This Major Research Instrumentation grant supports acquisition of a Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) to enhance research capabilities and hands-on education and analytical training at Montclair State University (MSU). The VSM will be shared by several interdisciplinary research programs in the College of Science and Math. A Princeton Measurements Corp. VSM3900-04C capable of accommodating a wide range of sample sizes, peak fields of 1.8-2.2 T, temperature capabilities of 10 - 1025 K, sensitivity of 10-7 emu, and a dynamic range spanning 8 orders of magnitude will be purchased. The VSM will support numerous projects including: 1) investigating of the origin of the Martian magnetic anomalies, 2) studying the evolution of stars and planets, 3) investigating paleoclimate variability recorded in deep sea sediment, lacustrine sediment, and loess-soil sequences, 4) studying the impacts of soil weathering and forest fires on susceptibility signals, 5) investigating the tectonic history of the northeast United States, and 6) testing the fidelity of sedimentary geomagnetic field records. Acquisition of a VSM will enhance the research resources for a rapidly increasing student population at Montclair State University. The MSU undergraduate population (> 60% women and > 20% minorities) is growing at a rate of ~9% per year. Research is now a required component of geoscience and geography bachelor's degrees at MSU. The VSM will enhance the regional pool of rock magnetism equipment in the New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania metropolitan region, serving not only MSU, but also researchers and students at Rutgers University, Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, Lehigh University, Bryn Mawr College, and Ursinus College.
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