Acquisition of a Laser Ablation System in Support of (U-Th)/He and U/Pb Multidating of Accessory Minerals

近年来，地球科学家越来越多地将地质年代学（确定矿物结晶年龄）和热年代学（确定冷却年龄）的方法应用于沉积岩中的矿物，目的是确定这些矿物的基岩来源和这些来源的冷却历史。对同一矿物颗粒进行地质年代学和热年代学研究具有很大的科学优势，但常规分析技术很少能够进行这种“多测年”研究。这笔赠款允许购买一种新的紫外线激光烧蚀仪器，当与亚利桑那州立大学惰性气体地质年代学和地球化学实验室的现有仪器相结合时，将建立第一个全自动锆石（U-Th）/He热年代学和U/He热年代学分析系统。铅地质年代学。该项目的更广泛影响包括来自亚利桑那州立大学社区以外的地质学研究生和本科生的机会作为客座研究员对系统进行分析此外，组件的集成，以建立系统将作为一个案例研究的在线“分析系统工程”的主题在亚利桑那州立大学的学士学位。勘探系统设计学位课程。

In recent years, geoscientists have increasingly applied the methods of geochronology - the determination of mineral crystallization ages - and thermochronology - the determination of cooling ages - to minerals in sedimentary rocks with the aim of fingerprinting the bedrock sources of these minerals and the cooling histories of those sources. There is great scientific advantage in performing both geochronologic and thermochronologic studies on the same mineral grains, but conventional analytical techniques seldom enable such 'multidating' studies. This grant permits the acquisition of a new ultraviolet laser ablation instrument that, when integrated with existing instruments in the Noble Gas Geochronology and Geochemistry Laboratories at Arizona State University, will establish the first fully automated analytical system for zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronology and U/Pb geochronology.Broader impacts from this project include opportunities for geology graduate and undergraduate students from outside the ASU community to perform analyses on the system as guest researchers. In addition, the integration of components to build the system will serve as a case study for an on-line 'analytical systems engineering' subject in ASU's B.S. degree program in Exploration Systems Design.