PALEOCLIMATOLOGY & PALEOECOLOGY LABORATORY

The Paleoclimatology & Paleoecology Laboratory is a teaching and research facility in the Department of Geological Sciences at UNC-Chapel Hill. It is primarily used to prepare mollusc shells (e.g., clams, mussels, limpets, and oysters) and otoliths (i.e., ear bones from fish) for sclerochronological (incremental growth feature) and geochemical analyses. The primary instrument used in the PPL is a Carpenter Microsystems CM-2 high-resolution microsampling system (designed by Dr. Scott Carpenter).  The CM-2 is a computer-driven device equipped with Newport XYZ micro-positioning stages, a Nikon microscope with epifluoresence capabilities, Nikon 12-million-pixel digital camera, and Brasseler hand pieces. This system allows high-resolution sampling from a digital image acquired under reflected or transmitted light or under red, green or blue epifluoresence to enhance organic-rich growth increments. The PPL also has an Olympus stereomicroscope with a 12.5 megapixel DP71 digital camera and Discover software for image analysis.  Photos of both instruments coming soon.....