Facility Support: The WiscSIMS National Ion Microprobe

这项赠款提供支持的WiscSIMS实验室在威斯康星州-麦迪逊大学。 WiscSIMS是一个国家稳定同位素地球化学设施，每年为来自威斯康星州系统以外的20-30名客座科学家提供独特的分析能力。一个广泛的地球科学研究是在WiscSIMS进行。到目前为止，来自65所不同大学和研究机构的380多名科学家与WiscSIMS合作。从显微镜底座原位分析小斑点（1-10微米）的能力允许将数据与成像和其他形式的分析结合起来。 WiscSIMS将继续每年向来自威斯康星州以外的研究人员提供总束流时间的50%。该项目的更广泛影响包括稳定同位素地球化学在社会关注问题上的新应用;公众教育;本科生至博士后水平的西姆斯/地球化学培训，包括代表性不足的群体。自2008年以来，包括55名女性和5名少数民族在内的115名学生使用WiscSIMS进行论文研究。WiscSIMS优化了IMS-1280大半径多收集器离子探针，用于分析稳定同位素（包括Li，C，N，O，Mg，Si，S，Ca和Fe）。三个最常见的研究领域是火成岩和变质岩石学地球化学;宇宙化学天体生物学;低温地球化学古气候学。新的原位能力的应用在地球化学的许多领域具有潜在的变革性。同位素变化的范围和模式最终可以从以前通过分析块状或粉末样品（如锆石、微体化石、石英增生和碳酸盐）而均匀化的小物体中确定。在大量的研究中发现了具有根本重要性的新的和令人惊讶的信息。例如，对大陆古气候的高分辨率碳酸盐研究以前仅限于通过传统采样技术在十年至百年尺度上的分辨率，但冰芯记录显示，冰川消退的极端变化可能在不到10年的时间内发生。石笋的离子探针分析已经解决了一个月或更短时间内氧同位素比值的变化，提供了季节性和年度尺度气候的替代记录。WiscSIMS已经发表了许多古气候代理的研究，包括洞穴沉积物，有孔虫，鱼耳石，软体动物和石灰岩。在下一个三年的资助周期中，将更加重视这些成就，以帮助解决长期存在的古气候问题，特别是在快速气候变化的代理记录中，传统技术无法解决短时间内的问题。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This grant provides support of the WiscSIMS Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. WiscSIMS is a National Facility for Stable Isotope Geochemistry and provides unique analytical capabilities for 20-30 guest scientists each year from outside of the University of Wisconsin System. A wide range of Earth Science research is conducted at WiscSIMS. Thus far, over 380 scientists have worked with WiscSIMS from 65 different universities and research institutes. The ability to analyze small spots (1-10 micron) in situ from microscope mounts allows data to be put in context with imaging and other forms of analysis. WiscSIMS will continue to make 50% of total beam-time available each year to researchers from outside of the University of Wisconsin. The broader impacts of this project include new applications of stable isotope geochemistry to problems of societal concern; public education; and SIMS/geochemistry training at undergraduate to post-doc level, including under-represented groups. Since 2008, 115 students, including 55 women and 5 minorities, used WiscSIMS in their thesis research.WiscSIMS has optimized an IMS-1280 large-radius, multi-collector ion microprobe for analysis of stable isotopes (including Li, C, N, O, Mg, Si, S, Ca, and Fe). The three most common areas of research are Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology & Geochemistry; Cosmochemistry & Astrobiology; and Low Temperature Geochemistry & Paleoclimatology. Applications of the new in situ capabilities are potentially transformative in many areas of geochemistry. The range and pattern of isotope variation can finally be determined from small objects that were formerly homogenized by analysis of bulk or powdered samples such as zircons, microfossils, quartz overgrowths, and carbonates. New and surprising information of fundamental importance has been found in a large number of studies. For instance, high-resolution carbonate studies of continental paleoclimate were formerly limited to resolution at decade-to century-scale by conventional sampling techniques and yet ice-core records show that extreme shifts in deglaciation can occur in less than 10 years. Ion microprobe analysis of stalagmites has resolved changes in oxygen isotope ratio for one month or less, providing a proxy record of seasonality and annual-scale climate. WiscSIMS has published studies of many proxies of paleoclimate including speleothems, foraminifera, fish otoliths, mollusks, and calcretes. During the next three-year funding cycle, increased emphasis will build on these achievements to help resolve long-standing paleoclimate questions, especially in proxy records of rapid climate change where conventional techniques cannot resolve short time periods.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.