Acquisition of a quadrupole ICPMS system for (U-Th)/He thermochronology and trace element analysis at the University of Colorado, Boulder

（U-Th）/He热年代学是研究岩石和区域热历史的有力工具。该技术可以提供对无数地质过程的详细了解，包括古代和现代景观的形成，化石燃料源岩的热演化以及小行星撞击的历史。几乎任何导致或源于温度变化的地质过程都可以用（U-Th）/He热年代学来研究。该提案将资助科罗拉多大学热年代学研究和仪器实验室（CU-TRaIL）购买电感耦合等离子体质谱仪（ICP-MS），这是进行（U-Th）/He测量所需的关键仪器。CU-TRaIL服务于更广泛的地球科学界不断扩大的用户群，获得专用的ICP-MS将有助于满足对（U-Th）/He数据日益增长的需求。新机器将与样品制备设施和He提取和测量线位于同一实验室空间，从而可以进行更有效的分析，并大大减少目前实验室工作人员时间的效率低下。此外，学生和其他实验室科学家将能够快速实验新的和创新的技术，以增加可以与（U-Th）/He热年代学解决的过程的范围，并提高测量的效率和质量。新的ICP-MS机器的速度和多功能性也将为地质科学系内的新合作开辟可能性，并为科罗拉多大学的研究生提供宝贵的经验和培训机会。CU TRaIL目前配备了矿物分离和显微镜设施，用于脱气和测量矿物中He的四极He系统，以及用于矿物U-Th掺入和溶解的清洁实验室空间。该奖项将提供资金，以获得一个新的四极电感耦合等离子体质谱仪（ICP-MS）主要用于（U-Th）/He地质年代学的U-Th溶液分析。新的ICP-MS也将用于其他类型的分析，特别是对消化的辅助矿物，碳酸盐和全岩溶液的微量元素工作，其中CU地质科学系特别感兴趣。CU TRAIL已经产生了3800个样本分析;开发了外部合作，包括24个高级PI和20个研究生和本科生;开出了价值230，000美元的分析账单;产生了至少42个摘要和4个提交的手稿中使用的数据，其中CU TRAIL成员是合著者;并举办了一个短期课程，迅速填补了最大容量。该设施的成功启动预示着一个健康的未来。然而，该实验室现在正在经历内部和外部用户对数据的需求日益增加。满足这一日益增长的需求的当前瓶颈是获得ICP-MS以有效地生成溶解矿物溶液的U-Th分析。这种访问问题也构成了一个障碍，以培训学生和游客在这一关键部分的方法，并限制了灵活性，在运行与实验室的几个途径相关的实验解决方案？的方法开发工作。购买ICP-MS将满足这些研究、开发和培训需求，并将使这部分分析过程的效率提高50%。它也将有助于实现实验室？的双目标进行创新，跨学科和高素质的研究，同时服务于更大的地球科学界。

(U-Th)/He thermochronology is a powerful tool for constraining the thermal history of rocks and regions. The technique can provide detailed insight into a myriad of geologic processes, including the formation of both ancient and modern landscapes, the thermal evolution of fossil-fuel source rocks, and the history of asteroid impacts. Almost any geologic process that results in or from a change in temperature can be studied with (U-Th)/He thermochronology. This proposal will fund the acquisition of an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS), a key piece of instrumentation needed to make (U-Th)/He measurements, at the University of Colorado Thermochronology Research and Instrumentation Lab (CU-TRaIL). The CU-TRaIL serves an expanding user base in the broader Earth science community, and acquiring a dedicated ICP-MS will help meet the growing demand for (U-Th)/He data. The new machine will be located in the same laboratory space as the sample preparation facility and the He extraction and measurement line, thereby allowing for much more efficient analyses and greatly reducing current inefficiencies in laboratory staff time. In addition, students and other lab scientists will be able to quickly experiment with new and innovative techniques to increase the range of processes that can be addressed with (U-Th)/He thermochronology and to improve the efficiency and quality of the measurements. The speed, and versatility of the new ICP-MS machine will also open up the possibility for new collaborations within the Geological Sciences department, and provide University of Colorado graduate students with invaluable experience and training opportunities. The CU TRaIL is currently equipped with mineral separation and microscopy facilities, a quadrupole He system for degassing and measuring He from minerals, and clean lab space for mineral U-Th spiking and dissolution. This award will provide funding to acquire a new quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) primarily utilized for U-Th solution analysis for (U-Th)/He geochronology. The new ICP-MS will also be made accessible for other types of analyses, especially trace element work on digested accessory mineral, carbonate, and whole rock solutions, in which there is particular interest in the Department of Geological Sciences at CU. CU TRaIL has generated 3800 sample analyses; developed external collaborations that include 24 senior PIs and 20 graduate and undergraduate students; billed $230,000 worth of analyses; generated data used in at least 42 abstracts and 4 submitted manuscripts on which a CU TRaIL member is a coauthor; and hosted a short course that filled rapidly to maximum capacity. This successful launch of the facility promises a healthy future ahead. However, the lab is now experiencing intensifying demand for data from both internal and external users. The current bottleneck to meeting this growing need is access to an ICP-MS to efficiently generate U-Th analyses for dissolved mineral solutions. This access issue also poses an obstacle to training students and visitors in this key part of the method, and limits flexibility in running experimental solutions associated with several avenues of the lab?s method development work. Acquisition of an ICP-MS will address these research, development and training demands, and will lead to 50% increase in efficiency in this part of the analytical process. It will also aid in achieving the lab?s twin goals of conducting innovative, interdisciplinary, and high-caliber research while simultaneously serving the greater Earth science community.