Skip to main content
DEI in GPS
Access
Directory
Quick Links Click here to open the "Quick Links" submenu Down arrow
Quick Links for Faculty Quick Links for Staff Quick Links for Students
Caltech Logo
Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences
People
Professorial Faculty
Emeritus Faculty
Research Faculty
Visiting Faculty and Visitors
Postdoctoral Scholars
Graduate Students
Undergraduate Students
JPL Scientist
Research Staff
Support Staff
Research
Research Programs Open Research Programs Submenu
Geology Geobiology Geochemistry Geophysics Planetary Sciences Environmental Science and Engineering
Research Centers Open Research Centers Submenu
The Bruce Murray Lab Caltech Center for Comparative Planetary Evolution (3CPE) Climate Modeling Alliance (CliMA) Geomechanics and Mitigation of Geohazards (GMG) The Linde Center Seismological Laboratory Terrestrial Hazards Observation and Reporting (THOR)
Research Lab Schedule
Research Facilities - On Campus
Research Facilities - Off Campus
Research Administration
Academics
Undergraduate Program Open Undergraduate Program Submenu
Program Requirements GPS Minor
Graduate Program Open Graduate Program Submenu
Program Requirements Grad Program FAQs Admissions Advising Information for new grad students Master's Degree Doctoral Degree
Student Resources
Courses Open Courses Submenu
Online Courses Winter 2021 Course Offerings 2020-2021 Course Descriptions Setup a Class Website GPS Courses (2020-21)
Field Trips Open Field Trips Submenu
Contact Information Form for Class Field Trips Contact Information Form for Research Field Trips Field Vehicle Availability
Resources
DEI in GPS Open DEI in GPS Submenu
DEI Committee DEI Funding DEI Comment Form DEI Meeting Agendas and Minutes References on DEI in Geosciences Related Activities
Libraries Open Libraries Submenu
GPS Library Caltech Library Mineral Collection
Meeting Facilities Open Meeting Facilities Submenu
GPS Patio Tables
Safety Resources Open Safety Resources Submenu
GPS Emergency Procedures Emergency Action Plan (PDF) Safety Contacts Workplace Safety Checklist Evacuation Map
Quick Links
News & Events
GPS Events this Week Open GPS Events this Week Submenu
GPS Group Calendar
Award Announcements
News
Calendar
About
GPS History
GPS at a Glance
Contact Open Contact Submenu
Administrative and Grants Management Contact List (PDF) GPS Directory (PDF) Academic Leadership
Visit
Positions Available Open Positions Available Submenu
Faculty Positions Postdoctoral Positions Staff Positions
Support
In the News
Open search form
Menu Main Menu
Close
People Click here to open the "People" Submenu
Research Click here to open the "Research" Submenu
Academics Click here to open the "Academics" Submenu
Resources Click here to open the "Resources" Submenu
News & Events Click here to open the "News & Events" Submenu
About Click here to open the "About" Submenu
DEI in GPS
Access
Directory
Quick Links
Quick Links for Faculty Quick Links for Staff Quick Links for Students
People
Back
Professorial Faculty Emeritus Faculty Research Faculty Visiting Faculty and Visitors Postdoctoral Scholars Graduate Students Undergraduate Students JPL Scientist Research Staff Support Staff
Research
Back
Research Programs Geology Geobiology Geochemistry Geophysics Planetary Sciences Environmental Science and Engineering Research Centers The Bruce Murray Lab Caltech Center for Comparative Planetary Evolution (3CPE) Climate Modeling Alliance (CliMA) Geomechanics and Mitigation of Geohazards (GMG) The Linde Center Seismological Laboratory Terrestrial Hazards Observation and Reporting (THOR) Research Lab Schedule Research Facilities - On Campus Research Facilities - Off Campus Research Administration
Academics
Back
Undergraduate Program Program Requirements GPS Minor Graduate Program Program Requirements Grad Program FAQs Admissions Advising Information for new grad students Master's Degree Doctoral Degree Student Resources Courses Online Courses Winter 2021 Course Offerings 2020-2021 Course Descriptions Setup a Class Website GPS Courses (2020-21) Field Trips Contact Information Form for Class Field Trips Contact Information Form for Research Field Trips Field Vehicle Availability
Resources
Back
DEI in GPS DEI Committee DEI Funding DEI Comment Form DEI Meeting Agendas and Minutes References on DEI in Geosciences Related Activities Libraries GPS Library Caltech Library Mineral Collection Meeting Facilities GPS Patio Tables Safety Resources GPS Emergency Procedures Emergency Action Plan (PDF) Safety Contacts Workplace Safety Checklist Evacuation Map Quick Links
News & Events
Back
GPS Events this Week GPS Group Calendar Award Announcements News Calendar
About
Back
GPS History GPS at a Glance Contact Administrative and Grants Management Contact List (PDF) GPS Directory (PDF) Academic Leadership Visit Positions Available Faculty Positions Postdoctoral Positions Staff Positions Support In the News
Open search form
AorakiMount Cook National Park, New Zealand

