EPMA applications

Tephrochronology

The EPMA Facility hosts the Tephra Analysis Unit for the analysis of volcanic glasses, with wide application to climate change research and volcanological studies. Client research has included the correlation of North Atlantic crypto-tephras for insight into palaeoclimate since the last glacial period, and ash dispersal and risk to trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific flights.

Tephra Analysis Unit (TAU)

Palaeoclimate studies

EPMA's capability of rapid, high-quality data collection has enabled detailed palaeoclimate studies of surface seawater temperatures from the Mg/Ca ratio in the bi-weekly growth zones of calcareous algae. This has led to the development of an accurate palaeothermometer with application to resolving regional differences in Holocene climate variability.

Industrial applications

EPMA has innumerable applications within industry. The EPMA Facility has worked with Rolls Royce and MTU on analysis of new turbine blade alloys for future, more fuel-efficient jet engines. Other industrial applications worked on by the facility manager have included microelectronics, nuclear waste disposal, construction and investigation of Formula 1 car component failure.

Economic resources

EPMA data have been fundamental to understanding the formation and distribution of economic resources. Heterogeneity in gold composition within host rocks of the Witwatersrand, South Africa suggests that the gold deposits originated as a series of placers rather than having been introduced hydrothermally. Investigation of Ni distribution in ores explained Ni-losses during ore processing leading to loss reduction. EPMA has investigated types and deportment of mineralization in exploration targets for rare earth, platinum group and sulphide minerals.

Planetary Science

Mineral analyses have revealed details of magmatic processes on Earth, the Moon and Mars and of processes related to the early solar system.