NSF Org:	EAR Division Of Earth Sciences
Recipient:	UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS
Initial Amendment Date:	March 19, 2003
Latest Amendment Date:	March 19, 2003
Award Number:	0237360
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Russell Kelz EAR  Division Of Earth Sciences GEO  Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date:	April 1, 2003
End Date:	March 31, 2005 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$80,000.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$80,000.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2003 = $80,000.00
History of Investigator:	Paul Layer (Principal Investigator) pwlayer@alaska.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	University of Alaska Fairbanks Campus 2145 N TANANA LOOP FAIRBANKS AK  US  99775-0001 (907)474-7301
Sponsor Congressional District:	00
Primary Place of Performance:	University of Alaska Geophysical Institute 903 Koyukuk Drive Fairbanks AK  US  99775-7320
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	00
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	FDLEQSJ8FF63
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s):	Instrumentation & Facilities, EPSCoR Co-Funding
Primary Program Source:	app-0103  app-0403
Program Reference Code(s):	0000, 9150, OTHR
Program Element Code(s):	158000, 915000
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.050

ABSTRACT

0237360
Layer

This grant provides proposal partial support for the upgrade of an existing 40Ar/39Ar laser dating laboratory at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). The upgrade will significantly improve signal stability and dating precision, minimize downtime due to equipment failure, extend the useful life of the spectrometer, and allow for dating of larger samples or those experiments requiring precise temperature control. The laboratory has been operating as a 40Ar/39Ar facility since 1990, and the laser system has been in operation since 1994. Specifically, funds will be used to replace the electronics in the VG3600 mass spectrometer, purchase a UPS for power stability, install an existing resistance-heating furnace, upgrade vacuum components, and improve data processing and archiving capabilities.
UAF will provide 33% of the direct equipment purchase. In addition the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska supports the annual operation of the laboratory (budget is approximately $100,000/yr) with some of the support coming from external grants and contracts. This funding supports a full-time laboratory technician, undergraduate student assistants, 3 months of PI time and many of the day-to-day operating and maintenance expenses of the laboratory. The Geochronology Laboratory at UAF operates as a regional facility with interests in geologic and geochronologic problems in Alaska and elsewhere. The PI maintains strong collaborations with researchers at the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, the United States Geological Survey and at U.S. and foreign universities, and it is expected that the upgrades will allow these collaborations to continue and expand. This upgrade will prove beneficial for continuing research in thermochronometric and chronostratigraphic studies, application of argon isotopes as indicators of magmatic processes and the dating of very young samples.
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