Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

<p>Funds are requested from NSERC RTI to replace the original Hi-Star detector on the Bruker D8 Discover micro X-ray diffractometer (&micro;XRD) (CFI 2001) with a V&Aring;NTEC-500 detector. This superior detector has higher resolution, lower noise, with a very high dynamic range, thus improving the capabilities of the &micro;XRD. Software upgrades will add capabilities for Texture analysis, to determine lattice preferred orientation or fabric, and Cluster analysis, to correlate <em>in situ</em> &micro;XRD data with chemical and spectroscopic data on a grain-by-grain basis, delivering powerful interpretive capabilities. The user-friendly software will provide a more accessible student experience and additional licences will enable the simultaneous interaction of several students at a time with the facility. Our &micro;XRD is the most accessible instrument of its kind in Canada, and underpins several research programs in Earth and Planetary Sciences, Physics &amp; Astronomy and Materials Science, being pivotal for a multidisciplinary group of researchers based at Western, plus users and collaborators across Canada. Researchers are studying mineralogy of meteorites, with the aim of understanding the history of our solar system (Flemming, McCausland), studying mineralogy on Mars using data from the Curiosity Rover and analogue environments on Earth (Schmidt, Flemming), studying the mineralogy of kimberlites for diamond exploration (Flemming), mineralogy of technological minerals and their deposits (Linnen) and magnetic minerals (McCausland). The &micro;XRD is a key instrument for investigating and quantifying strain recorded by minerals, ranging from tectonic-related deformation in olivine from mantle xenoliths as a window into mantle stresses (Flemming) to quantifying shock in minerals in meteorites (Flemming, McCausland) and shocked materials from meteorite impacts on Earth and the Moon (Osinski, Flemming). Advanced materials under investigation by<em> in situ </em>&micro;XRD include bioapatite (de Bruyn) and nanomaterials (Hutter). Flemming, McCausland and Hutter propose to study <em>in situ</em> transitions in magnetite at low temperature. Schmidt and Flemming propose to study volcanic mineralogy and textures in Mauna Kea and Iceland, as analogues to Mars. Overall, the enabled research advances our understanding of the Earth, Moon and Mars, and has implications for health (bioapatite and kidney stones), ore resources (kimberlites and pegmatite ore minerals) and manufacturing (biomaterials and nanomaterials). This research fits within Western University&rsquo;s Planetary Science and Exploration and Materials and Biomaterials research themes. Based on previous usage and anticipated enhanced capabilities, we project that over 45 HQP per year from multidisciplinary research programs across Western and across Canada will benefit from access to &micro;XRD with a state-of-the-art V&Aring;NTEC-500 2D detector and texture and cluster analysis capabilities. </p>