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A method for the isotope analysis of fluid inclusion water in speleothem calcite is presented. The technique is based on a commercially available continuous-flow pyrolysis furnace (ThermoFinnigan TC-EA). The main adaptation made to the standard TC-EA configuration is the addition of a crusher and cold trap unit, which is connected to the carrier gas inlet at the top of the TC-EA reactor tube. A series of tests conducted with this device shows that: (1) standard waters, injected in the crusher, and passed through a cryogenic trapping routine, yield accurate delta(2)H values; (2) crushed cubes of speleothem calcite from two Peruvian caves with rather dissimilar seepage water delta(2)H values yield fluid inclusion delta(2)H values in good accordance with these drip waters. The clear advantage of this continuous-flow technique for fluid inclusion isotope analysis is that it is relatively quick compared with other techniques. Since the conditions of water sample introduction into the TC-EA are identical for delta(2)H and delta(18)O analysis, we expect that only limited adaptations to the extraction procedure are required to provide delta(18)O analysis of fluid inclusion samples with the same device.

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The High Field Magnet Laboratory at the Radboud University Nijmegen is rapidly expanding its capabilities. The developments encompass both organizational changes and new possibilities for research. The organization of the HFML was strengthened as a consequence of stronger participation of the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM), and an increase of the core-funding. This change makes that HFML is now considered on a national level as large research facility that operates at an international scale. At the same time work is underway to build new and powerful magnets, and provide electromagnetic radiation for magneto-spectroscopic studies.Electromagnetic radiation in the infrared and far-infrared spectrum will soon be available in the HFML with wavelengths between 3 µm and 1.5 mm, produced by the 'FELIX' facility, comprising the long-wavelength free electron laser 'FLARE' that in September 2011 produced its first light and the free electron lasers that have been moved from Rijnhuizen to Nijmegen. In magnet technology great strides are made to make magnets available for the user community with unprecedented performance: late in 2012 we hope to commission a new all-resistive magnet system that will generate a steady magnetic field as high as 38 T, by fully exploiting the maximum power of the installation, i.e. 20 MW, and using all available improvements in the design and construction of 'Florida-Bitter' resistive magnets. We are also well underway with the design of a 45 T hybrid magnet system, using Nb 3 Sn superconductors and wind-and-react Cable-in-Conduit technology.