MAGIC Lab (MicroAnalytical Geochemistry and Isotope Characterization Laboratory)

UMaine Alert

Posted: April 19, 2024 - 1:32 PM

At approximately 9:24 a.m. on Friday, April 19, a University of Maine graduate student was struck by a university vehicle on Long Road at the University of Maine campus in Orono. The student reports that they are at a local hospital with minor injuries.

Emergency services, including the Orono Fire Department, University Volunteer Ambulance Corps, University of Maine Police Department, Orono Police Department and Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

The university vehicle involved in the incident was a Chevrolet Express van. It was being operated by a university employee.

Counseling services and support are available for students, faculty or staff who may have been affected. The Counseling Center can be reached at 207-581-1392 and the Dean of Students Office can be reached at 207-581-1406.

The scene has been cleared and Long Road is now accessible. An investigation is being conducted by the University of Maine Police Department with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit. Any witnesses to the incident are encouraged to contact Lt. Noel Santiago at noel.santiago@maine.edu.

Welcome to the MAGIC lab at the University of Maine! This facility houses an ESI NWR193^UC 193 nm excimer laser ablation system coupled with an Agilent 8900 triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (ICP-QQQ-MS).

This system was installed in May of 2018 and is used to analyze trace elements and isotopes in a variety of solid materials, from rocks to forams. The MAGIC lab is a collaboration between SECS faculty and the Climate Change Institute at the University of Maine.

The NWR193^UC is equipped with a TV3 large format cell, which can accommodate solid samples up to 8×8 cm. A flexible infinitely variable aperture enables analysis spot sizes ranging from 1–150 µm in 1 µm increments. The rotating XYR aperture allows for square and rectangular ablations.

We welcome users from all over! Please contact Professor Alicia Cruz-Uribe (alicia.cruzuribe@maine.edu) for more information.

The MAGIC Lab is located in the Sawyer building, Room 110, at the University of Maine, Orono. The phone number for the lab is (207) 581-2347.

Lu zoning in garnet, Samail ophiolite. Pixel size is 10 µm.

We are currently undertaking fast mapping of trace elements in minerals down to 3 µm spatial resolution. Get in touch if you are interested in doing some analyses with us!

Mn zoning in white hake otolith. Pixel size is 10 µm.

Techniques under development include:

In situ Rb/Sr dating of feldspars

Developed methods include:

Trace element analyses of glass, silicates, oxides, carbonates, and sulfides
U/Pb dating of zircon, titanite, and apatite
Trace element analyses of melt and fluid inclusions
Sr isotope analyses of apatite
In situ Rb/Sr dating of micas
High speed mapping