Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/U504439/1
LA:TRACE: A new Laser Ablation-LIBS Chemical Imaging and Isotopic facility
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Dr NJ Gardiner, University of St Andrews, Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Grant held at:
- University of St Andrews, Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Science Area:
- None
- Overall Classification:
- Unknown
- ENRIs:
- None
- Science Topics:
- None
- Abstract:
- Understanding the formation and evolution of Earth; constraining the sensitivity of Earth's climate; finding new sources of critical metals for green technologies; investigating how life originated; deciphering the formation of planetary atmospheres; and tracking contaminants through Earth's ecosystems - all are fundamental questions at the frontier of NERC research. The ability to measure in-situ chemical fingerprints using laser ablation (LA) has, over the last 20 years, played a transformative role in our ability to answer such questions. Here we propose a facility that will lead the next step change in spatially resolved geochemical analysis, by opening up new arrays of elements and isotopes for analysis, improving on spatial and analytical resolution, and diversifying sample types to address critical applied and fundamental research topics across the natural environmental sciences. The state-of-the-art facility proposed here couples the emerging technologies of LA-LIBS (Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy), which analyses the light produced during ablation and enables the measurement of key volatile elements (e.g. carbon, hydrogen, fluorine), with the revolutionary advance of collision cell mass spectrometry, which eliminates interferences from elements with overlapping masses and opens up an array of new geochemical tracers. A cryocell will enable analysis of new sample types, including frozen tissue and fluids associated with ore formation. These technologies will be combined to establish LA:TRACE, a new chemical imaging and isotopic facility based in North Britain for UK and international researchers addressing a diverse range of environmental research. To maximise the value and application of this facility, the LA-LIBS system requested here will be coupled with a suite of recently installed state of the art instruments, providing significant added value. Core capabilities include a Nu Sapphire CC-MC-ICPMS with pioneering reaction cell technology, capable of measuring new stable and radiogenic isotope systems at unprecedented precision; and an Agilent QQQ-ICPMS for high-precision trace element abundances. Three additional ICPMS instruments are also available, along with dedicated technical support, facilitating efficient operation and representing a unique opportunity to gear NERC capital funding into a unique, world-leading facility. Cryo-stage LA-LIBS allows exploration of the chemical interface between minerals, organics, and fluids, with elemental and isotopic analysis across the periodic table on a wide array of materials. The nature of this technology alongside the diverse expertise of the multi-PI host laboratory lends itself to addressing topical research questions spanning multiple research fields, with a correspondingly broad array of beneficiaries. Three priority examples are listed below, highlighting the novel coupling of technologies in brackets. - New models for the formation of metal deposits critical to new green technologies, by coupling metal (QQQ) and volatile (LIBS) measurements in minerals and fluid inclusions (cryo-cell), with newly measurable chronometers (CC-MC-ICPMS), to benefit exploration strategies, economic growth, and the clean energy transition. - Diagnosing pathways of toxin bioaccumulation by 3D mapping of contaminants such as mercury (QQQ) and their relationship with different organic phases (LIBS) in frozen tissues (cryo-cell) from marine mammals, to benefit environmental pollution and marine ecosystem management. - Understanding the sensitivity of Earth's climate to changes in forcing, informed by past changes in volcanism. Volcanic climate forcing can be tracked using sulfur concentrations (LIBS & QQQ) and isotopes (CC-MC-ICPMS) in ice cores (cryo-cell), stalagmites, and tree rings, and compared to ice-hosted crypto-tephra (QQQ) and aerosols (LIBS), to reconstruct key eruptive parameters. Beneficiaries include climate scientists and natural hazard planners.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/U504439/1
- Grant Stage:
- Awaiting Event/Action
- Scheme:
- Research Grants
- Grant Status:
- Active
- Programme:
- Capital Call
This grant award has a total value of £423,240
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| DI - Equipment |
|---|
| £423,240 |
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