This project provides technical support to the Radiogenic Isotope Laboratory in the Department of Geological Sciences at Ohio State University on the main campus in Columbus. This laboratory conducts varied research that receives essential assistance and service by two skilled technicians with many years of experience. NSF funds together with matching from Ohio State University provide one FTE of combined annual technician salary. The Radiogenic Isotope Laboratory is housed in first-class physical space. It has facilities for sample processing and preparation, including a cleanroom suite, and for analysis with thermal-ionization and noble-gas mass spectrometers, plus a full array of ancillary equipment to support the research measurements. The laboratory conducts isotope geochemical and geochronologic research on diverse and wide-ranging issues. The principal isotopic systems of current investigation are Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, U-Pb, and K-Ca and also K-Ar especially with the 40Ar/39Ar technique. Studies include both isotope tracer research, using the radiogenic isotopes (e.g., Sr, Nd, and Pb), and geochronologic determinations (e.g., 40Ar/39Ar and Rb-Sr). Overall, the research objectives range from the fundamental and methodological to the applied and topical. A broad cross section of the varied research activities are undertaken by the PI and Ohio State University colleagues as well as a number of external scientists with on-going collaborative and cooperative projects. The central scientific objectives are both methodological and applied with current subjects ranging from environmental and hydrologic (e.g., Pb in drinking water, Sr in stream water) to paleoclimatic (e.g., Recent to Paleozoic) to diverse geological (e.g., basalt petrogenesis, thermochronology, micron Au deposits) to purely geochemical (e.g., Ar retention and behavior in minerals).
