"IGF::OT::IGF" ACCELERATOR MASS SPEC. ANALYSIS

Statement of Work:
Introduction
The Cascadia Loss Reduction Products project of the USGS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program is studying evidence for prehistoric earthquakes and tsunamis in salt marshes that suddenly subsided during great earthquakes. Detailed studies of this type are needed to provide estimates of great earthquake recurrence and magnitude along the Oregon and Washington coasts. Such estimates require precise ages calculated from the results of accelerator mass spectrometer radiocarbon analyses on small samples of organic material from cores of sediment beneath salt marshes. Such analyses and ages are required to complete this study as outlined in the following statement of work:
1.0 Scope
The contractor shall perform the tasks outlined under Section 3.0 below in support of the Cascadia Earthquake Loss Reduction Products project of the Geologic Hazards Science Center of the U.S. Geological Survey, Central Region, in accordance with the terms, conditions, and specifications contained herein.
2.0 Requirements
The work requires a radiocarbon preparation laboratory and accelerator mass spectrometer facility with a proven track record of precise analyses on a range of terrestrial organic materials and satisfactory past performance of meeting delivery requirements.
3.0 Tasks to be performed
3.1 As each batch of samples is received, contractor shall perform a series of sample pretreatments using standard methods for pretreating 14C samples (for example, Mook and van der Plassche, 1986; Jull, 2007). For most samples, pretreatment will consist of a series of heated acid-base-acid pretreatments to remove contaminants from samples as applicable to each type of sample of a particular size. Some small samples may require only the acid pretreatment. Some samples are small (0.2-2 mg) and will require careful monitoring of sample response to pretreatments to avoid destroying the sample.
3.2 Contractor shall determine the 13C/12C ratio for each sample using in-line stable 13C analysis (for example, Glaser et al., 2005; Jull, 2007) at no additional charge, unless the split for the 13C analysis will reduce the size of the sample below what is needed for 14C analysis.
3.3 Contractor shall convert the sample to graphite and analyze each sample in the accelerator mass spectrometer.
3.4 Contractor shall insure that each sample is measured for the amount of time required to obtain standard deviations on ages of less than +/-50 years on 500- to 10,000-year-old samples containing as little as 0.2 mg of carbon.

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