Analyzing the elemental composition of materials is important throughout the natural sciences, and has a broad range of applications in the social sciences. For example, researchers who are interested in studying the prehistoric movement of people around the globe analyze the elemental composition of stone tools to determine the geological sources of the stones so that they may infer trade patterns, long-distance voyaging, and even migration routes. Researchers at the University of Hawai`i at Hilo have been studying Polynesian economies and voyaging by analyzing the geological origins of stone artifacts with a non-destructive technique called Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF). The analytical equipment, however, is obsolete and needs to be replaced to continue the ongoing project. This NSF grant supports the acquisition of a desktop Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometer for rapid and cost-efficient laboratory work. Researchers also intend to expand the applications of EDXRF to other research programs, such as rapid-tracking of changes in the composition of lava from Kilauea Volcano's ongoing eruption (which could signal important changes in the nature of the eruption), and the analysis of contaminants in soils in residential, agricultural, and industrial settings. The expansion and continuation of the EDXRF program will engage under-represented students in the practice of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines, especially Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander students studying anthropology, geology and environmental sciences. It will also support graduate research, high-school projects, and a multitude of professional collaborators. The use of non-destructive EDXRF analyses in Oceanic settings attracts and inspires members of descendant communities to engage in scientific fields of study, and supports undergraduate publication and eventual placement of student trainees in graduate programs. UH-Hilo's student body is one of the most diverse in the nation, and 30% of the students self-identify as Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders. Non-destructive EDXRF provides these students with the opportunity to determine how their ancestors interacted with their environment and with each other while providing them with fundamental skills in material sciences.
For the archaeological component, the proposed research involves sampling of artifact collections from prehistoric residential sites and quarries to clarify stone resource procurement patterns throughout Polynesia. The approaches will involve lab analyses at UH Hilo. Continued examination of the complex nature of the movement of lithic resources throughout Polynesia will provide a better framework for interpreting the role of resource inequities in Oceanic social evolution. The sustained effort will lead to more robust diachronic models of Oceanic exchange and sociopolitical development. Expansion of research functions to the rapid analyses of newly formed lavas from Kilauea Volcano and to the screening of soil samples for environmental contaminants will both contribute to a better understanding of natural and man-made environmental hazards in the Hawaiian environment and help plan for better and more efficient intervention methods.
