Geology: Research Facilities

The Department: Research Facilities

The Geology Department at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, maintains excellent research facilities for both field and laboratory research. The department operates an X-ray center with X-ray fluorescence and diffraction spectrometers, computers and networking, a paleomagnetism lab, and a rock preparation lab. The department maintains teaching collections of rocks, fossils, and maps and a geology museum; the departamental and campus libraries house outstanding research and teaching collections in geology, paleontology, geochemistry, and geophysics.

Available research equipment includes the following: electron microscope facility with quantitative energy dispersive spectrometers, atomic absorption spectrophotometer, proton induced x-ray emission analysis system, hammer seismograph, research petrographic photomicroscope, fluorescence microscope, thin section preparation equipment, and paleontological preparation laboratory.

Reservoir simulation, core analysis, and rock mechanics systems are available in the Petroleum Engineering Department. The department operates a variety of computer facilities, including computer-equipped classroom and research labs with PC workstations, GIS capability, a portable computer lab, and a variety of printers, scanners, digitizing tables, and associated equipment.

Portable field equipment includes a gravimeter, 12-channel seismograph, global positioning system (GPS) receivers, rock drill, a susceptibility probe, a Geometrics OhmMapper, and two magnetometers with gradient attachment.

In addition to our own in-house facilities, the department has access to facilities at the UL Lafayette Energy Institute, the NASA/UL Lafayette Regional Application Center, and the USGS National Wetlands Research Center.

LITE: View from front featuring 3D immersive cube

The Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise (LITE), will soon be the cornerstone of University of Louisiana at Lafayette's research park. Opening in February 2006 the $20 million, 70,000 square foot LITE complex will be one of the most comprehensive and tightly integrated visualization and high performance computing installations in the world. LITE's 3D visualization capabilities will allow individuals to “walk inside" projected data, and give insight into projects that were previously only viewable with a 2D screen. LITE harnesses the power of cutting-edge information technology to create a platform for applied research and development. More...

The Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) Marine Laboratory (three hours southeast of Lafayette) provides extensive facilities for field research on marine systems.

Energy Institute
Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise (LITE)
X-ray Center
Sedimentology Lab
Petrology Lab
Computer and GIS Lab
Paleomagnetism Laboratory

Geology Computer Lab

Document last revised Tuesday, June 27, 2006 12:58 PM