Stable isotope and trace element analysis of natural materials by SIMS

火成岩地球化学与火山学。将对喷发物质中的硫同位素进行微量分析，以了解汇聚的板块边界火山(如哥伦比亚的内华多德尔鲁伊斯)在喷发前积累的气态硫。这些火山可以向大气中释放极大量的二氧化硫，从而导致火山灾害、酸雨和全球气候变化。对刘和马里亚纳斯盆地海底喷发物质中氯同位素的微量分析将有助于我们更好地了解大洋玄武岩俯冲过程中的氯同位素体系，这是地壳和海洋氯循环中一个极其重要的大容量过程。海洋生物矿化。利用SIMS对海洋生物成矿作用中的锶/钙比和氧同位素进行精细测定，可以提供有关现代和古代海洋温度的重要信息。这项研究将检查保存在深水珊瑚物种中的温度记录。SIMS还将应用于现代珊瑚礁的环境监测。例如，在受尾矿影响的地区，痕量元素的离子成像可以揭示珊瑚骨架中携带的颗粒中污染物金属的分布。氧和碳同位素的微量分析将被用来检测由于严重风暴或大火等环境压力而导致的珊瑚礁骨骼的短期变化。矿床地球化学与矿物学。围岩硫的岩浆同化作用是几乎所有商业上可行的铜镍矿床形成的基础。然而，这一过程中涉及的确切机制和序列仍然不确定。对巨型沃西湾矿床的研究将考察岩浆输入的偶然性，并确定同化S(和Se)的序列等分是否反映为矿带。如果这被证明是真的，那么随着矿山开发的继续，配对的硫同位素和Se/S微量分析可能有助于矿体的圈定和延伸。对矿石中微量元素分布的离子成像研究也将应用于尾矿和废物容器的环境控制。

Igneous Geochemistry and Volcanology. Microanalysis of sulphur isotopes in erupted materials will be applied to understanding the pre-eruptive accumulation of gaseous sulphur within convergent plate boundary volcanoes such as Nevado del Ruiz, Colombia. These volcanoes can release extremely large volumes of SO2 to the atmosphere - with consequences for volcanic hazard, acid rain and global climate change. Microanalysis of chlorine isotopes in submarine eruptive materials of the Lau and Marianas basins will be directed at improving our understanding of the chlorine isotope systematics during subduction of oceanic basalt - a fundamentally important, large volume process in the recycling of crustal and oceanic chlorine. Marine Biomineralization. Fine scale determination of Sr/Ca ratios and oxygen isotopes in marine biomineralization by SIMS can provide crucial information on the temperatures of both modern and ancient oceans. This study will examine temperature records preserved in deep water coral species. SIMS will also be applied to the environmental monitoring of modern coral reefs. For example, in areas compromised by mine tailings, ion imaging of trace elements can reveal the distribution of contaminant metals resident in entrained particles within the coral skeletons. Microanalyses of oxygen and carbon isotopes will be used to detect short term changes in reef coral skeletons due to environmental stress such as severe storms or large fires. Ore Deposit Geochemistry and Mineralogy. Magmatic assimilation of wallrock sulphur is fundamental to the formation of almost all commercially viable Cu-Ni deposits. Nevertheless, the exact mechanisms and sequences involved in this process remain uncertain. A study of the giant Voisey's Bay deposit will examine episodicity of magmatic inputs, and determine whether sequential aliquots of assimilated S (and Se) are reflected as ore zonations. If this proves true, then paired sulphur isotope and Se/S microanalysis could assist in delineation and extension of orebodies as mine development continues. Ion imaging studies of trace element distributions in the ores will also be applied to the environmental control of tailings and waste containments.