Do you want to know when a certain rock was first exposed at Earth’s surface, or how fast it is wearing away? Cosmogenic nuclides can help!

Cosmogenic nuclides are (sometimes) rare isotopes of naturally occurring elements that are produced through the interaction of cosmic radiation with nuclei in Earth’s atmosphere, surface, and shallow subsurface. With time, these isotopes build up in surface materials. Some of the cosmogenic nuclides are also radioactive. In such cases, the isotopes decay into daughter products over time as well. If a rock that was exposed at Earth’s surface is buried deep enough, the decay can exceed production, and the concentration of the isotope in the rock decreases through time. So, we can measure both the build-up and the decay of cosmogenic nuclides in rocks and sediment. 

The ability to measure these isotopes has revolutionized geoscience research, allowing us to measure the duration of exposure of rock at or near Earth’s surface. In the Geology Working Group, we have the facilities to extract 10Be, 26Al, and 36Cl in multiple mineral phases. Applications include measuring erosion rates in outcrops and river basins, exposure dating of glacier retreat and fault slip rates, and burial dating of sediments in caves and sedimentary basins, among many others. 
In addition to a full suite of standard rock preparation, such as rock crushers, sieves, magnetic separators, etc., our laboratory facilities include a dirty laboratory with 2 HF rated fume hoods with washers and a neutralization tank for sample dissolution, a clean laboratory with 2 HF rated fume hoods with washers for isotope extraction and purification, and a separate mineral prep lab for 36Cl chemistry.

Further information about potential collaborations and costs can be addressed to Kevin Norton