The experimental facility in the Nine Circles Experimental Cosmochemistry laboratory is designed to study gas-solid reactions under conditions relevant to the early solar system. The primary goal in designing this apparatus is to simulate the solar nebula environment more accurately that has ever been accomplished. The experimental apparatus contains four basic components: a gas-handling system, furnaces, temperature monitors, and a quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS) residual gas analyzer. The gas-handling system was constructed with the same tolerances used by the semiconductor industry for maintaining an ultra-high purity (99.99%) rating. The system is capable of mixing five different gases: H2, He, H2S, CO, and CO2.

These five gases are delivered to a series of MKS mass-flow controllers (MFCs) using electropolished stainless steel tubing and Swagelok VCR face-seal fittings. The mass flow controllers have flow ranges designed to produce gas mixtures with variety of He/H, C/H, O/H, and S/H ratios, which bracket those expected in the solar nebula.

The LPL ICP-MS lab is currently equipped with a ThermoFinnigan ELEMENT2 High-Resolution ICP mass spectrometer. The setup includes a Cetac ASX-100 micro-autosampler and a Cetac ASX 500 autosampler for larger samples.
For sample preparation, our facility includes a class 100 cleanlab equipped with two chemical hoods. Purification of laboratory water is accomplished with the use of a Barnstead Easypure reverse osmosis de-ionization water system.
In addition, a custom-built cold-vapor generator is available for online reduction of trace metals, particularly Hg. Trace element analyses in envoromnmental and geological samples are available for University of Arizona and outside users on a fee basis. please contact Yulia Goreva for prices and schedule.

The lab is equipped with a Sartorius microbalance (100 ug sensitivity) and ultramicrobalance (1 ug sensitivity) as well as two Leica high-powered binocular microscopes (Wild M3 and Wild M10) for handling and characterization of samples.
In addition to liquid sample introduction, the ICP-MS is coupled to an Ameritherm HotShot RF induction furnace, which allows for the direct analysis of solid sample materials by intense heating.