Community Facility Support for Geochronology and Thermochronology at the Arizona LaserChron Center

亚利桑那 LaserChron 中心的地质年代学和热年代学社区设施支持

基本信息

批准号：
2050246
负责人：
George Gehrels
金额：
$ 88.51万
依托单位：
University of Arizona
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Continuing Grant
财政年份：
2021
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2021-06-01 至 2024-08-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2050246&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
Community Facility Support Geochronology Thermochronology

项目摘要

Recent developments in geochronologic methods and instrumentation are revolutionizing many different aspects of Earth Science research. Some of the most exciting advances are being driven by Laser-Ablation ICP Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICPMS), which generates U-Th-Pb ages and complementary geochemical information rapidly, with micron-scale spatial resolution, and with the precision necessary to address a wide range of problems in Earth Science. The Arizona LaserChron Center (ALC) is a community facility that utilizes LA-ICPMS to determine U-Th-Pb ages, Hf isotope ratios, and trace element abundances from a variety of minerals that occur in sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks. We also utilize a dedicated Scanning Electron Microscope that generates the high-resolution and high-magnification images necessary for state-of-the-art micro-analysis. Primary goals of the ALC are to (1) generate U-Th-Pb ages, Hf isotope ratios, and trace element concentrations of the best precision, accuracy, and spatial resolution possible from LA-ICPMS, (2) provide opportunities for researchers from around the world (and especially NSF-supported scientists) to use our instruments and expertise to address geologic problems, (3) drive the development of new techniques and applications of geochronology, thermochronology, and petrochronology, (4) build new cyberinfrastructure for data acquisition, analysis, and archiving, and (5) use every aspect of facility operation as an opportunity to enhance expertise and diversity among geochronologists and users of geochronology. Research at the ALC is conducted in a highly collaborative mode, with ALC scientists providing assistance with all aspects of a project (from initial design of the study to final publication of results) and faculty members and students from other institutions visiting the lab to generate their own data and learn the theory and methodology of U-Th-Pb geochronology.Funding from this award will enable the ALC to facilitate the acquisition of geochronologic information in support of a large number of NSF-funded projects. These projects focus on generating new knowledge about the growth of continents, emergence of life, processes of mountain building, mechanisms and timing of volcanic eruptions, distribution of sediment through space and time, formation of mineral, energy, and water resources, and linkages between climate and tectonics. The ALC will also continue to help drive the development of numerous new analytical techniques, applications, and instruments, as well as the cyberinfrastructure needed to utilize and integrate the information generated. Educational activities will include hosting visits from several hundred faculty and student researchers per year, teaching short courses at annual meetings, developing materials that can be used in Earth Science courses, providing opportunities for non-scientists to learn about geochronology, creating new tools for displaying and interpreting geochronologic data, and driving the development of global databases that host U-Th-Pb geochronologic information.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.

地质年代学方法和仪器的最新发展正在彻底改变地球科学研究的许多不同方面。一些最令人兴奋的进步是由激光烧蚀 ICP 质谱 (LA-ICPMS) 推动的，它可以快速生成 U-Th-Pb 年龄和补充地球化学信息，具有微米级空间分辨率，并具有解决问题所需的精度。地球科学中的一系列问题。亚利桑那州 LaserChron 中心 (ALC) 是一个社区设施，利用 LA-ICPMS 确定沉积岩、火成岩和变质岩中各种矿物的 U-Th-Pb 年龄、Hf 同位素比和微量元素丰度。我们还利用专用扫描电子显微镜来生成最先进的微分析所需的高分辨率和高放大倍率图像。 ALC 的主要目标是 (1) 从 LA-ICPMS 生成具有最佳精度、准确度和空间分辨率的 U-Th-Pb 年龄、Hf 同位素比和痕量元素浓度，(2) 为研究人员提供机会世界各地（特别是 NSF 支持的科学家）利用我们的仪器和专业知识来解决地质问题，(3) 推动地质年代学、热年代学和石油年代学新技术和应用的开发，(4) 建立新的网络基础设施用于数据采集、分析和归档，(5) 利用设施运行的各个方面作为机会，提高地质年代学家和地质年代学用户的专业知识和多样性。 ALC 的研究以高度协作的模式进行，ALC 科学家为项目的各个方面（从研究的初始设计到最终结果发布）提供帮助，来自其他机构的教职员工和学生访问实验室以生成他们的研究成果。自己的数据并学习 U-Th-Pb 地质年代学的理论和方法。该奖项的资金将使 ALC 能够促进地质年代学信息的获取，以支持大量 NSF 资助的项目。这些项目的重点是产生有关大陆生长、生命出现、造山过程、火山喷发机制和时间、沉积物在空间和时间上的分布、矿物、能源和水资源的形成以及之间的联系的新知识。气候和构造。 ALC 还将继续帮助推动众多新分析技术、应用和仪器的开发，以及利用和集成所生成信息所需的网络基础设施。教育活动将包括每年接待数百名教职员工和学生研究人员的访问、在年会上教授短期课程、开发可用于地球科学课程的材料、为非科学家提供了解地质年代学的机会、创建新的展示工具该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。