9520860 Holloway A new multianvil press frame will be installed in the high- pressure laboratory at Arizona State University (ASU). This is a joint use facility for studies in mineral physics, geochemistry and experimental petrology, and studies in materials synthesis and properties. The major purpose of this acquisition will be to augment the existing multianvil facilities to include the force range between 300 and 1000 tons, enabling higher pressure experiments to be performed, and allowing larger samples to be obtained. Specifically, the 1000 ton capability of the frame will be used both to extend the available pressure range at ASU to approximately 27 GPa at temperatures up to 2800 C, and to increase the sample size in experiments at lower pressures. The extended range of synthesis pressures will be important in preparation of both known and novel high pressure phases, such as garnets, perovskites and ultra-high pressure glasses, and in pressureinduced amorphization studies in materials synthesis and mineral physics. The larger sample size will be utilized for materials characterization and properties measurements, and for design of multienclosure capsule environments, which are important in design of controlled redox state petrology and in materials synthesis experiments. For Earth sciences, the new press will allow ultra-high pressure geological studies to the P-T range of the transition-zone and lower mantle, with improved control of the run environment to reproduce chemical conditions within the Earth. The principal focus will be on controlling oxygen fugacity and H2O content in mantle systems. Fabrication and installation of the press is projected at 6 months. Scientific projects will proceed for the remainder of the time, and the press will then be operated as a permanent piece of equipment in the ASU high- pressure facility. ***
