This proposal requests funds to purchase an Automated Carbonate Preparation Device (ACPD) for attachment to a new Finnigan-MAT Delta E light stable isotope mass spectrometer at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The ACPD will enable large numbers of carbonate samples to be analyzed for oxygen and carbon isotopic composition very rapidly, efficiently and with high precision. The labortory is to be used for oxygen and carbon isotopic studies as applied to paleoceanography/paleoclimatology/ stratigraphy; sediment diagensis; paleoecology of mollusca; stromatolite geochemistry and isotopic changes at the Cambrian/ Precambrian boundary; carbonatites, marine biology and other studies on carbonate materials. The ACPD has been loaned by Finnigan-MAT until December 31,1988, at which time it must be purchased or returned. We needed to be convinced that this system works and, thus, conducted intensive calibration and precision tests related to a wide range of standards. These have been highy satisfactory and we are already making extensive use of the facility which will be crucial for our future proposed research programs.
