MegaSIMS: a SIMS/AMS hybrid for measurement of the Sun’s oxygen isotopic composition

One of the primary objectives of the Genesis sample return mission is to measure the oxygen isotopic composition of the Sun to permil-level precision. The returned samples pose a unique analytical challenge, and around the world, there has been parallel development of several competing techniques to make the oxygen measurement on the Genesis concentrator samples. At UCLA, we have developed a hybrid instrument: a secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS) front-end combined with an accelerator mass spectrometer (AMS), whose purpose is to eliminate molecular interferences via dissociation. We describe here the current status of the development of the instrument and the remaining issues to address before we request the Genesis samples for analysis.