Geology Facilities

Related Pages open sidebar menu
Close
Geology
Research Areas Open Research Areas Submenu Close Research Areas Submenu
Climatic Processes Petrologic Processes Surface Processes Tectonic Processes
People in Geology
Education
Geology Facilities
Contacts in Geology
Quick Links
Close
link Facilities within GPS
link Facilities within GPS

Petrology Facilities

The Division has apparatus capable of reproducing and maintaining for many hours the conditions where petrological processes occur, ranging from the surface of the earth to depths of about 650 kilometers. Conditions at much greater depths are studied (briefly) in the Caltech shock wave laboratory.

High-Temperature Furnaces

There are eight high-temperature furnaces dedicated to experimental petrology research. One, a graphite reducing-atmosphere furnace, is rated 3000°C, although it is normally operated with an Al2O3 muffle tube, limiting operations to < 1650°C. The others are molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2) furnaces with a useable temperature range of 900 to 1650°C and a silicon carbide (SiC) furnace usable to 1500°C. The furnaces are equipped with gas mixing capabilities, high-stability digital temperature controllers, programmed cooling and heating cycles, and solid electrolyte sensors for fO2 measurement.

High-Pressure Lab

The high-pressure laboratories contains a variety of apparati. There are 15 standard cold-seal pressure vessels, and ten with a novel design permitting rapid quench; these reproduce conditions of metamorphism and batholith emplacement corresponding to depths halfway through the continental crust. Two TZM pressure vessels reach higher temperatures appropriate for basic magmas. An intensifier producing a gas pressure of 1 GPa with an internally-heated pressure vessel provides the capability of investigating high- temperature magmatic processes through the depth range of the continental crust.

Piston-Cylinder Apparatus and Multianvil Devices

Conditions in the upper mantle are reproduced in the piston-cylinder and multianvil devices. The laboratory features three large presses equipped with piston-cylinder stacks for phase equilibrium experiments and mineral synthesis to 3.5 GPa and 1600°C. Our newest addition is a 1000-ton press with interchangeable cubic and octahedral multianvil devices for conditions from 3 to (perhaps) 25 GPa and temperatures to 2000 °C.

X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer

The Bucholz Lab houses an XRF facility for the major and trace element analysis of geologic materials. The sample preparation lab include a Retsch planetary ball mill equipped with both agate and tungsten carbide grinding containers for powdering whole rock samples and a Claise Eagon 2 fluxer for fusing the powders into glass beads using lithium tetraborate as a flux. In addition, the lab contains a hydraulic press for making pressed powdered pellets. Glass pills and pressed pellets are analyzed using a 4 kW Zetium Panalytical X-ray fluorescence analyzer equipped with 6 analyzing crystals, a wavelength dispersive spectrometer, automated sample handler, and an integrated software system.

Other Facilities

Within the Division, there is a wide variety of optical microscopes for petrographic examination and photographic documentation as well as a wide range of supporting facilities for mineral synthesis and sample preparation and examination (e.g., ovens, welding equipment, micromachining equipment).

The scanning electron microscope, electron microprobe and infrared spectrometers are used routinely for study of the experimental samples. These facilities are being used for phase equilibrium studies of synthetic systems and natural rocks, fluid flow, kinetic studies, the intrinsic oxygen fugacities of minerals and rocks, and experimental partitioning studies on trace elements and stable isotopes.

Flume Lab

Caltech Earth Surface Dynamics Laboratory

Electron Microscope

Caltech GPS Division Analytical Facility

Caltech Microanalysis Center (CMC)

Caltech GPS Microanalysis Center

LASER IR

Diamond-Anvil Cell (DAC) Laboratory

Caltech Torch
Caltech Logo
California Institute of Technology
map marker
1200 East California Boulevard
Pasadena, California 91125
Contact Us Report a Copyright Infringement Website Feedback Privacy Notice Site Content Copyright © 2021 Log In