A Person Operating a Gas Chromatograph (GC) or a mass spectrometer (MS) (Updated last month)

Information

• Identifier: TP-ATA-1937
• Date: Nov 1971
• Context: <p><strong>Equipment Breakdown (left to right):</strong></p> <ol> <li><strong>Control Console / Flow Regulation Panel</strong></li> <ul> <li><strong>Features: </strong>Pressure gauges, rotary valves, flow meters, toggle switches.</li> <li><strong>Purpose: </strong>This panel is likely used to control and monitor the carrier gas (e.g. helium or nitrogen), essential for transporting samples through the system. This could be a gas chromatograph or part of a vacuum system.</li> <li><strong>The technician is adjusting a valve, </strong>likely preparing the sample injection or tuning the carrier gas flow rate.</li> </ul> </ol> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;2. Heated Injector Port / Interface</strong></p> <ol> <ul> <li><strong>Location: </strong>Center-right of the technician.</li> <li><strong>Purpose: </strong>Where the sample is injected into the system. It&rsquo;s likely heated to vaporize the sample for gas-phase analysis.</li> </ul> </ol> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;3. Main Analytical Instrument (Gas Chromatograph or Mass Spectrometer)</strong></p> <ol> <ul> <li><strong>Right-side unit with a horizontal cylindrical component and vented section.</strong></li> <li><strong>Purpose:</strong></li> <ul> <li>If GC: Separates sample components over time through a capillary column.</li> <li>If MS: Ionizes separated molecules and detects them based on mass-to-charge ratio.</li> </ul> <li>The<strong> cylinder could be an electron impact ionizer, </strong>and the nearby<strong> metal detector housing </strong>might house a quadrupole or magnetic sector analyzer.</li> <li><strong>The large grill </strong>likely covers a cooling fan or vacuum pump.</li> </ul> </ol> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;4. Data Acquisition Module</strong></p> <ol> <ul> <li><strong>Far-right instrument with knobs and digital display.</strong></li> <li><strong>Purpose: </strong>Allows the user to set scan parameters, control data capture, or calibrate the instrument.</li> </ul> </ol> <p style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration: none;"><strong>Credits:</strong>&nbsp;</p> <p style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration: none;">Some technical descriptions and historical interpretations were developed with the assistance of ChatGPT, an AI language model by OpenAI.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>
• Geographic Coverage: San Francisco, CA
• Temporal Coverage: 1970s
• Type: Still Image
• Format: Negative
• Source: San Francisco State University Archives
• Rights: Public