MRI: Acquisition of a Broad-Energy Germanium Detector at Western Washington University

This award is made to Western Washington University (WWU) to purchase a broad-energy germanium gamma ray detector to expand research and education programs in environmental science and geology. The earth possesses many naturally occurring radioactive elements that emit gamma radiation. By measuring the quantity and distribution of these elements, researchers can estimate the rates of important processes, such as the burial of sediment and organic carbon, removal of contaminants from seawater, and the mixing and transport of important particulate materials including carbon, metals, and organic contaminants.

The instrument will allow students and faculty at WWU to quantify sedimentary processes, characterize past environments, and to assess changes in land use, pollution, and other natural conditions over time. The research community’s interest in the use of our existing gamma detector and our associated expertise has now exceeded our ability to accommodate the demand.

The expanded capabilities of this instrument will enable WWU students and faculty to address new environmental problems, take on additional research projects, improve the design of existing projects, and expand our network of collaborators at the global scale.

The new broad-energy germanium detector (Mirion BE3825) will support the research and teaching programs of eight senior personnel and their associated students at WWU. These users all have research questions that can be addressed using gamma-emitting radionuclides, with applications ranging from bioturbation and sediment accumulation to tribal coastal clam gardens and estuarine carbon burial, to lake paleo-genetics and riparian geomorphological development.

While our existing detector is in continuous use measuring low-energy gamma emitters such as Pb-210 and Th-234, the new broad-energy germanium detector will also enable the measurement of higher-energy gamma emitters such as Cs-137, Be-7, Zn-65, and Fe-59, allowing for a much greater number of users, more educational opportunities, and a greater diversity of instrument applications. As a non-PhD granting institution, WWU places a strong emphasis on undergraduate and Masters-level research and education.

The new instrument at WWU will be made available not only for faculty-driven research but also for student-led thesis research and class projects to train the next generation of scientists.

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.