RIMS Lab/Scanning Lab

The research focuses on understanding and using coral geochemistry to reconstruct ocean-atmosphere interactions. The group uses paleoclimate proxies in the coral skeleton (e.g., stable isotopes) to reconstruct the climate of the last 500 years and utilizes coral skeletons as recorders of environmental conditions, providing insights into climate behavior.

 

Equipment: FT-IR Microscope

Model/Brand: Nicolet iN10 Thermo Scientific

Specifications

Sample Viewing:
  • Video Image: Real-time 500 micron field of view

Sample Viewing:

IR/Visible Objective and Condenser: Permanently aligned 15×, 0.7 N.A. Slide-On ATR crystal. Working distance 16 mm

Sample Thickness: Up to 20 mm with standard sample holders
Spectral Range: 7600–650 cm-1

    Applications

    Ability to rapidly acquire microscopic images and simultaneously collect infrared spectra of solid
    specimens. 

     

    Equipment: Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (IRMS)

    Model/Brand: Delta V Advantage Fisher Scientific

    Specifications

    • Sensitivity of 1200 molecules per ion (M/I) in Dual Inlet mode and 1500 M/I in Continuous Flow mode. 
    • System stability of <10 ppm 
    • Effective magnetic detection radius of 191 nm
    • Mass range of 1-80 Dalton at 3kV

     

    Equipment: Peripheral, the sample preparation system for IRMS

    Model/Brand: GasBench II - DELTA/MAT252 ThermoFisher Scientific

    Specifications

    • On-line preparation and introduction system for δ18O of water samples, δ13C of dissolved inorganic carbon in water and δ13C and δ18O in carbonates

    Applications

    To measure isotopic variations arising from mass-dependent isotopic fractionation in natural systems. Samples can be introduced to the system via a Gas Bench II setup.

     

    Equipment: Peripheral, the sample preparation system for IRMS

    Model/Brand: FLASH IRMS Elementar analyzer (EA) Thermo Scientific

    Specifications

    • Sharp peak shapes and complete peak separation with temperature-ramped gas chromatography.
    • With multi-element analysis.
    • Lowest helium consumption and highest sample throughput

    Applications

    For Geo- and Environmental Science, μg- to mg-level elemental and isotope analysis