Geosciences

The Arizona Noble Gas Laboratory studies noble gases in a diversity of geological samples as rock, mineral, and water samples, for geochronologic and geochemical studies in Earth, planetary, and environmental science. The lab is equipped with two new multi-collector gas-source sector mass spectrometer and two sample extraction and purification lines including devices for gases extracting using induction furnace and laser heating, crushing of fluid-inclusions, and exsolution from fluids. State of the art high-resolution, high-sensitivity, and multi-collection capabilities of the mass spectrometers will enable simultaneous measurement of all isotopes of most of the noble gases. Important research focus will include 1) geo- and thermochronology using the 40Ar/ 39Ar system for applications in tectonic, detrital, volcanic, and fault-systems; 2) low-temperature 3He/ 4He thermochronology and understanding helium mobility in minerals; 3) cosmogenic and nucleogenic 21Ne dating for geomorphic applications and for dating secondary minerals like iron oxides; and 4) isotopic compositions and concentrations of noble gases for tracing the fluxes and evolution of subsurface fluid-rock systems.

The Arizona LaserChron Center is an NSF Community Facility that is designed to address problems in Earth Science through the generation of U-Th-Pb geochronologic data and complementary geochemical information by Laser Ablation ICP Mass Spectrometry. The main instruments utilized at the Arizona LaserChron Center include a Nu Plasma multicollector ICPMS, a Thermo Element2 single-collector ICPMS, a Teledyne Iridia laser and two Analyte G2 lasers, and a Hitachi 3400N SEM, all of which are dedicated to ALC research. These instruments were acquired with support from the University of Arizona, the National Science Foundation, and ExxonMobil Upstream Research.