Newcastle Cosmogenic Isotope Laboratory

Description

The Newcastle Cosmogenic Isotope Facility is dedicated to terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides, which we used as chronometers and tracers in Earth Sciences. Our research interests cover a wide spectrum of earth surface problems that we quantify using cosmogenic isotopes. In particular, we have worked on projects looking at estimating the rates of motion of active faults, the timing of ice sheet deglaciation and advance, the rates and timing of fluvial incision and mountain denudation. Throughout, we always aim at gaining a better understanding of the production of cosmogenic nuclides and the corrections we applied to interpret our data.

Our capabilities include the routine extraction of 10Be, 26Al, and 36Cl. We also prepare samples for 3He and 21Ne. Analysis of samples is then performed by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) or Mass Spectrometry (MS) facilities such as SUERC, DREAMS, LLNL and CEREGE.