The Project provides operational support for the Northeast National Ion Microprobe Facility (NENIMF) at WHOI for the years 2005 and 2006. The Cameca IMS 3f will be the sole instrument available for analytical work in 2005, whereas the restored IMS 1270 may be available in the latter half of 2006. The IMS 3f is used by a broad and diverse group of in-house and external users, and provides the geochemical community with access to a small format ion microprobe. The scientific priorities include (a) trace element analyses of minerals, glasses and individual melt inclusions from a variety of geotectonic settings, (b) major and trace element analyses in biogenic carbonate skeletons aimed at reconstructing sea surface temperatures in the geologic past as well as (c) trace element analyses in experimental charges aimed at calibrating melt-mineral and seawater-mineral partition coefficients. Facility personnel will continue to introduce students, post-docs and guest scientists to ion microprobe technology and assist with their analytical work. Facility personnel will participate in the dissemination of ion microprobe technology and new analytical developments through publications, formal presentations at national and international meetings, short courses for new users, and through less formal contacts with other ion microprobe facilities. ***
