Crustal Imaging and Characterization Team

Isotope Geochemistry/Geochronology Research and Development - Multiuser New Capabilities

Project Objectives

Core Operations research and development (R&D) is an important component of task(s) that require programs' investment to enable new, improved, or redirected research methods and and to allow exploratory and normally collaborative research into new (multidisciplinary) fields. These efforts cannot be supported at the project level, require funding of time and expenses, and are critical to 'rainmaking' new opportunities and preparing for the future. Facilities/capabilities for which R&D tasks might be considered include: a) radiogenic isotopes: the TIMS solid source mass spectrometer bay for U-Th-Pb, U-series, Rb-Sr, Nd-Sm, Lu-Hf; b) stable isotopes: carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and sulfur isotope systematics; c) argon geochronology: both K-Ar and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar from several thousand years to oldest Archean age using both conventional and laser fusion techniques; d) noble gas geochemistry: groundwater tracer applications and tritium-³He age, cosmogenic exposure age (³He and ²¹Ne), U-Th-4He geochronology, and volcanic, geothermal, and fluid inclusion noble gas geochemistry of mineral deposits; and e) thermoluminescence-optically stimulated luminescence (TL/OSL). These R&D tasks extend useful capabilities and expand opportunities to numerous Geologic Discipline programs and the Bureau.

Relevance & Impact

The various tasks of this project as R&D efforts hold potential for refining existing methods in argon geochronology, and providing better definitions and calibration of reference standards, developing new methods of dating the age of deposition of sedimentary rocks by dating diagenetic xenotime overgrowths on detrital zircons, and developing new sampling methods for tracer studies in groundwater that will enhance the ability of data generated to be related to subsurface geologic features. These R&D tasks within this project will strengthen the abilities of Geologic Discipline programs to achieve stated scientific goals by developing or enhancing skills and capabilities of the scientific staff and facilities.

Accessibility FOIA Privacy Policies and Notices

U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://crustal.usgs.gov
Page Contact Information: CICT Webmaster
Page Last Modified: