9317263 Knott This award provides one-half the funding required to construct a system for chemical extraction of oxygen from silicate rocks and minerals. The extraction line will be constructed and operated by the Principal Investigator in the Department of Geological Sciences at the California State University-Fullerton. The institution is committed to providing the remaining funds needed for the project. Oxygen extraction must be performed prior to determining the ratio of oxygen isotopes in the samples, a task to be performed in the stable isotope laboratory of neighboring California Institute of Technology. Analysis of the oxygen isotopic signature is a critical step in the research projects of the Principal Investigator on the origin of igneous rocks. The inclusion of undergraduate students in research projects using this extraction line will enhance the undergraduate experience at Cal State- Fullerton. ***
