This project is in the general area of the Office of Special Projects dealing with instrumentation development. The research will focus on the further development of Fourier Transfrom Mass Spectrometry and its analytical applications. It will focus on the better understanding of mass resolution, mass range, signal to noise ratio, data acquisition period, kinetic energy of ions as related to collision induced dissociation, and ionization methodology. Mass spectrometric instrumentation of this type is noted for its utility in studies of structure, reactivity, and gas-phase kinetic measurements of organic and organometallic ions. Studies of these types have great importance in fundamental chemistry, in biological analysis, and in extremely sensitive analytical methods because ions can be stored for long periods of time and then measured in an instant.
