic data are also critical to deciphering the timing of major events in Earth history that profoundly impact the evolution of life, Earth?s climate and the physical development of the continents, ocean basins and the planet?s interior. Projects capitalizing on this facility will include: (1) advancement and enhancement of the quantitative model for the isotopic consequences of partial melting of Earth?s crust; (2) geochemical assessment of mantle melting dynamics; (3) isotopic characterization of soil minerals, fungal material, and tree tissues from novel biogeochemical experiments designed to develop elemental and isotopic proxies for nutrient limitation; (4) early evolution of Earth?s mantle and lithosphere, as recorded by silicic and ultramafic rocks in early Archean cratons; (5) geochronologic and tracer studies to quantify the rates and mechanisms of crustal processes, with emphasis on modern plate boundaries and past orogenic events; (6) isotopic tracer applications to elucidate sediment provenance; (7) geochronologic and tracer applications to constrain environmental change in Earth?s history; (8) hydrogeological applications of isotopic ratios to identify surface and ground water interactions and anthropogenic contributions to mixed-use watersheds; and (9) isotopic tracking of air mass provenance and atmospheric chemical reactions. Broader impacts of this analytical facility will include student training, innovation of new analytical techniques, and the strengthening (and development) of research ties between several New England institutions. Data collected in this facility will foster the growth of quantitative models for characterizing varied deep Earth, Earth surface, deep time and atmospheric processes.