Research Facilities
The Western Michigan University Department of Geosciences maintains the following facilities to support research and education.
Michigan Geological Repository for Research and Education
The repository focuses on student training, basic and applied research, continuing education and outreach programs in energy, natural resources and the environment.
- Over 50,000 feet of conventional core from more than 300 wells
- Cuttings from more than 6,000 wells
- Core layout, examination and photography laboratory computer support
- Geosciences resources library
- 45,000 sets
- Drillers and wireline logs
- Wellsite mud logs
- Production tests
- DST and pressure tests
- Geochemical data
- Scout data
Earth science remote sensing facility
Scientists of the sensing facility apply an interdisciplinary research approach that takes advantage of the available tools and disciplines (e.g., remote sensing, GIS, geochemistry, geochronology, hydrology, surface runoff and groundwater flow modeling, field geology, etc.) to address a wide range of complex geological and environmental problems. Facilities include:
Carbonate sedimentology laboratory
- Equipment:
- Leica M-420 broad field polarizing microscope
- Nikon Optiphot Pol research grade microscope
- Luminoscope Cathodoluminescence stage and microscope
- Leica DC 480 digital microscope camera set up for direct DVD collection and/or projection to large screen with LCD projector
- Miscellaneous field equipment including digital cameras, laptops, etc.
- Hardware:
- High end PC-based work stations with dual monitors
- Color and laser jet printers
- Large format high end HP plotter
- Nuralog wireline scanner
- Software:
- Standard professional office suite
- Graphics manipulation (Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Freehand)
- Image analysis
- PETRA
- Student Research Library:
- Over 250 reference volumes plus several journal collections
- American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin
- Journal of sedimentary research
- Geological Society of America
- Palaios and paleobiology
- over 2500 reprints filed and entered into endnote database
- Associated with the WMU Michigan Basin Core Research Laboratory (above)
- Geocomp TM LoadTrac II and FlowTrac II triaxial compression and consolidation system with computer and web interface
- Geocomp TM ShearTrac II direct shear system with computer and web interface
- Leitz and Zeiss binocular and trinocular research microscopes
- Sony digital microcamera, monitor, and capabilities for still or VCR photography
- Tyler RoTap sieve system
- Frantz Isodynamic Magnetic Separator
- Modern hood system for heavy liquid separations, settling analyses under constant air flow, and conversion to a humid space for preparation of damp or saturated soils
Geomicrobiology / aqueous geochemistry
- ApplikonBio 3 liter chemostated bioreactor/fermenter
- Coy type B anaerobic chamber
- Field-portable Hach UV-Vis spectrophotometer
- Russian peat-corer (2 m depth range) and equipment
- Mettler-Toledo DL-58 autotitrator
- Spectrocam UV-Vis spectrophotometer
- PH/ISE electrodes and meters
- Conventional laboratory glass and plastic ware, reagents, standards
- Several analytical microbalances
- Floor-mounted environmental incubation chamber
Aqueous biogeochemistry laboratory
- Perkin Elmer Optima 2100DV Inductively-Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer
- QuantaChrome Nova 2200 Particle Surface Area Analyzer
- OI Analytical TOC Analyzer with Autosampler and PC computer control
- Helios Gamma UV/Vis Spectrophotomer
- Coy Anaerobic Chamber
- Barnsted Water Purification System
- Several centrifuges
- Drying oven
- Freezers and T-controlled refrigerator
- Digital titrator
- Several balances
- Shakers/rotators
- LabConco Benchtop Freeze Dryer
- Several pH, conductivity and ion selective electrodes and meters
- Flow-through reactors with syringe pumps
- Pore water diffusion equilibrators (peepers)
- Pore water squeezer
- Several specialized coring devices (e.g. wedge & reactor type)
- Several iMac computers
Stable isotope laboratory
- Micromass Optima isotope ratio mass spectrometer
- Vaccum extraction lines
- Constant temperature bath
- Microwave sample digestion system
Near- surface geophysics laboratory
- GSSI SIR-10A+ Ground Penetrating Radar
- 35, 100, 300, and 500 MHz Antenna pairs, and custom underwater antenna
- G-816 Geometrics Proton Precession Magnetometer
- G-858 Geometrics Cesium Vapor Magnetometer /Gradiometer
- Schonstedt Fluxgate Magnetometer /Gradiometers (2)
- Geonics EM-31 (Electromagnetic Induction) with MK-2 Data Logger
- IRIS T-VLF EM system
- Trimble R3 GPS Receivers (2)
- Worden Master Series Gravimeter
- Lacoste Romberg G-type Gravity Meter with ZLS update
- BISON 2390 Resistivity System
- Iris Syscal R2 Resistivity / IP System
- 24 Channel Geometrics RX-24 Seismograph
- 96 Vertical and 24 Horizontal Geophones,
- RS 96/24 Roll-along Switch + cables for CMP profiling
- 12 gauge Buffalo Gun Seismic Source
- Magellan ProMarkX Carrier Phase GPS Receivers (2)
- Keck SR-3000 Gamma Ray Well Logger
- Fisher TW-6 2-coil Metal Detector
Asylum Lake research and training facilities
- Hydrogeological training site
- Geophysical test site
