MRI: Acquisition of a New Stable Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer with Carbonate System to Support Research and Education at the University of Southern California

MRI：购买带有碳酸盐系统的新型稳定同位素比质谱仪，以支持南加州大学的研究和教育

• 批准号: 2117536
• 负责人: Lowell Stott
• 金额: $ 30.47万
• 依托单位: University of Southern California
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-09-01 至 2022-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2117536&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; New; Stable; Isotope

Funding will be used to acquire a new dual inlet stable isotope ratio mass spectrometer with carbonate preparation system and clumped isotope capability for the Earth Sciences Department at the University of Southern California. The faculty and students at USC who are engaged in studies using isotope methods will use the new instrument to investigate some of society’s greatest challenges, to understand how natural processes affect the Earth’s environment on decadal and longer time scales. Without a clear understanding of Earth’s natural environmental behavior, it would be very difficult to adequately assess how anthropogenic influences will ultimately influence the surface environment. The stable isotope laboratory at USC is a research and an educational facility. Graduate and undergraduate students will use the new instrument to support their education and career development goals. Students will be trained in isotope geochemistry and in the operation and maintenance of the new instrument, as well as gas extractions for mass spectrometry. The acquisition of a new stable isotope ratio mass spectrometer is necessary to continue these activities at USC. Faculty and students at USC and nearby California State University Dominguez Hills conduct NSF-sponsored environmental research that requires thousands of stable isotope measurements each year. This research includes investigations of geologic processes that influence natural variations in atmospheric CO2 that accompanied some of Earth’s greatest climatic changes during the past 1 million years. Other research involves reconstructing paleo-precipitation records with stable isotope tracers at key times in the past where climate variability may have influenced human history. The new isotope instrument will facilitate new and innovative research using clumped isotopes to study the ocean’s Lithium budget in Earth’s ancient past. Measurements of the stable isotopes of nitrogen are being used to study biological nitrogen cycling in the modern ocean. The new instrument will ensure the continued success of these endeavors and provide opportunities for new innovative and interdisciplinary research at USC. The new isotope ratio mass spectrometer will replace an instrument that is no longer operational after 18 years of continuous use. The new instrument is manufactured by Nu Instruments. It will be equipped with dual inlet and multicollectors with electronics specifically designed to conduct high precision isotope ratio measurements of very small gas samples. The instrument will also be equipped with an automated carbonate preparation system for continuous online measurements of carbonates.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.

资金将用于为南加州大学地球科学系购买一台具有碳酸盐制备系统和团块同位素能力的新型双入口稳定同位素比质谱仪，从事同位素方法研究的教职员工和学生。使用新仪器来调查一些社会面临的最大挑战，了解自然过程如何在十年和更长的时间尺度上影响地球环境。南加州大学的稳定同位素实验室是一个研究和教育设施，很难充分评估人为影响将如何影响地表环境。研究生和本科生将使用新仪器来支持他们的教育和职业发展目标。南加州大学的教职员工和学生接受了同位素地球化学、新仪器的操作和维护以及质谱气体提取方面的培训。南加州大学和附近的加州州立大学多明格斯山分校开展由国家科学基金会资助的环境研究，每年需要进行数千次稳定同位素测量。这项研究包括对影响大气二氧化碳自然变化的地质过程进行调查，这些过程伴随着过去 1 年地球上一些最大的气候变化。其他研究涉及使用稳定同位素示踪剂重建过去气候变化可能影响人类历史的古降水记录，新的同位素仪器将促进新的和创新的研究。氮稳定同位素的测量正在用于研究现代海洋中的生物氮循环，这将确保这些努力的持续成功，并为新的创新提供机会。南加州大学的跨学科研究将配备新的同位素比质谱仪，该仪器将取代连续使用 18 年后不再运行的仪器。该仪器配有双入口和多接收器，其电子设备专门设计用于对极小气体样品进行高精度同位素比测量。该仪器还将配备自动碳酸盐制备系统，用于连续在线测量碳酸盐。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并已被授予。通过使用基金会的智力优点和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，认为值得支持。