Facilities in Earth and Planetary Sciences
Facilities and equipment include:
- Maps and air photographs are held in collections, as well as in the Map Room of the University Library.
- Organic Geochemistry Laboratory and Instruments
- Electron microprobe and scanning electron microscope; X-ray diffraction, fully automated X-ray fluorescence; ICPMS with laser ablations microprobe; double beam atomic absorption spectrometer; flame photometer; ion chromatograph; sedimentation tube; acid-leaching facility; fluid inclusion heating and freezing facility.
- Access to SEM.
- Reversing shear box and tri-axial strength-testing equipment; down-borehole shear test; photoelastic modelling facilities.
- Seismic refraction and electrical resistivity equipment; hand-held magnetometers; hand-held susceptibility and conductivity meters.
- Drilling rig.
- Digital data-acquisition system for monitoring geophysicsl experiments in field and laboratory.
- Physical property laboratory measurement systems (susceptibility, conductivity, seismic velocity, density).
- 9 and 40-kb capability piston-cylinder apparatus.
- Geophysical modelling and inversion programs.
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software.
- Vehicles.
- Graphics facilities
SPECIALIST FACILITIES
GEMOC has developed the analytical instrumentation and support facilities of the Macquarie University Geochemical Analysis Unit (GAU). The analytical instrumentation and support facilities within the GAU represent a state-of-the-art geochemical facility.
The GAU contains:
- a Cameca SX-50 electron microprobe
- a Cameca SX-100 electron microprobe (installed January 2003)
- three Agilent 7500 ICPMS (industry collaboration (two installed October 2004))
- a custom-built UV laser microprobe, usable on the Agilent ICPMS
- five New Wave/Merchantek laser microprobes (two 266 nm, three 213 nm) for the MC-ICPMS and ICPMS laboratories (industry collaboration)
- a New Wave/Merchantek excimer (193 nm) laser microprobe, based on a Lambda Physik OPTex laser
- a Nu Plasma multi-collector ICPMS
- a Nu Plasma high resolution multi-collector ICPMS (installed November 2003)
- a Thermo Finnigan Triton TIMS (installed March 2005)
- a Spectro XLAB2000 energy-dispersive XRF with rocker-furnace sample preparation equipment
- a LECO RC412 H2O-CO2 analyser (delivered September 2003)
- an Ortec Alpha Particle counter
- a New Wave MicroMill
- clean labs and sampling facilities provide infrastructure for ICPMS, XRF and isotopic analyses of small and/or low-level samples
Experimental petrology laboratories in GEMOC include 4 piston-cylinder presses (pressure to 4 GPa), hydrothermal apparatus, controlled atmosphere furnaces and a multi-anvil apparatus for pressures to 27 GPa. The Centre for Isotope Studies has provided access to extraction lines and gas-source mass-spectrometers for stable-isotope analysis of fluids and minerals; it is planned that these facilities will be moved to GEMOC Macquarie. The Department has facilities for rock preparation and thin sectioning.
The Geophysics discipline has access to a wide range of field and laboratory equipment. Field equipment includes electrical resistivity, transient electromagnetic and induced polarisation receivers and transmitters, a gravity meter, proton and cesium-vapour magnetometers, dual frequency susceptibility meter, conductivity meter, and palaeomagnetic laboratory, and a multi-channel land refraction or shallow reflection seismograph. A well-equipped computing laboratory with a variety of specialised software and a wide range of software packages are available for data reduction, interpretation, modelling and inversion. Laboratory facilities are available for the development of experimental equipment, for the measurement of some physical properties, and for digitising maps and charts.
For students undertaking an Honours program in Palaeontology/Palaeobiology, the department and MUCEP have available appropriate support facilities including a dedicated Palaeontology reprint collection in the main Library (Level 4 Study room L - equipped with a microscope and computer/printer); an acid leaching facility; a Palaeobiology laboratory with heavy liquid separation facilities, serial sectioning facilities, binocular microscopes and photographic (including digital) facilities; access to scanning electron microscope, environmental scanning electron microscope, and cathode luminescence microscope; and computer facilities for digital capture and manipulation of images.
The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences has close ties with other organisations, particularly the NSW Department of Mineral Resources, and the CSIRO Divisions of Exploration and Mining, and Radiophysics. Cooperative projects with these groups are possible, and interaction with industry is also encouraged and may be fostered through SUCOGG or the Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists (ASEG).
Honours space
There is a limited amount of desk space available for Honours students. To apply for a desk, contact your supervisor or the Head of Department. The University Library also allows Honours students to use the postgraduate reading room if they are willing to pay a deposit on a key for the room and are willing to abide by the rules set down by the postgraduate students for use of the room. Please see the Head of Department if you wish to make use of this facility.
IT Facilities
Student IT is located in C5C Room 244 and provides information technology support and assistance to the students and staff of Macquarie University.
Computers
C5C Room 211,213 and 217 have over 100 computers dedicated to:
* email
* printing course materials
* word processing (Microsoft Office software)
* browsing the web (excluding games and pornography)
The IT Help Desk in Room 244 is available for questions and problems.
There are also several computing facilities available from within the library (see here for more information)
Most Library databases and e-resources are available off-campus for Macquarie University staff and students (see here for information on access).
The unversity also has a wireless network available in some areas.
Contact Student IT Help: (02) 9850 HELP (4357) or Freecall: 1800 063 191
IT rules
Rules governing access to, and use of, the facilities of the University's IT services have been formalised chiefly to protect the hardware and software owned by the University from unauthorised access or improper use. The rules authorise disciplinary action for infringement. There are also heavy penalties in general law relating to computer abuses. The University's rules are published in a booklet, copies of which are made available to all users of the facilities of the Office of Computing Services. These rules also apply to computer facilties within the department. View the Macquarie University IT Conditions of use here.
Department computing facilities
The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences has its own computing facilities (in common with the Departments of Physical Geography and Human Geography) in addition to those operated by OCS.
- Two PC labs used for teaching are located in E5A 313 and E5A 310 and together contain 40 PCs connected to Novell file-servers ES1 and ES2. Hours of use are restricted to approx. 9 am to 6 pm Mon-Fri. An annexe to the main PC lab (E5A 322) contains more PCs connected to file-server ES1, which is, in turn, connected to the Campus Backbone Network. With a suitable password, you can connect to OCS1 and thus gain access to e-mail, telnet, ftp and a host of programs (see OCS listing above).
- Graphics have a Macintosh, scanners and a laser printer which are
available for student use.
- Individual departments have their own laboratories and equipment, including Sun Workstations, PS2s under OS2, PDPs, HP plotters, laser printers, digitisers, scanners, etc. Access is only by private arrangement with the staff member in charge of a particular facility.
Assistance with computing problems may be available from the Division's computing officer.
Contact Phil Ingram (9850 8401, E7A 718) for such
assistance and to arrange accounts and passwords.