Laboratory of Thermochronology and Optical Microscopy

Keywords: fission track, thermal modeling, thermochronology, picking, heavy minerals

LABORATORY FACILITIES

The BiGeA Thermochronology and Optical Microscopy Laboratory (TOM Lab) is jointly run by Prof. William Cavazza and Dr. Irene Albino.

The laboratory is set-up for apatite and zircon fission track (FT) analysis. For FT counting and apatite track length measurement the TOM Lab is equipped with Zeiss Axioskop research microscope. The microscope includes a digital camera that allows counting and measurement of FT on pc screen, thank to Deltapix software.

A Leica Wild M10 stereomicroscope is used for crystals’s picking for (U-Th)/He dating.

The obtained data are performed through different softwares: HeFTy, QtQt, Trackey.

There is also a Zeiss Axiphot microscope in the lab, including a camera used for petrographic studies.

Didactic, training and research activities

The TOM Lab offers its own resources to support:

• practice for Second cycle degree and PhD theses;
• development of research projects.

Service and advices

The TOM Lab should be contacted for analysis and preparation samples for external users.