Application of laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry on tephra from Afar, Ethiopia

Tephra, eruptive material from volcanoes containing glass, crystals, and lithics, acts as a marker linking Earth's history, fossil records, and archaeological finds. Glass geochemistry aid in correlations of sedimentary layers and geologic mapping in regions like the Afar Depression, Ethiopia. Recent improvements in laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry allow discrete glass shard analysis of trace and minor elements. Here, I show the applicability of LA-ICP-MS for tephra from Afar and indicate correlations of tephra.