Center for Isotope Geochemistry

Analytical Facilities

The Center for Isotope Geochemistry (CIG) labs includes six analytical facilities. These facilities provide state-of-the-art characterization of all types of earth materials for research. The instrumentation and laboratories are integral to CIG’s focus on developing new isotopic ratio methods to study fundamental earth processes, and environmental and energy problems of national interest.

We also work closely with the Cosmochemistry Laboratory (under the direction of Kunihiko Nishiizumi, UC Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory) and Lab for Environmental and Sedimentary Isotope Geochemistry (under the direction of B. Lynn Ingram, UC Berkeley’s Earth and Planetary Science Department).

Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometers

This facility’s two Thermo-Finnigan Triton Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometers (aka TIMS) have capabilities for high precision isotopic and elemental abundance measurements of Sr, Nd, Sm, Ca, K, Fe, U, Th,…

IsoProbe (Magnetic Sector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer) Laboratory

This facility provides high precision isotopic measurements of a wide range of elements—isotopic analyses are routinely conducted for Li, B, Mg, K, Cr, Sr, Hf, Nd, Pb, Ru, U and…

Stable Isotope Laboratory

This facility consists of two laboratories. The main laboratory includes a Micromass JA Series Isoprime mass spectrometer and a Thermo Delta V Plus mass spectrometer. The Isoprime is fitted with…

GC/MS+TCD Laboratory: Bulk Gas Geochemistry and Characterization of Volatile and Fluid Phase Samples

Our Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer + Thermal Conductivity Detector (GC/MS+TCD) laboratory has been designed for bulk gas analytical characterization of geothermal, reservoir and volcanic gasses. The instrument is currently configured with…

TANGO: Noble Gases in Rocks, Minerals, and Fluid Inclusions

The TANGO facility consists of an all-metal low-blank high-resolution VG5400 noble gas mass spectrometer purchased from VG Fisons. Connected to the mass spectrometer is an all-metal low-blank gas extraction and…

RARGA: Noble Gases in Fluids Lab

The RARGA facility consists of an all-metal high-resolution noble gas mass spectrometer constructed in-house. Connected to the mass spectrometer is an all-metal gas extraction and purification line. The RARGA system…