9316460 Kastner This award provides 72% of the funds required for the acquisition of a heating and freezing stage for optical microscopy of fluid inclusions in rock and mineral samples. The equipment will be installed and operated in the Geological Research Division of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. The institution is committed to providing the remaining funds necessary to acquire the instrument system. Research to be conducted with this apparatus includes the study of fluid inclusions in rocks brought up from the mantle and in ancient oceanic accretionary complexes. The interpretation of such fluid inclusions yields information regarding the nature and origin of fluids trapped in the mantle and on the evolution of the chemistry of ancient oceans. ***
