GEOLOGICAL
SCIENCES
RESEARCH
FACILITIES
- Electron Microprobe
Laboratory
consists of a fully automated JOEL 733 four-spectrometer electron
microprobe, equipped with 4 two-crystal spectrometers, back scattered
and secondary electron scanning capability, new Advanced MicroBeam
automation for quantitative wavelength-dispersive analysis (WDS), and
a new Link/Oxford energy-dispersive system (EDS).
- Experimental Petrology/Geochemistry
Laboratory
includes 10 reaction vessels capable of 4 kb at
700 degrees C or 3 kb at 800 degrees C as well
as 2 extraction-quench hydrothermal vessels for reactions to
of 4 kb and 650
degrees C. These high temperature and pressure reaction
vessels are used for mineral stability experiments, determination
of thermodynamic properties and calibration of mineral geothermometers
and geobarometers. The extraction-quench vessels allow
the determination of the solubilities of minerals in metamorphic
fluids as well as the kinetics of these reactions.
-
Fort Burgwin Research Center
is located near
Taos, New Mexico. The facility provides excellent opportunities for
student research
in field geology.
- Geophysical Imaging Laboratory
has facilities for processing planetary and seismic imaging work for the
Los Alamos National Laboratory, NASA, Department of Energy (DOE), Air
Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), and the Advanced Research
Projects Agency (ARPA, formerly DARPA). Images are also used for technical
and scientific publications and popular magazines, including Science, National
Geographic, Scientific American, Discover, and Sky and Telescope.
-
Geothermal Laboratory has equipment
for the measurement of thermal
conductivity and radioactive heat production. A mobile laboratory is
available for well-logging focusing on high precision temperature
logging of drill holes. The laboratory also conducts fission track studies.
-
Lajitas Seismic Research Station
is a fixed seismic array consisting of nine stations with a
maximum separation of one km. It also is connected
to three more distant satellite seismic stations. The research
station and the remote seismometers are all connected via
telephone or satellite links to the
Heroy Network. The station is one of the quietest in the world and, as a
result, is used to monitor regional and teleseismic waveforms over a broad
frequency range. The data can be accessed in real time
for monitoring purposes.
- Mineral Separation Laboratory provides
facilities for the separation of minerals, glasses, and organic
matter from geologic samples.
- Palynology Laboratory consists of facilities for
processing and analyzing palynological samples, a pollen reference collection,
and optical microscopes for the examination of the prepared specimens.
- Shuler Museum of Paleontology
is an internationally recognized center for the
study of fossil plants and animals. Nearly
100 vertebrate species have been defined on the basis of specimens housed
within its collection. It is considered one of the world's best
repositories of Lower Cretaceous vertebrates.
- Stable Isotope Laboratory
has three fully
automated Finnigan MAT gas source mass spectrometers for high precision
measurement of stable isotope ratios of H, C, N, and O. Isotope
extraction lines exist for carbonates, waters, silicates, phosphates,
and organic compounds. A mineral separation laboratory also is available
for preprocessing of rock samples. The laboratory is used
for studies in fluid-rock interaction in the crust, paleoclimatology,
igneous petrogenesis, and isotope hydrology.
- Structure Laboratory
is the Department's focal point for problems concerning the structural
evolution of specific crustal features as well as research involving
geologic processes of interest to structural geologists.
- Tectonics Laboratory
has a Sun workstation
for image analysis. The workstation is part of the Heroy Network.
The laboratory is used mainly for the interpretation of Venus
altimetry and radar data collected as part of NASA's Magellan Project.
- U.S. Portable Seismic Array
has up to
60 seismometers/accelerometers/geophones connected to 10 data
acquisition systems (24 bit) which are interlinked with a central array
controller. The portable array is used in seismic source
studies, regional wave propagation investigations, and in shallow seismic
exploration. It provides students with state-of-the-art data acquisition
experience.
- Wet Geochemical Laboratory includes a
simultaneous SpectraSpan 7 direct current argon plasma (DCP)
spectrometer for the measurement of the concentration of solutes in
experimental charges as well as natural waters. Ancillary equipment
includes automatic titrators to determine the adsorption of
cations and anions at mineral surfaces, pH meters and fluidized bed
and shaker bed reaction apparatus to examine the kinetics of mineral/fluid
reactions.
- X-ray Diffraction Laboratory consists
of a fully automated Scintag PAD V with an online powder diffraction
database.
- Science and
Engineering Library, on campus,
supports the research and teaching activities of the department. It
houses the Foscue Map Library and the separately endowed DeGolyer Collection
dedicated to Earth Sciences.