VG1200 Laboratory

The laboratory was initiated by Professor J C Jaeger, head of the Department of Geophysics, Research School of Physical Sciences (RSPhysS), in 1960, the first K/Ar laboratory in Australia, with the Ar/Ar laboratory a later addition.

The science of argon thermochronology was started by Professor Ian McDougall (1935-2018) who set the standards and methods for this field of science here at ANU. The old argon laboratory that was designed by Professor Ian McDougall has now been developed several times by our group with remote access, cold trap and new laser being some of the main updates.

After several developments, the laboratory is utilized to run 24 hours 7 days, there is a list of available facilities and equipments at the laboratory:

• VG1200 Mass Spectrometer
• Custom-built ultra-high vacuum extraction line
• Custom-built double-vacuum resistance furnace for step-heating experiments
• Diode optic fibre laser
• Liquid Nitrogen trap
• Fully automated system including remote access