MRI: Acquisition of X-Ray Diffraction Instrumentation for Mineralogical Research

这项重大研究仪器(MRI)奖支持购买台式粉末X射线衍射仪。这款粉末X射线衍射仪使用X射线分析固体材料，以确定其内部组成和晶体结构。利用该仪器进行的成功研究使调查人员能够查明在世界各地各种洋盆和热液黑烟周围区域收集的深海岩心沉积物中矿物质的来源。衍射仪是莫斯·兰丁海洋实验室、圣何塞州立大学和该地区其他地区校园和研究机构(包括加州大学圣克鲁斯分校、蒙特利湾水族馆研究所和加州州立大学蒙特利湾分校)本科生和研究生地质学课程不可或缺的一部分。对数据的分析将为所有这些机构的几篇硕士论文提供信息。该仪器还被整合到与当地学校的几个推广项目中。X射线衍射仪为研究和教育提供了一个基本工具。它有利于国际海洋发现方案在澳大利亚西北部、巴布亚新几内亚和智利边缘收集的深海岩心的起源和古气候研究。它是研究加利福尼亚州海湾二氧化硅成岩作用和相关自生沉淀物的关键分析工具。该仪器还用于轴海山岩心的粘土矿物分析，以确定热液矿物/火山玻璃矿床的成因，并对东太平洋北部隆起(阿拉康隆起)热液黑色烟雾场周围的沉积物进行大量矿物学分析。该仪器还支持各种项目，包括深海岩心X射线荧光数据的矿物学解释、远程操作工具从冷泉、泥火山和片状碳酸盐收集的岩心矿物学分析、鱼耳石的矿物学分析以及与海洋酸化有关的珊瑚藻类矿物学特征的变化。该奖项反映了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，认为值得支持。

This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award supports the acquisition of a table-top powder X-ray Diffractometer. This powder X-ray Diffractometer analyses solid materials using X-rays to identify their internal composition and crystallographic structure. Successful research conducted with this instrument enables investigators to identify the sources of the minerals in sediments from deep-sea cores collected in a variety of ocean basin worldwide and in regions surrounding hydrothermal black smokers. The Diffractometer is integral part of the undergraduate and graduate students Geology curriculum at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, San Jose State University and other regional campuses and research institution in the area including the University of California Santa Cruz, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, and California State University Monterey Bay. Analysis of data done in this instrument will inform several master student dissertations at all these institutions. The instrument is also integrated in several outreach programs with local schools.The X-Ray Diffractometer provides a fundamental tool for research and education. It benefits provenance and paleoclimate studies on deep-sea cores collected by the International Ocean Discovery Program in the Northwest Australian, Papua New Guinea and Chilean Margins. It is a key analytical tool for studies on silica diagenesis and associated authigenic precipitates in the Gulf of California. The instrumentation is also used for clay mineral analyses on cores form the Axial Seamount to determine the origin of hydrothermal mineral/volcanic glass deposits and for bulk mineralogy analyses of sediment surrounding a hydrothermal black smoker field on the northern East Pacific Rise (Alarcon Rise). The instrument also supports various projects that include the mineralogic interpretation of X-ray fluorescence data from deep-sea cores, mineralogic analysis of cores collected by Remotely Operated Vehicles from cold seeps, mud volcanoes and scheletal carbonates, mineralogic analyses of fish otoliths and changes in coralline algae mineralogic characteristics in relation to ocean acidification.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.