This award will support a full-time technician to maintain and operate equipment in the soon to be established laser ablation ICP-MS laboratory in the Department of Geosciences at Virginia Tech. Funding to establish the LA-ICP-MS laboratory was recently awarded to the PI by the NSF Major Research Instrumentation Program. The instrumentation and operational protocol for the laboratory are designed specifically for analysis of fluid and melt inclusions. A laser ablation ICP-MS laboratory for analysis of fluid and melt inclusions was identified as a highpriority research need during an NSF-sponsored workshop entitled Research Opportunities in the Geology and Geochemistry of Mineral Deposit Systems that was held in Denver, Colorado, in October, 2002. Establishment of a laser ablation ICP-MS laboratory for fluid and melt inclusion analysis has broad support across the geosciences in the U.S., as documented by letters of support from 34 leading researchers from academic and government labs. The system to be installed at Virginia Tech will include a 193 nm ArF excimer laser combined with an ICP-MS. The laser system that best meets the requirements for fluid inclusion analysis is the GeoLas + manufactured by Lambda Physik. This will be coupled to an Agilent Technologies 7500cs ICP-MS. This instrument will be used to determine the major, minor and trace elements in both synthetic and natural fluid and melt inclusions, and will be available to all researchers requiring such data from fluid and melt inclusions.
The Department of Geosciences at Virginia Tech maintains a strong commitment to outreach, education and participation of under-represented groups. While not specifically related to this proposal, the laser ablation ICP-MS laboratory will in the future be used in summer programs designed for high school science teachers. This program has operated successfully on the Virginia Tech campus for several years, and will be expanded in future years to include access to a wider range of facilities within the Department of Geosciences. Having a full-time technician dedicated to the laser ablation ICP-MS laboratory will also facilitate access to the lab by graduate students, post doctoral researchers and faculty from other institutions and will contribute in a general way to training of the future professoriate.
