Mass spectrometer and laboratory innovation continually improve the quality and volume of measured data. I specialize in utilizing and integrating high-precision mass spectrometry, inter-relatable and metrologically traceable experiments, and innovative statistical methods to better understand and interpret this data.

EARTHTIME U-Pb Tracer Calibration

Tracers solutions made from high-purity artificial isotopes are mixed with a sample in a technique called 'isotope dilution (ID)' used for high precision geochronology. The EARTHTIME mixed (²⁰²Pb-)²⁰⁵Pb-²³³U-²³⁵U tracers have been calibrated against first-principles measurements of mass in a traceable set of experiments, then distributed to the U-Pb ID-TIMS community. The results decrease an important component of systematic uncertainty in dates by a factor of ~3 while eliminating a potentially large source of inter-laboratory bias.

Check out our pair of papers in GCA describing this effort: Condon et al. (2015), McLean et al. (2015)
Also, see this poster that explains how U-Pb date measurements can be traced back to first principles measurements.