NordSIMS-Vegacenter – a centralised research infrastructure for microanalysis in the earth, environmental and planetary sciences

The NordSIMS-Vegacenter (NS-VC) infrastructure is a resource for microanalytical and microimaging research in the earth, environment and planetary sciences whose principle scientific goal is to advance our knowledge of the field via ground-breaking geochemical and isotopic investigations of the widest possible range of samples using state-of-the-art instrumentation.

NS-VC builds on the recent (2018) merger of two established infrastructures (NordSIM, formerly the Nordic ion microprobe laboratory, and Vegacenter for laser-ablation ICP mass spectrometry) at NRM with additional facilities at the host institution that provide complementary and extended capability.

These are advanced environmental electron microscopy, micro-Raman and thermal ionization mass spectrometry/clean-laboratory facilities.

Regardless of whether they require access to a single instrument or will conduct a sequence of analyses using several instruments, infrastructure users will apply for access via a single project call, which will be evaluated for feasibility by the facility managers and scientific quality by an external board.

This centralised scheme will ensure that researchers are given access to the most appropriate tool(s) to achieve their research goals.

The grant will be used for day-to-day maintenance and operation of the various facilities, instrument upgrades, as well as regular short methodological courses aimed at introducing users to the broad capability of the infrastructure.

By hosting such a wide range of facilities under one roof, NS-VC will provide both Swedish and international researchers in the earth, environmental and planetary sciences unparalleled access to modern analytical methods and expertise that will greatly enhance their investigative possibilities, create collaborative links for future work and enrich their results.