2019
The GPMR Micro-area Isotope Laboratory developed their first professional LA-MC-ICP-MS isotope data processing software, IsoCompass. This software provides online, visualized, and batch micro-area isotope data processing functions. It was released to the geochemistry community by Zhang et al. (2020). IsoCompass can be downloaded from the following link.
2024
- Due to the rapid development of LA-ICP-MS isochron dating in recent years, we decided to update IsoCompass, adding data processing functionality for isochron dating. To meet the new demands, we introduced the calibration of each targeted ratio with different external standards. This enables simultaneous mass fractionation correction for elemental ratios (87Rb/86Sr) and isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr). The new software also includes a sample classification feature, and combined with the isochron diagram, users can directly process data and plot isochrons during the analysis process. Isochron ages can be calculated using four different methods, including York (2004), Monte Carlo simulation, ridge regression, and Bayesian regression. Users can compare the isochron ages obtained from different calculation methods.
- Due to the addition of new features, we decided to rename IsoCompass to Plume. The name originates from the plasma plume created when a laser interacts with matter.
- The new improvement includes the introduction of a linear regression correction scheme for isotope ratios. A detailed explanation of this technique can be found from Feng et al. (2022) and Li et al. (2023). Currently, by combining this technique with Plume software, we can perform sulfur isotope analysis of low-sulfur apatite samples. Even more unexpectedly, we have achieved sulfur isotope analysis (34S/32S) of sulfide minerals like pyrite at the 5-10 micron scale, which previously required SIMS analysis. Moreover, by using LA-MC-ICP-MS, we can alleviate matrix effects and obtain more accurate results.
References:
1. Yantong Feng, Wen Zhang*, Zhaochu Hu, Yongsheng Liu, Tao Luo, Tao He, Hong Liu and Kun Yu. A new analytical mode and application of the laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer in the earth sciences, SCIENCE CHINA Earth Sciences. 2022, 65, 1, 182-196
2. Qinglin Li , Wen Zhang*, Zhaochu Hu, Yantong Feng, Hao Hu, Tao Luo, Jing Huang, Xianli Zeng. In situ S isotopic analysis in apatite using laser ablation-multiple collector-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. , Chemical Geology, 2023, 636, 121651.
2. Qinglin Li , Wen Zhang*, Zhaochu Hu, Yantong Feng, Hao Hu, Tao Luo, Jing Huang, Xianli Zeng. In situ S isotopic analysis in apatite using laser ablation-multiple collector-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. , Chemical Geology, 2023, 636, 121651.