This facility is housed in a complete renovated laboratory space at the Chronology and Chronometry group. Mineral grains are handpicked and screened for inclusions using customized Zeiss Discovery V.12 stereomicroscope with a rotating stage. The stereomicroscopes have both transmitted (polarized) and reflected light capabilities. Prior to loading samples into Pt tubes, all grains are digitally photographed using a digital camera and all digital pictures are archived. Zeiss AxioVision ® imaging software is used to morphometrically measure each grain before loading into Pt tubes. The (U-Th)/He picking and grain measurement facilities were funded through Petrobras S.A. start-up funds to Peter C. Hackspacher. 

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Helix SFT Noble Gas Mass-Spec and Extraction Line for 4He/3He Analysis

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(U-Th)/He laboratory has a GV Instruments Helix SFT magnetic sector mass-spectrometer with dedicated UHV extraction and purification line. The line is equipped with a diode laser (970 nm) for laser heating for low-temperature step heating. Designed for 4He/3He thermo-chronometry, the Photon Machines 75W Fusions.970 is the only system of its kind with real-time spot-on temperature measurement and closed-loop control.