MRI: Acquisition of a State-of-the-Art Water Isotope Analyzer to Monitor Changes in the Coupled Climate System and Water Cycle at High Latitudes

University Of Alaska Anchorage Campus, Anchorage AK

Investigators

Abstract

The University of Alaska Anchorage's Environment and Natural Resources Institute (ENRI) stable isotope laboratory has a long history of serving a broad research community and fostering collaborations among academic and government scientists studying the Arctic. With this MRI award, the investigators will replace retired equipment with the purchase a new instrument to analyze the stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen with high precision on a fee-for-service basis. As components of water molecules, isotopes of hydrogen and water serve as valuable tracers within the coupled climate system and water cycle, and isotope data can be used to understand changes in air, water, and ice over time and space. In addition to supporting a wide range of scientific studies, the laboratory hosts tours for high school and undergraduate students and trains undergraduate and graduate students in analytical techniques as part of their coursework. The investigators will purchase a new Picarro L2130-I cavity ring-down spectroscopy water isotope analyzer to replace retired, early models that have processed more than 50,000 water samples. Analytical capability will be expanded by adding a new vaporizer and autosampler and add to the suite of instruments operated and maintained in the Environment and Natural Resources Institute Stable Isotope Laboratory. This lab, the only of its kind in Southcentral Alaska, produces data that are used by academic and government scientists in Alaska and beyond to understand the hydrologic cycle and climate in the Arctic. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.