ISOTOPIC IMAGING OF MINERALS WITH NanoSIMS

摘要

SIMS is a highly versatile technique for the analysis of geological materials, combining in situmicrobeam measurements with the high sensitivity and specificity of mass spectrometry. Most ofthe elements in the periodic table with a high dynamic range (allowing both major and trace elementanalysis simultaneously), but moreover, the mass spectrometry aspect allows the detection andquantification of individual isotopes. SIMS has long been used for in situ isotope measurementsand is well-established as the gold-standard for U/Pb geochronology and stable isotopemeasurements in minerals such as zircon. NanoSIMS is a variant of SIMS that allows imagingwith high sensitivity (sub-ppm) at high spatial resolution (~100 nm). Imaging trace elements andisotopes in minerals simultaneously can yield new insights into compositional changes resultingfrom diffusion, dissolution, radiation damage and biogenic controls.