Laboratory Technician Support: Enhanced Community Access to High-Precision U-Pb Geochronology Across the Earth Sciences

The science of geochronology provides the numerical measurement of geological time, establishes the age of events in Earth history, and constrains the rates and durations of geological processes that form and shape the Earth?s surface and interior. Because of its key role in establishing correlation, causality, and rates, geochronology impacts a broad spectrum of outstanding problems in the Earth sciences, from the evolution and extinction of life to plate tectonics and the uplift of mountain belts, and from igneous petrology and volcanic hazards to geologic mapping and the search for mineral and energy resources. Advances in analytical methods and technology now allow geochronological measurements at unprecedented resolution and in greater quantities to address these challenges. This grant for laboratory technician support in the Isotope Geology Laboratory at Boise State University will expand its human resource infrastructure to maximize the effective and efficient delivery of high-precision U-Pb geochronology to a large cross-section of the national geoscience community.

The Isotope Geology Laboratory at Boise State University has a decade of experience with state-of-the-art clean laboratory and thermal ionization mass spectrometry methods and technologies to measure the U-Pb isotope ratios and ages of Earth materials at the finest possible temporal resolution. Built and maintained by a portfolio of federal, state, University, and industry support, the laboratory has a proven track record of providing high-precision U-Pb geochronometric data and geochronological expertise across a broad user base. The new laboratory technical and applications scientist will leverage our existing state-of-the-art instrumentation, personnel, and cost recovery structure into a community-facing laboratory that can meet the increasing demand for high-resolution dating of Earth systems and processes. These resources will broaden community access, provide education, outreach, and training, and foster innovative research and development. Beyond the increased provision of the highest quality U-Pb zircon ages to diverse users, the anticipated scientific impacts of this project will include technical enhancements in ion formation and detection in the thermal ionization mass spectrometer, improved interpretation of U-Pb zircon ages through the petrochronological integration of in situ textural and geochemical analysis with micro-sampled isotope dilution strategies, broadened use of tandem in situ/isotope dilution analysis on the same crystals for refined detrital zircon provenance and maximum depositional age estimates, and new strategies for the statistical integration of radioisotopic dates, astrochronologies, and other systems proxy data into age models essential to addressing the most demanding problems of Earth systems science.