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Theme 17

Frontiers in Analytical Techniques

Patrick G. Hatcher, Old Dominion,
Thomas D. Bullen, USGS,

Co-hosted sessions

SESSIONS

17a. Geochemical heterogeneity – definition, detection, characterization

Co-convenors:
L.P. Bédard (Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Canada) – pbedarduqac.ca
Kim H. Esbensen (Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Copenhagen) – kegeus.dk

Microbeam techniques such as micro-XRF, LA-ICP-MS, EPMA, SIMS can now map isotopes and trace elements at micrometer scale. Geochemical heterogeneity can be real (petrographic) or induced (sample preparation and/or analytical uncertainty: drift, beam size). Irrespective of origin, heterogeneity must be clearly defined, characterized and understood, lest erroneous petrogenetic interpretation may result. This session focus on definition, detection and qualitative/quantitative characterization of geochemical heterogeneity which is also a critical determinant for geochemical reference materials where minimal heterogeneity is mandatory.

Keynote speaker:
Francis Pitard (Francis Pitard Sampling Consultants, Broomfield, CO, U.S.A.), fpscaol.com

17b. Biogeophysics: novel methods for observing the effects of biogeochemistry at laboratory and field scales

(co-hosted by Themes 17 and 16)

Co-convenors:
Kristina Keating (Rutgers University) – kmkeatrutgers.edu
Aaron Regberg (Exxon-Mobil Research Company) – aaron.b.regbergexxonmobil.com

CANCELLED

17c. Laser ablation ICPMS for trace-element, isotope and imaging applications in geochemistry

Co-conveners:
Thomas Prohaska (VIRIS Lab-Vienna) - thomas.prohaskaboku.ac.at
Jan Fietzke (GEOMAR-Kiel) - jfietzkeifm-geomar.de
Bodo Hattendorf (ETH-Zurich) - bodoinorg.chem.ethz.ch

This session will feature applications and developments related to direct solid sampling with laser ablation and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The topics will cover (but are not limited to): trace element and isotope analysis, instrumental and software developments, quantification strategies and elemental fractionation, imaging applications, instrumental developments and reference materials.

Keynote speaker:
Norman Pearson (Macquarie University, Australia), norman.pearsonmq.edu.au

17d. Secular disequilibrium in the uranium decay series and its variation over geological time as determined by luminescence and electron spin resonance dating

Co-convenors:
Sébastien Huot (GEOTOP-UQAM, Montreal) huot.sebastiencourrier.uqam.ca
Michel Lamothe (GEOTOP-UQAM, Montreal) lamothe.micheluqam.ca
Bassam Ghaleb (GEOTOP-UQAM, Montreal) ghaleb.bassamuqam.ca

CANCELLED

17e. Investigating biogeochemical cycling using micro-scale techniques

Co-convenors:
Elizabeth Herndon (Penn State University) - eherndonpsu.edu
Carla Rosenfeld (Penn State University) - carla.rosenfeldgmail.com
Jocelyn Lavallee (Colorado State University) - jml249warnercnr.colostate.edu
Phoebe J. Lam (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) - pjlamwhoi.edu
Brandy M. Tone (University of Minnesota – Twin Cities) - brandy.tonergmail.com
Benjamin S. Twining (Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences) - btwiningbigelow.org

Environmental applications of micro-scale techniques (e.g. µXRF/µXAS, STXM, nanoSIMS, molecular biology) can be used to elucidate the mechanisms underlying biogeochemical cycles. These techniques can provide detailed spatial and temporal information about chemical speciation, element associations, and biofunctions in complex, heterogeneous samples. Applications have included two- and three-dimensional imaging to determine element distribution and function in cells, and spectroscopic analyses to determine the speciation, provenance, and bioavailability of key nutrients (e.g. P, Fe) in environmental media.  Furthermore, such analyses may clarify how associations of major and trace elements with minerals and organic matter (both living and dead) contribute to element mobility, toxicity, and bioavailability in an ecosystem. 

In this session, we investigate the use of novel nano- and micro-scale techniques to examine ecosystem function and biogeochemical cycles. In particular, we encourage placing small scale observations in the context of larger biogeochemical processes, using these techniques to explain broader environmental behavior in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems.  We envision a session enabling cross-fertilization of ideas between laboratory and field researchers, and biologists and geochemists. 

Keynote speakers:
Jay Brandes (Skidaway Institute of Oceanography), jay.brandesskio.usg.edu
Colleen Hansel (Harvard University), hanselseas.harvard.edu
Invited speakers:
David H McNear (University of Kentucky), dave.mcnearuky.edu
Jennifer Pett-Ridge (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory), pettridge2llnl.gov

17f. Frontiers in U-Series as tracers and chronometers of environmental processes and paleoclimatic archives

(co-hosted by Themes 17, 7 and 10)

Co-convenors:
Pierre Deschamps (CEREGE, Aix-en-Provence, France) - deschampscerege.fr
Francois Chabaux (LHyGeS, Strasbourg, France) - fchabauxunistra.fr
Andrea Dutton (University of Florida, Gainesville, USA) - aduttonufl.edu
Bassam Ghaleb (GEOTOP-UQAM, Montreal, Canada) - ghaleb.bassamuqam.ca

Many disciplines within earth sciences, including Earth Surface Sciences, paleoclimatology and paleoceanography, have benefitted tremendously from recent analytical developments for U-series measurements. On one hand, these analytical improvements provide chronological constraints at unprecedented resolution and accuracy for many paleoclimatic archives such as speleothems and corals. On the other hand, these also contribute to enhanced understanding of geochemical processes controlling radioactive disequilibria in U-series chains, providing tools to characterize weathering processes, radionuclide behavior, and their mobility in surface systems (soils, critical zone, groundwater, rivers, estuaries and ocean).

