SCEC Award Number 18194 View PDF
Proposal Category Individual Proposal (Data Gathering and Products)
Proposal Title Geochronology Infrastructure
Investigator(s)
Name Organization
Michael Oskin University of California, Davis Thomas Guilderson Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Susan Zimmerman Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory John Southon University of California, Irvine
Other Participants Tom Guilderson, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Susan Zimmerman, Lawrence Livermore National Lab
John Southon, University of California, Irvine
SCEC Priorities 1a, 5c, 5d SCEC Groups SAFS, WGCEP, Geology
Report Due Date 03/15/2019 Date Report Submitted 05/04/2019
Project Abstract
 The geochronology infrastructure provides a community resource for SCEC researchers to draw from for their C-14 and cosmogenic exposure age-dating needs. By pooling resources, the infrastructure saves SCEC funds while simultaneously increasing flexibility. Researchers cannot precisely predict the amount of geochronology resources needed at the outset of a project. Instead, the SCEC RFP asks for an estimate of needs from each project, and then these needs are drawn from the infrastructure resources. The leader and co-leader of the Geology Disciplinary group coordinate these dating requests with the participating laboratories. The infrastructure program also enables centralized accounting of geochronology results, allowing SCEC to archive its geochronology data in community repositories and enabling data re-use and re-analysis in the future.
Intellectual Merit The geochronology infrastructure provides a community resource for SCEC researchers to draw from for their dating needs. It provides laboratory support and access to expertise for 14C and cosmogenic 10Be and 26Al methods. Researchers cannot precisely predict the amount of geochronology resources needed at the outset of a project. Instead, the SCEC RFP asks for an estimate of needs from each project, and then these needs are drawn from the infrastructure resources. This approach avoids wasting resources for the cases where a project ends up not needing as many dates as planned. Likewise, in other cases where important, higher-precision results could be obtained with more geochronology resources, the infrastructure budget allows SCEC to move quickly to take advantage the opportunity.
Broader Impacts Shared geochronology resources encourages collaboration and communication between SCEC researchers. Students are encouraged to participate in the preparation and analysis of their samples. This is very convenient at the UCI 14C facility, and also possible at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory once clearance is granted. This experience has proven valuable for early-career SCEC researchers. The shared geochronology model has helped spawn similar initiatives elsewhere, such as the Earthscope AGeS program.
Exemplary Figure No figure submitted
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