SEOS Facilities

ICP-MS Facility

SEOS's ICP-MS facility is located in B423, and is equipped with two quadrupole ICP-MS, and a laser ablation sample introduction system.

Biogeochemistry Laboratory

The Biogeochemistry Laboratory is primarily used in the research of the exogenic carbon cycle.  The facility comprises an organic extraction room, general analytical room and a climate-controlled clean room housing a continuous flow-isotope ratiomass spectrometer (CF-IRMS), used to make carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen-stable isotopic ration measurements on extremely small volumes and on individual compounds from complex mixtures.  Other instruments in the lab include a high resolution Fisions/VG Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer and two other gas chromatographs.

Climate Modelling Laboratory

The Climate Modelling Laboratory has a growing number of computers used for modelling, visualization and data analysis.  They are housed near to the Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis.

Experimental Petrology Laboratory

The Experimental Petrology Laboratory is located in B416, where controlled experimentation of mantle xenoliths or mantle-derived magmas at elevated pressures and temperatures is undertaken.  The facility consists of a Deltech Verical Tube Gas Mixing Furnace, used to study phase relationships, element partitioning and redox equilibria at one atmosphere and a Piston-Cylinder Apparatus, used to study phase relations, element partitioning, and kinetics.

Gonzales Observatory

The Gonzales Observatory, situated on Gonzales Hill approximately 5 kilometres south of the main UVic campus, is the site of SEOS' Atmospheric Biogeochemistry research program.  The facility houses tunable diode laser absorption spectrometers (TDLAS's) used to remotely sense radiatively active trace gases in the boundary layer and lower troposphere.

Hydrothermal Laboratory

The Hydrothermal Laboratory is located in B415 and houses a Fluid Inc. adapted U.S.G.S. Gas-Flow Heating/Freezing System, used to conduct fluid inclusion research. The heating/ freezing stage permits the microthermometric analysis of fluid inclusions in  order to determine aspects of fluid composition and temperature-pressure conditions of trapping. 

Paleogeochemistry Laboratory

The Paleogeochemistry Laboratory, located in B423 and B424, is equipped with a Fisons NA1500 elemental analyzer for the determination of total carbon and total nitrogen, and a UIC Inc. coulometer for the measurement of inorganic carbon. The laboratory is also equipped with a Milestone Ethos EZ microwave workstation, a water purification system and Class 100 laminar flow hoods for the preparation of samples for trace element analysis.

Paleoenvironmental Laboratory

Paleoenvironmental laboratory is located in B409. The facility houses state-of-the-art microscopy equipment used to carry out marine micropaleontology and environmental change research.

Sample Preparation Laboratory

SEOS maintains a sample preparation lab in which the following equipment has been installed:

• Lortone LUX6-130 6" table top trim saw/grinder (oil)
• Mason Mite II 10" rock saw (water)
• Covington 717HDS 24" slab saw(water)
• Buehler/Metaserv 2000 8" polisher/grinder
• Legend L-2 4"x 6" (-1/4") high speed jaw crusher
• BICO Vibratory Ring 1/2" (-400 mesh) pulverizer
• Retsch Planetary Ball (Agate) Mill PM 200
• Tyler coarse sieve shaker RX-86 w/ 4mm to 0.125mm sieves

 

UVic Facilities

Regional Facilities