This session will bring together contributions across a wide range of U-series applications, from critical zone processes to U-Th dating, with particular focus on analytical and methodological developments.

Keynote speaker:
Gideon Henderson (Oxford University, UK), Gideon.Hendersonearth.ox.ac.uk

17g. Traditional and novel isotopes as tracers of weathering processes

(co-hosted by Themes 17 ,7 and 10)

Co-conveners:
Jérôme Gaillardet (Institut de Physique du Globe, Paris) - gaillardipgp.fr
Sophie Opfergelt (university of Oxford, UK) - sophie.opfergeltearth.ox.ac.uk
Thomas Bullen (US Geological Survey0 - tdbullenusgs.gov
Friedhelm von Blanckenburg (GFZ-Postdam) - fvbgfz-potsdam.de

What have isotopes added to our understanding of the Earth's surface processes on continents, where do we stand and what we need to improve to use isotopic ratios of traditional (stable or not) and novel isotopes to understand and predict the biogeochemical processes operating in the "critical zone" of the Earth? This session wants to illustrate the use of isotopic systems in soils, aquatic systems, vegetation at all scales ranging from the minerals to the watershed. Experimental and field approaches are welcome. The use of isotopes to trace human perturbation of the weathering system also fits the scope of the session.

Invited speakers:
Ruth S. Hindshaw (NGU Norway), ruth.hindshawngu.no
Edward T. Tipper (University of St Andrews, UK), ettst-andrews.ac.uk
Julien Bouchez (GFZ-Potsdam, Germany), julien.bouchezgfz-potsdam.de
Chris Pearce (Open University, UK), c.pearceopen.ac.uk

17h. Mineral seeks meaningful date

Co-convenors:
Dawn Kellett (Geological Survey of Canada) - Dawn.KellettNRCan-RNCan.gc.ca
David Schneider (University of Ottawa) - David.Schneideruottawa.ca
Alfredo Camacho (University of Manitoba) - camachocc.umanitoba.ca

Geochronology is of fundamental importance to our understanding of the timing and rates of evolution of the continental crust. We have at our disposal a wide variety of radioisotopic systems that can be used as geochronometers, a wide range of minerals that contain measureable amounts of such elements, and rapidly advancing analytical techniques with which to measure them. Nevertheless, the geological significance of an isotopically-determined age incorporates assumptions that require a detailed understanding of the controls on isotopic retentivity in mineral systems. We invite contributions that test these assumptions, and that present recent advances in understanding the competing influences of temperature, pressure, microstructure, fluids, recrystallization and chemical composition on the distribution and evolution of radioisotopic systematics in minerals commonly used for geochronology studies. We also encourage contributions that apply these advances to investigations of tectonic processes.

Keynote speakers:
Igor Villa (Institute of Geological Sciences, University of Bern), igorgeo.unibe.ch
Daniel Stockli (University of Texas at Austin), stocklijsg.utexas.edu

17j. The acoustic spectroscopy of geological materials and geochemical processes

Co-convenors:
Geoffrey Abbott (Newcastle University, UK) – Geoff.abbottnewcastle.ac.uk
Nick Parker (Newcastle University, UK) – Nick.parkernewcastle.ac.uk

CANCELLED

17k.- Advances in noble gas research

Co-convenors:
David Hilton (Scripps Institution of Oceanography), drhiltonucsd.edu
Bernard Marty (CRPG-Nancy, France), bmartycrpg.cnrs-nancy.fr
Yuji Sano (University of Tokyo), ysanoaori.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Noble gases have had an enormous impact in the Earth and Planetary Sciences. Applications include formation of planets, outgassing of atmospheres, mantle and crustal evolution, climate variations, landscape development, ocean circulation and geochronology. The continuing success of the noble gases is predicated on innovative approaches involved in their detection, collection, extraction, preparation and measurement, and their application to both contemporary and new research themes. This session is a celebration of all things noble gas, with a focus on novel aspects of noble gas research leading to new and unique datasets that challenge our understanding of both the behavior of noble gases in nature and the natural systems which influence their distribution in time and space. We solicit contributions on a wide variety of topics associated with noble gases which include, but are not limited to, new experimental approaches to sample treatment and noble gas extraction, innovative measurement techniques, unusual datasets including temporal records, new modeling advances, re-interpretation of existing noble gas records. Given the wide-ranging applicability of noble gases, we hope to see new data exploiting basalts, xenoliths, minerals, groundwaters, natural gases, meteorites, IDPs, stardust, and a host of other materials amenable to the noble gas approach.

Keynote speaker:
Pete Burnard (CRPG, CNRS-Nancy), petebcrpg.cnrs-nancy.fr

Co-hosted sessions:

Please note that for abstract submission purposes, the following sessions and their respective descriptions appear in their primary Theme assignments (numbers in red or before the title).

3h.- Recent developments and applications of non-traditional stable isotope geochemistry in Earth and Planetary materials

Co-convenors: Frang-Zhen Teng/Arkansas and Sune Nielsen/WHOI
(co-hosted by Themes 3 and 17)

12i.- Combining spectroscopic and isotopic techniques: new insights in trace elements biogeochemical cycles comprehension.

Co-convenors: Marc Benedetti/Paris Diderot, Dominik J. Weiss/Imperial College, London) and Farid Juillot/Paris Diderot
(co-hosted by Themes 12 and 17)

14b.- Reciprocal interactions between archaeology and archaeometry focusing on the characterization of ancient human settlements and their environmental impacts

Co-convenors: Alain Veron/CEREGE, Adran Burke/Ude Montréal, Jean-Philippe Goiran/Lyon and Frédéric Trément/Université Blaise Pascal
(co-hosted by Themes 14 and 17)

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