9508030 Hofmeister This grant provides $16,490 for 2/3 support of the cost of upgrading control software for an infrared spectrometer at Washington-St. Louis (WUSTL) used in studies of mineral physics. A PC platform will be purchased with the PI's existing research funds and will replace an outdated DEC PDP-11 platform. Replacement hardware for these computers is becoming increasingly scarce and software is no longer developed for these platforms. The PI recently joined the faculty at Washington University-St. Louis (WUSTL) and was able to bring much of her equipment from her former laboratory at the University of California-Davis (UCD). Conversion of the control system to a PC based platform will allow the PI to streamline data reduction and analysis as it will remove cross-platform transfer that was previously necessary. The principal investigator's research in mineral physics uses vibrational spectroscopy at ambient and high pressures to elucidate the thermochemical properties of rockforming minerals. In this regard she is considered a principal contributor to this unique field. Many collaborators maintained PCbased control systems for their IR spectrometers and will donate reduction programs presently available. Further collaboration should be enhanced by development of common platform data reduction programs. ***
