Niespolo Micro-Analytical Geochronology (NiMAGe) Lab
The NiMAGe Lab hosts three spaces:
The Chemistry Lab: An ISO Class 6 / FS209E Class 1000 chemistry lab with three ISO Class 4 / FS209E Class 10 vertical laminar flow hoods, weighing station, and related equipment to conduct cation exchange column chromatography for U-Th geochronology
The Mass Spectrometer Lab is an ISO Class 7 / FS209E Class 10,000 clean room and hosts three instruments:
A Thermo Neoma multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS)
An Agilent 8900 QQQ ICP-MS
An ESI Lasers NWR 193 ImageGEO Laser Ablation system
The Preparation Lab: A space to cut, drill, dremel, sonicate, separate, and epoxy-mount samples.
Applications
Applications
Using the QQQ ICP-MS (and researchers leading this work):
Using the QQQ ICP-MS (and researchers leading this work):
In situ trace element concentration profiling of volcanic glass, carbonate biominerals (eggshells, teeth, corals) (Niespolo, Akhtar)
In situ trace element concentration profiling of volcanic glass, carbonate biominerals (eggshells, teeth, corals) (Niespolo, Akhtar)
In situ U-Pb dating of accessory minerals (Apen)
In situ U-Pb dating of accessory minerals (Apen)
Solution-based geochemical assay of water (Niespolo)
Solution-based geochemical assay of water (Niespolo)
Solution-based measurements of lithium isotopes using cold plasma mode (Weldeghebriel)
Solution-based measurements of lithium isotopes using cold plasma mode (Weldeghebriel)
Using the Neoma (in progress; and researchers leading this work):
Using the Neoma (in progress; and researchers leading this work):
Uranium-series (U-Th) geochronology of carbonates (Niespolo, Salas-Saavedra)
Uranium-series (U-Th) geochronology of carbonates (Niespolo, Salas-Saavedra)
Strontium isotopes by Laser Ablation (LA) ICP-MS (Niespolo)
Strontium isotopes by Laser Ablation (LA) ICP-MS (Niespolo)
Split-Stream laser ablation dual ICP-MS to simultaneously measure major and trace elements on the QQQ and a selected isotope system on the Neoma (Niespolo)
Split-Stream laser ablation dual ICP-MS to simultaneously measure major and trace elements on the QQQ and a selected isotope system on the Neoma (Niespolo)
Research Themes
Research Themes
I am interested in anchoring paleoclimate and fossil records to absolute timescales to assess correlations of local and global environmental changes to evolution and adaptation.
I am interested in anchoring paleoclimate and fossil records to absolute timescales to assess correlations of local and global environmental changes to evolution and adaptation.
A Core Research Theme addresses outstanding questions on the timing and tempo of human evolution, the development of modern human behaviors, and the timing of global-scale human colonization. How these are recorded, what local environments were like during these significant leaps in biological and cultural evolution, and human-environment interactions, drive my research.
A Core Research Theme addresses outstanding questions on the timing and tempo of human evolution, the development of modern human behaviors, and the timing of global-scale human colonization. How these are recorded, what local environments were like during these significant leaps in biological and cultural evolution, and human-environment interactions, drive my research.
In the field, I include landscape survey, sediment and tephra stratigraphy, drill cores, and archaeological excavation to constrain the ages and paleoenvironments of deposits critical to understanding the core research themes.
In the field, I include landscape survey, sediment and tephra stratigraphy, drill cores, and archaeological excavation to constrain the ages and paleoenvironments of deposits critical to understanding the core research themes.
In the lab, I use a combination of micro-analytical approaches (laser ablation, petrography, electron microscopy, x-ray techniques) and high-precision mass spectrometry for isotope measurements to utilize the optimal sample to answer the geological/chronological question of interest.
In the lab, I use a combination of micro-analytical approaches (laser ablation, petrography, electron microscopy, x-ray techniques) and high-precision mass spectrometry for isotope measurements to utilize the optimal sample to answer the geological/chronological question of interest.
I am also interested in understanding crustal processes using petrology and isotope geochemistry, a focus of my M.S. research (see "recent projects" in the Research drop-down menu).
I am also interested in understanding crustal processes using petrology and isotope geochemistry, a focus of my M.S. research (see "recent projects" in the Research drop-down menu).