Laboratories
GECSC is home to a number of cutting-edge laboratories that support the research conducted by scientists in our Center as well as our partners and collaborators in other USGS science centers, DOI, other state and federal agencies, and universities. We apply state-of-the-art analytical techniques to characterize physical, chemical, and biological components.
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Dendrochronology Lab
The GECSC Dendrochronology Lab located in Denver, CO has an active program of tree-ring research in support of, and in collaboration with, USGS scientists, DOI partners, and regional and local stakeholders in the Rocky Mountain Region. Research focuses on growth responses to drought, fire, human influence and other disturbances and the ecological implications of land cover change over time.
Denver Radiogenic Isotope Lab
DRIL is a cooperatively-funded mass spectrometry laboratory located on the Denver Federal Center campus in Denver, Colorado. The lab specializes in radiogenic isotope studies that contribute to projects nationwide and internationally in collaboration with scientists from GECSC, G3SC and other USGS Science Centers, as well as with colleagues from other Federal Agencies and academic institutions.
Luminescence Dating Laboratory
Welcome to the USGS Luminescence Dating Laboratory Site. Information describing the principles of the dating technique, applications and types of dating, as well as more technical information for prospective customers can be found at this site.
Quaternary Paleobotany Laboratory
Our lab conducts paleoecological research through the study of plant remains (macrofossils, pollen, charcoal) preserved in the sediments of lacustrine, fluvial, and wetland environments. Cores extracted from these settings contain sediments deposited over thousands of years during the late Quaternary. Plant remains found within cores provide records of past vegetation and environmental change.
Soils and Sediment Laboratory
The Soils and Sediment Laboratory in the Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Denver Colorado, supports the study of soils, sediments, and rocks through physical and chemical analyses.