MRI: Acquisition of a Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometer for Studies of the Formation and Evolution of the Solid Earth

用于固体地球形成和演化研究的热电离质谱计的获得地质过程在时间尺度上的运行时间比人类经验长得多。这些过程的记录记录在地球物质的化学和同位素组成中。自然产生的放射性元素提供了记录导致现代地球的一系列事件的时钟。用于提取这些信息的主要工具是质谱仪。该奖项支持卡内基科学研究院地磁系(DTM)购买质谱仪。新仪器将测量岩石，以了解地球的历史和自然。它将改进DTM的程序，并将供科学家和学生使用。来访的科学家和学生经常在美国和世界各地领导他们自己的地质研究项目。这台新仪器将进一步加强培训下一代地球科学家的教育机会。这笔赠款将用于为DTM的地球化学组购买一台新的热电离质谱仪。DTM的记录可以追溯到20世纪50年代，在同位素地质学和地质年代学方面开发新技术，并将它们应用于地学中的许多重要课题。配备高增益法拉第放大器的新型质谱仪将扩展当前的能力，特别是允许测量较小的样品大小，还将允许对包括142、182W和53Cr在内的短寿命放射性核素的衰变产物进行高精度同位素分析。这些系统提供了一个更加清晰的视角，以了解伴随着行星形成的过程如何确立了地球的主要特征，这些特征一直延续到今天。所要求的仪器将允许隔离新的和现有的仪器之间不兼容的测量技术，以便每个仪器都能产生尽可能高质量的数据。新仪器还将继续并扩大对下一代同位素地球化学家的培训，这些尖端技术可用于探索与地球形成和演化有关的基本问题。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Acquisition of a Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometer for Studies of the Formation and Evolution of the Solid EarthGeologic processes operate on time scales much longer than human experience. The record of these processes is recorded in the chemical and isotopic composition of Earth materials. Naturally occurring radioactive elements provide the clocks that record the sequence of events that led to the modern Earth. The primary tool used to extract this information is the mass spectrometer. This award supports acquisition of a mass spectrometer for the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism (DTM) at Carnegie Institute of Science. The new instrument will measure rocks to understand the history and nature of the Earth. It will improve the programs at DTM and will be available for scientists and students to use. Visiting scientists and students often lead their own geology research programs in the U.S. and worldwide. The new instrument will further strengthen educational opportunities for training the next generation of Earth scientists.This grant will fund the purchase of a new thermal ionization mass spectrometer for the geochemistry group at DTM. DTM has a record, dating back to the 1950`s, of developing new techniques in isotope geology and geochronology and applying them to a number of topics of importance in the geosciences. The new mass spectrometer with high-gain faraday amplifiers will expand current capabilities, particularly allowing measurement of smaller sample sizes, and will also allow high-precision isotopic analysis of the decay products of short-lived radionuclides including 142Nd, 182W and 53Cr. These systems are providing a much clearer look at how the processes that accompanied planet formation established major characteristics of Earth that persist to the present day. The requested instrument will allow isolation of incompatible measurement techniques between the new and existing instruments so that each can produce the highest quality data possible. The new instrument also will continue and expand training of the next generation of isotope geochemists in cutting edge techniques that can be used to probe fundamental questions relating to Earth formation and evolution.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.