HELGES – Clean Laboratory for Cosmogenic Nuclides

Within HELGES, we have more than 100 m² of clean lab space is available for separation of meteoric and terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides. We prepare wide-ranging sample substrates for meteoric cosmogenic nuclides (e.g. rocks, sediments, soils, river water, seawater, plants) and mainly quartz for terrestrial (in situ) cosmogenic nuclides (mainly ¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al). Such clean lab methods are couple to mineral separation labs. The clean lab features other essential infrastructure like a centrifuge, ultrasonic bath, microbalance, hotplates etc. Low blanks and optimized methodologies means that AMS measurements of ¹⁰Be(meteoric)/⁹Be isotope ratios of routinely 1x10⁻¹⁴ are possible on 0.2 g of solid material and on 200 mL of river water. After purification, the cosmogenic nuclides are sent to the accelerator mass spectrometer in Cologne for measurement. Stable ⁹Be and other elements are analysed in-house using our Optical ICP-MS.

Categories

Disciplinary Keywords

Instrumentation

Laboratory instrumentation

Instruments

  • Balance

    A Balance is a scale used for weighing. (Source: Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2023. GCMD Keywords, Version 16.3. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects pision, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords)

  • Centrifuge
  • Clean Room Facility
  • Ultrasonic Cleaning Device

Relationships