Research trip to Dresden, Germany
Acadia Geology MSc student Amanda Smith and Professor Deanne van Rooyen spent a week in Dresden, Germany, in December doing U-Pb zircon dating. They worked in the Geochronology Lab at the Senckenberg Natural History Museum at the invitation of the lab director, Dr. Ulf Linnemann. Amanda was analyzing zircon grains to determine the age of ironstone in the Cobequid Highlands of northern mainland Nova Scotia, and Dr. van Rooyen was analyzing detrital zircon in Cambrian sedimentary rocks from southern New Brunswick. The zircon grains for analysis were picked, annealed, and polished in preparation for analysis in a new lab at established at Acadia by Dr. van Rooyen. Amanda’s travel to Germany was supported by a grant from the Mineralogical Association of Canada and research funds from her supervisor, Sandra Barr.
Photo caption: Amanda (right) and Dr. van Rooyen examining some of the amazing rocks and mineral samples in the collections of the Senckenberg Natural History Museum, Dresden.