NSF Org:	EAR Division Of Earth Sciences
Recipient:	BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY
Initial Amendment Date:	August 5, 2005
Latest Amendment Date:	August 5, 2005
Award Number:	0521221
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	David Lambert EAR  Division Of Earth Sciences GEO  Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date:	August 15, 2005
End Date:	July 31, 2007 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$621,000.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$621,000.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2005 = $621,000.00
History of Investigator:	Mark Schmitz (Principal Investigator) markschmitz@boisestate.edu Mitchell Lyle (Co-Principal Investigator) Clyde Northrup (Co-Principal Investigator) Vladimir Davydov (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	Boise State University 1910 UNIVERSITY DR BOISE ID  US  83725-0001 (208)426-1574
Sponsor Congressional District:	02
Primary Place of Performance:	Boise State University 1910 UNIVERSITY DR BOISE ID  US  83725-0001
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	02
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	HYWTVM5HNFM3
Parent UEI:	HYWTVM5HNFM3
NSF Program(s):	Major Research Instrumentation
Primary Program Source:	app-0105
Program Reference Code(s):	0000, OTHR
Program Element Code(s):	118900
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.050

ABSTRACT

EAR-0521221
Schmitz

This grant will be used to install a state-of-the-art thermal ionization mass spectrometer in the new isotope geochemistry laboratory in the Department of Geosciences at Boise State University, Idaho. This instrument will be used for the high-precision analysis of isotope ratios in geological and environmental samples, with a particularly emphasis on determining the precise ages of volcanic ashes in the geologic record, which in turn are used to calibrate the rates of tectonic, climatic and biological change throughout Earth history. Isotope ratio analysis will also be applied to such diverse applications as the fingerprinting of volcanic source regions, the tracing of hydrologic pathways, the study of ancient human habitation sites and trade routes, and dating of soil carbonates recording the last half million years of climate change. Such science drivers underlie the key role the new facility will play in the development of a new Ph.D. in Geosciences at Boise State University. This new facility will also play major roles in the regional, national and international spheres of geoscience. As the only such laboratory in the Interior Northwest, the facility will be an important regional center of training for the next generation of geoscientists, and a natural partner to scientists at the Idaho National Laboratory. On the national stage, the laboratory will be a node in the EARTHTIME Network, a national initiative in high-precision geochronological calibration of Earth History, and a contributor to the GeoSystems initiative on Deep Time Paleoclimate, which seeks to understand future climate change by understanding the record of the Earth climate system over the past 500 million years.

Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.