Facilities
Our research facilities rival those of leading Earth, atmospheric and environmental research institutions worldwide. Capabilities cover all aspects of field, laboratory and theoretical (computer modeling) investigations, with equipment ranging from aircraft for atmospheric studies, to electron microscopes, microprobes and spectrometers for mineralogical and geochemical investigations, and to high performance computers for modeling and simulation
Manchester Analytical Geochemistry Unit
We have facilities for the analysis of a wide range of major and trace inorganic components in rocks, soils, stream sediments and natural waters as well as in synthetic solid and liquid samples.
Manchester Electron Microprobe Facility
The Manchester Electron Microprobe Facility (MEMF) offers a world-class service for electron beam microanalysis.
Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurement (FAAM)
The Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurement (FAAM) is a new NERC NCAS facility. Full details of the facility and specifications of the aircraft can be found on the FAAM web pages.
Facility for Ground based Atmospheric Measurements (FGAM)
The University FGAM was established through a Joint Infrastructure (JIF) Award to provide state of the art instrumentation for observing small and meso-scale features in the atmosphere.
Harwood Mineral Collection
The Harwood Mineral Collection is one of the most important and renowned mineral collections of its time. The collection comprises a fine and large selection of mineral specimens, collected from classic topotype locations, many of which no longer exist. Of particular strength are the elements, sulphides, sulphosalts and oxides, of which Dr Harwood was particularly fond.
Sample Sectioning Facility
The Rock Sectioning and Sample Preparation Facility in the School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences (SEAES) provides the excellent quality specimen preparation that is an essential prerequisite in the study of earth and planetary materials. The majority of the sections produced are thin sections or polished thin sections. SEAES holds extensive collections of thin sections, used in our taught courses and for research by advanced analytical methods.