Arizona Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Laboratory focuses on the study of
cosmogenic isotopes, and in particular the study of
radiocarbon, or
Carbon-14
Carbon-14, C-14, or radiocarbon, is a radioactive isotope of carbon with an atomic nucleus containing 6 protons and 8 neutrons. Its presence in organic materials is the basis of the radiocarbon dating method pioneered by Willard Libby and coll ...
. As a laboratory, part of its aim is to function as a research center, training center, and general community resource. Its stated mission is conducting
original research
Research is "creativity, creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular att ...
in cosmogenic isotopes. The AMS laboratory was established in 1981 at the
University of Arizona.
[
This laboratory is used primarily to provide radiocarbon measurements. Hence, coverage in research areas is multidisciplinary. Coverage of dating objects includes general interest and scientific interest. For example, dating of the dead sea scrolls was accomplished using this method.]
Tandem accelerators
Two, tandem accelerators at this facility accelerate energies up to 3 million volts ( 3 MeV). The function of these accelerators is to measure scarce, (cosmogenic) isotopes such as aluminium-26
Aluminium-26 (26Al, Al-26) is a Radionuclide, radioactive isotope of the chemical element aluminium, decaying by either positron emission or electron capture to stable magnesium-26. The half-life of 26Al is 7.17 (717,000) years. This is far too s ...
, beryllium-10, iodine-129 and the aforementioned carbon-14
Carbon-14, C-14, or radiocarbon, is a radioactive isotope of carbon with an atomic nucleus containing 6 protons and 8 neutrons. Its presence in organic materials is the basis of the radiocarbon dating method pioneered by Willard Libby and coll ...
. In other words, the accelerators are used for measuring rare isotopes that are produced within earth materials, such as rocks or soil, in Earth's atmosphere, and in extraterrestrial objects such as meteorites
A meteorite is a solid piece of debris from an object, such as a comet, asteroid, or meteoroid, that originates in outer space and survives its passage through the atmosphere to reach the surface of a planet or moon. When the original object en ...
. These are cosmogenic isotopes, produced from interaction with cosmic rays.
Scope
Established in 1981, this facility is a National Science Foundation research facility. It is operated by both the Physics Department and the Geosciences Department of the University of Arizona. It is tasked with both scientific inquiry and education. Topical coverage of investigations includes archaeology, art history, forensic science
Forensic science, also known as criminalistics, is the application of science to criminal and civil laws, mainly—on the criminal side—during criminal investigation, as governed by the legal standards of admissible evidence and criminal ...
, radioactive tracer studies, radiometric dating, the carbon cycle, cosmic ray physics, meteorites, geology, paleoclimate
Paleoclimatology (British spelling, palaeoclimatology) is the study of climates for which direct measurements were not taken. As instrumental records only span a tiny part of Earth's history, the reconstruction of ancient climate is important to ...
, faunal extinctions, hydrologic balance, frequency rate of forest fires, terrestrial magnetic field
A magnetic field is a vector field that describes the magnetic influence on moving electric charges, electric currents, and magnetic materials. A moving charge in a magnetic field experiences a force perpendicular to its own velocity and to ...
, solar wind, ocean sciences and instrument development.[
]
References
External links
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Laboratory
{{coord, 33.2296, -110.9538, display=title,source:googlemaps, region:US-AZ_type:landmark
University of Arizona
Accelerator mass spectrometry
National Science Foundation
Laboratories in the United States
Science and technology in Arizona