NSF Org:	OPP Office of Polar Programs (OPP)
Recipient:	UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, THE
Initial Amendment Date:	August 22, 2007
Latest Amendment Date:	August 22, 2007
Award Number:	0636771
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Alexandra Isern OPP  Office of Polar Programs (OPP) GEO  Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date:	September 1, 2007
End Date:	June 30, 2010 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$104,638.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$104,638.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2007 = $63,623.00
History of Investigator:	Susan Rimmer (Principal Investigator) srimmer@siu.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	University of Kentucky Research Foundation 500 S LIMESTONE LEXINGTON KY  US  40526-0001 (859)257-9420
Sponsor Congressional District:	06
Primary Place of Performance:	University of Kentucky 500 S LIMESTONE LEXINGTON KY  US  40526-0001
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	06
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	H1HYA8Z1NTM5
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s):	ANT Earth Sciences
Primary Program Source:	0100CYXXDB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s):	0000, 9150, OTHR
Program Element Code(s):	511200
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.078

ABSTRACT

This project studies the Permian-Triassic extinction event as recorded in sedimentary rocks from the Transantarctic Mountains of Antarctica. Two hundred and fifty million years ago most life on Earth was wiped out in a geologic instant. The cause is a subject of great debate. Researchers have identified a unique stratigraphic section near Shackleton glacier laid down during the extinction event. Organic matter from these deposits will be analyzed by density gradient centrifugation (DGC), which will offer detailed information on the carbon isotope composition. The age of these layers will be precisely dated by U/Pb-zircon-dating of intercalated volcanics. Combined, these results will offer detailed constraints on the timing and duration of carbon isotope excursions during the extinction, and offer insight into the coupling of marine and terrestrial carbon cycles.
The broader impacts of this project include graduate and undergraduate student research, K12 outreach and teacher involvement, and societal relevance of the results, since the P/T extinction may have been caused by phenomena such as methane release, which could accompany global warming.

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