Fourier transform infrared spectrometer with microscope

• Subject Area: Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry
• Term: Funded in 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 552337810

The FTIR spectrometer will replace two existing instruments, which are in operation since 1991 and 2002, respectively. These old instruments cannot be kept in operation for much longer, as customer support is lacking and some spare parts are not available anymore. The new spectrometer will be operated by Bayerisches Geoinstitut (BGI) at Bayreuth University and used for a wide range of applications in high pressure research in Earth and materials sciences, including: (1) Measuring the solubility and speciation of water in nominally anhydrous minerals. A large part of the available data and concepts on this subject was generated in Bayreuth using the two existing spectrometers. (2) Studies of gas (H2O, CO2, CO, etc.) solubilities and dissolution mechanisms in magmas. These measurements are important for understanding volcanic phenomena. (3) Studies of the composition of high-temperature fluids in Earth´s interior, with applications to the formation of ore deposits. (4) Measurements of the infrared and visible absorption spectra of mantle minerals at high pressure and high temperature. These data will be used to calculate the radiative contribution to thermal conductivity in Earth´s deep interior, which is critical for modelling the thermal evolution of the planet. (5) Various other applications, such as determining the aggregation state of nitrogen defects in diamond, identifying organic matter in natural meteorite samples, or phase identification in high-pressure experiments.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Fourier-Transform-Infrarot-Spektrometer mit Mikroskop
• Instrumentation Group: 1830 Fourier-Transform-IR-Spektrometer
• Applicant Institution: Universität Bayreuth
• Leader: Professor Dr. Hans Keppler