The Geochemistry of Fossil Pigment Preservation (NERC grant NE/J023426/1)

These data represent a massive synchrotron based programme to study ancient life. Not all of these data have been processed yet, nor have we published all of the results that we intend to. These data are still very much a work in progress. NERC grant abstract: Building on our previous successes with identifying and mapping the chemical residues of eumelanin and beta keratin, herein we propose an analytical and experimental plan to enhance our ability to detect and image key components of soft tissue. First of all we will perform a series of experiments with extant soft tissue so that we can monitor and determine the breakdown reactions of organic compounds as a function of host lithology, moisture content, and trace metal inventory. Secondly, we will complete an analytical programme, including SRS-XRF imaging, which will include these experimental run products as well as a series of time-stepped fossil samples of varying ages and host lithology so that we may build up a database which allows us to refine our general understanding of reaction paths during fossil degradation. Because the techniques we have developed are non-destructive we now have opened up the possibility for detailed analysis of extremely rare specimens which hold important information but cannot be destructively sampled. Finally, these experimental and analytical results from fossils and comparable extant species will be combined in order to answer several critically important questions in palaeontology, biology, and geochemistry. Project partners: University of Nancy, CNRS, Prof. R. Michels Feather degradation experiments SLAC Linear Accelerator Center, Linac Coherent Light Source, Dr. U. Bergmann SRS-XRF scans of large objects and x-ray spectroscopy SLAC Linear Accelerator Center, Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, Prof. C. Kao SRS-XRF scans of large objects DIAMOND Lightsource, Prof. Fred Mosselmans XAS spectroscopy.

本数据集反映了大规模同步辐射项目，旨在研究古生物。目前，并非所有数据均已处理，亦非所有预期结果均已公布。这些数据仍然处于不断的研究进展之中。NERC项目摘要：在先前成功识别和绘制黑色素和β角蛋白化学残留物的基础上，本研究提出了一个分析和实验方案，旨在提升我们检测和成像软组织关键成分的能力。首先，我们将对现存的软组织进行一系列实验，以便监测并确定有机化合物在宿主岩石、水分含量和微量元素存货等方面的分解反应。其次，我们将完成一个分析项目，包括SRS-XRF成像，该计划将包括实验产物以及一系列不同年龄和宿主岩石的化石样本，以便构建数据库，从而深化我们对化石降解过程中反应路径的一般理解。由于我们开发的技术具有非破坏性，我们现在能够对极其罕见的、蕴含重要信息但无法进行破坏性采样的样本进行详细分析。最后，将通过结合化石和可比现生物种的实验与分析结果，以解答古生物学、生物学和地球化学领域中的几个关键性问题。项目合作伙伴：南希大学、法国国家科学研究中心、米歇尔·R. 米歇尔教授、SLAC线性加速器中心、费瑟降解实验、林可光子源、U. 伯格曼博士、SRS-XRF大型物体扫描和X射线光谱学、SLAC线性加速器中心、斯坦福同步辐射光源、高桥教授、SRS-XRF大型物体扫描、DIAMOND光源、弗雷德·莫塞尔曼斯教授、XAS光谱学。