The Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences is developing new analytical laboratories with the goal of becoming a primary location for the elemental analysis of extra terrestrial materials.  Several analytical tech-niques are being added to the centers existing capabilities such as a high-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS), a quadrupole ICP-MS, a Nicolet FTIR spectrometer, and gas chromatography in space simulations.

The headliner of the space center analytical capabilities, the ICP-MS lab,  is being installed in a new class 1000, hard wall, clean room suite that has been constructed in the old museum building.  It will feature cutting edge equipment such as a high resolution multi-collector ICP-MS, a work horse quadrupole ICP-MS, and a laser ablation unit with the capability of vaporizing samples for introduction into the mass spectrometers without the requirements of digestion processes that usually include sample exposure to very strong acids.  A clean room is a highly purified and regulated room; a Class 1,000 clean room has no more than 1,000 particles larger than 0.5 microns in a cubic foot of air.  Class 1000 air is required to prevent the possibility of contamination to very rare samples that come from out of this world and insure the best environment for the sensitive equipment that will be operating in the lab.  Workers and visitors to the lab will be required to wear special clothing from head to toe to prevent contamination.

ICP-MS is a leading technology in elemental analysis that can break down a sample into its most basic ingredients and even quantify ratios of isotopes in the samples.  The high-resolution multi-collector unit the space center has purchased is being built at Nu Instruments in Wales, UK, with an expected delivery in March 2007.  Several personnel from the space center will go to the Nu Instruments facility for the final configuration and training.

Another boost for the analytical capabilities of the space center is the rejuvenation of our Thermolumi-nescence (TL) laboratory.  The new TL lab is being installed in a class 100 clean room (now under construc-
tion), and it is designed to analyze extremely small samples of particles like the Stardust that was collected from a comet and returned from space in January 2006.

These analytical capabilities for the space center insure that researchers and students at the University of Arkansas can be involved in discoveries from space and work with NASA and other space researchers from around the world.

Dr. Janice Voss, the science director for the Kepler Spacecraft at NASA Ames Research Center, presented a lecture entitled, “Kepler, A Search for Habitable Planets” on November 16.  The space center co-sponsored the event with the Arkansas Women in Statistics and Mathematics and the Association for Women in Science.

The event drew a large audience, who asked interesting and engaging questions.  The space center would like to thank all of the organizations involved for a wonderful lecture.

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Dr. Sandra Pizzarello, a research professor of Chemistry in the department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Center for Meteorite Studies at Arizona State University, presented a lecture entitled, “The Chemistry That Preceded Life’s Origin: A Study Guide from Meteorites” on December 4.

The lecture was part of the Barringer Lecture Series, which is sponsored by The Barringer Crater Company.  The space center has two Barringer lectures per year.

On November 8, Mercury passed across the sun’s face for a brief amount of time in the afternoon.  Space center graduate students set up the center’s Meade 8-inch telescope for a great view of the event that took place.  The telescope was generously donated by Scott Smith of Lowell, Arkansas.  Many people that walked by came to see why the big telescope was outside.  The students enjoyed the opportunity to teach people about Mercury.  Below are some pictures from the afternoon.