RESEARCH SUPPORT

ELECTRONICS GROUP

Demand for Electronics support remained strong during the year, despite the unexpectedly low requirement for SHRIMP MultiCollector development. Maintenance activities accounted for 22.3% of human resources, administration and group support 14.5%, ASI support 0.96%, with the remaining 62.2% devoted to development activity.

Notable developments undertaken included:

• Design of a precision, evacuated "Input Node Switch Box" to facilitate evaluation and development of low level ‘Electrometers’ for the NG61 instrument and the Finnigan company. (D. Corrigan).
• Four user configurable Data Acquisition interface systems for geophysical Fluid Dynamics (A. Welsh and others).
• Three integrated high performance Ion Pulse Counting System (IPCS) for use on SHRIMP instruments and the NG61 mass spectrometer (A. Latimore, J. Lanc and N. Schram).
• Ongoing refinement, safety interlocking and Data Acquisition development for various high pressure apparati within the Petrophysics group. (A. Forster and J. Lanc).
• Fabrication, testing and calibration of four ‘tesla tamer’ © magnetic field probes for sale to ASI, and progress towards completion of a further 4 probes. (J. Arnold).
• Development and manufacture of a 4 channel Salimeter for GFD. (J. Arnold).
• Considerable progress towards completion of three ‘FC3’ Field Controller Units, for application to SHRIMP II, SHRIMP RG, and the NG61 Mass Spectrometer. (J. Lanc ).
• Design, manufacture and testing of five Sublimator Pump Controllers for the NG61 instrument (N. Schram).
• Design, manufacture and testing of two Filament Supplies for the EG&G Filament Degasser project. (N. Schram).
• The completion of a range of smaller development projects, including evaluation of Keithley 6430 electrometers (N. Schram), modifications and upgrading of AntPAC hardware (A. Welsh), Noble gas extraction line automation (N. Schram), and the fabrication of two Getter Pump supplies for GIG (J. Arnold) .

Staffing

The group comprises 7 permanent Technical Officers, including D. Corrigan who remained seconded to the group for the year, whilst engaged in electro-mechanical design for the NG61 Mass Spectrometer project. The group anticipates appointment of two Trainee Technical Officers during 2002, as part of the school’s succession planning strategy.

Outlook

2002 promises to be an interesting year, as we return our attention to the SHRIMP MultiCollector, and further development for the NG61 Mass Spectrometer project. The profound changes to costing and accounting envisaged from 2002 will present a challenge to the group. We anticipate an initial period of adjustment, followed by a long term, unpredictable effect on the scope and nature of operations.

RSES ENGINEERING WORKSHOP

We have had no large exciting projects this year but have never the less been very busy. The year started with a complete rebuild of Shrimp 1’s source chamber due to a massive oil dump in the works. Valther Baek-Hansen assisted John Foster in this rebuild resulting in a much-improved machine.

We have lost Chris Morgan to Geophysical Fluid Dynamics and he will not be replaced as we were one staff member over strength due to the appointment of Andrew Wilson when he completed his fitting and machining apprenticeship. We hope to appoint another apprentice when circumstances permit.

The requests for workshop time from campus users is still being met although with the joint RSES, RSPhysS&E computer controlled Electrical Discharge Machine situated in RSPhysSE workshop the work is being shared and because of the expertise developed, drawing complex work from interstate.

We have had some success quoting for external work and fitting it in with our school commitments and priorities. This work is generally of an unusual or demanding nature. This is in line with the school’s new approach to funding.

Geoff Woodward built Jim Dunlap’s new helium line with Xiadong Zhang supervising and assembling. Geoff also built the solar cell supports for Paul Tregoning’s Antarctic project.

David Thompson built a new chiller for Malcolm McCulloch with Les Kinsley designing and testing.

Andrew Wilson is building an optically-stimulated luminescence lens and camera system for Nigel Spooner and is working with Iain McCulloch on this project.

Roger Willison built the supplementary coring equipment for the trip to Indonesia sampling corals. This was for Nerilie Abram and Mike Gagan. The trip went well with few problems.

Chris Morgan completed the heat exchanger parts for Geophysical Fluid Dynamics before moving onto his new position in the GFD laboratory.

We are building a new larger and improved filament degasser for Environmental Geochemistry and Geochronology to a concept by Malcolm McCulloch designed by the workshop.

All of this is happening around the usual emergencies, consumables, minor jobs and Shrimp multiple collector development.