MRI: Acquisition of an MC-ICP-MS for Earth, Environmental and Planetary Research at the University of Nevada Las Vegas

在过去的几十年里，同位素地球化学已被证明是探索地球地质历史、太阳系发展、过去的气候以及人类与自然环境相互作用的关键工具。通过这笔赠款获得的多收集器电感耦合等离子体质谱(MC-ICP-MS)将提供对可能以极少量发现的多种元素的高精度同位素测量。它将支持在地球、环境和行星科学等广泛领域正在进行的研究。这些项目目前由美国国家科学基金会和美国宇航局资助。MC-ICP-MS将允许UNLV的教职员工和学生以及他们在内华达州和整个美国的合作者探索新的研究前沿，并促进他们在当前和未来的项目中取得成功。新仪器将提供给整个内华达州南部社区，特别是大学和K-12学校，否则他们将无法使用这种最先进的分析设施。该仪器还将被用作教育和培训研究生和本科生使用最先进的分析技术的教学设施。在过去的几十年里，同位素地球化学已被证明是探索地球地质史、太阳系的发展、过去的气候以及人类与自然环境相互作用的关键工具。这些研究的前沿需要准确和精确地测量作为放射性同位素示踪剂的锶、钕、氢和铅，以及作为稳定同位素示踪剂的镁、钙、钛、铁、锌和铀的同位素比率。通过这笔赠款获得的多收集器电感耦合等离子体质谱(MC-ICPMS)将成为能够以极高精度测量稳定和放射性同位素的实验室的核心。研究领域包括但不限于火成岩和变质岩石学、高温和低温地球化学、经济地质学、构造学、高压矿物学、(地质)考古学、跨关键转变的古环境变化、气候变化、沉积地质学和行星科学。它将服务于内部和外部用户，包括内华达大学拉斯维加斯分校(UNLV)和内华达高等教育系统(NHE)的教职员工和学生，以及他们来自罗伯逊社区学院、北卡罗来纳大学彭布罗克分校、阿巴拉契亚州立大学、加州大学河滨分校和加州州立大学弗雷斯诺分校的合作者。新仪器将提供给整个内华达州南部社区，特别是大学和K-12学校，否则他们将无法使用这种最先进的分析设施。该仪器还将用作教学设施，教育和培训研究生和本科生最先进的分析技术及其在地球、环境和行星科学中的应用。这将有助于增加妇女和任职人数不足的学生在STEM领域的参与度。UNLV是美国最多元化的校园之一，被指定为亚裔美国人、土著美国人、太平洋岛民和西班牙裔服务机构。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。

Over the past several decades, isotope geochemistry has proven to be a critical tool for exploring the geologic history of the Earth, development of the solar system, past climates, and human interaction with the natural environment. The Multicollector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) acquired through this grant will provide high-precision isotope measurements of multiple elements that may be found in minute quantities. It will support on-going research in the broad field of Earth, environmental and planetary science. Projects are currently funded by NSF and NASA. The MC-ICP-MS will allow UNLV faculty and students, as well as their collaborators in Nevada and throughout the United States, to explore new research frontiers and foster their success in current and future projects. The new instrument will be available to the entire southern Nevada community, particularly colleges and K-12 schools, who would otherwise not have access to such a state-of-the-art analytical facility. The instrument will also be used as a teaching facility to educate and train graduate and undergraduate students in state-of-the-art analytical techniques. This will help to increase the participation of women and underrepresented students in STEM fields.Over the past several decades, isotope geochemistry has proven to be a critical tool for exploring the geologic history of the Earth, development of the solar system, past climates, and human interaction with the natural environment. The cutting-edge of these studies requires accurate and precise measurement of isotope ratios for Sr, Nd, Hf and Pb as radiogenic isotope tracers, and Mg, Ca, Ti, Fe, Zn and U as stable isotope tracers. The Multicollector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) acquired through this grant will serve as the centerpiece for a laboratory capable of measuring both stable and radiogenic isotopes at extremely high precision. Fields of study include, but are not limited to, igneous and metamorphic petrology, high and low temperature geochemistry, economic geology, tectonics, high pressure mineralogy, (geo)archaeology, paleoenvironmental changes across critical transitions, climate change, sedimentary geology, and planetary science. It will serve both internal and external users, including the faculty and students at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and within the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE), as well as their collaborators from Robeson Community College, the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Appalachian State University, University of California, Riverside, and California State University Fresno. The new instrument will be available to the entire southern Nevada community, particularly colleges and K-12 schools, who would otherwise not have access to such a state-of-the-art analytical facility. The instrument will also be used as a teaching facility to educate and train graduate and undergraduate students in state-of-the-art analytical techniques and their applications to Earth, environmental and planetary sciences. This will help to increase the participation of women and underrepresented students in STEM fields. UNLV is among the most diverse campuses in the US and is designated as an Asian-American, Native-American, Pacific Islander, and Hispanic Serving Institution.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.