X-ray imaging and 3D reconstruction of chemical alteration in plankton shells - a key indicator of past climate

Authors: Simon Redfern (University of Cambridge) , Elizabeth Read (University of Cambridge) , Oscar Branson (University of Cambridge) , Harry Elderfield (University of Cambridge) , Tolek Tyliszczak (Advanced Light Source) , Christoph Rau (Diamond Light Source) , Andrew Bodey (Diamond Light Source)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Conference Paper
Conference: Bruker microCT User Meeting 2015
Peer Reviewed: No

State: Published (Approved)
Published: May 2015
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 8532 , 12240

Abstract: The trace element content of calcified shells of plankton (foraminifera) are commonly used as tracers of paleoceanographic conditions and provide a window in past global climate variations dating back tens of millions of years. Uncertainties surrounding these palaeoproxy records: arise from our poor understanding of the processes controlling biogenic calcite deposition and trace element incorporation as well as post-mortem chemical alteration that has the potential to alter or overwrite the original chemical composition of the shell. Here we have explored the role of chemical alteration on modification of the morphology of foraminifera shells by studying the structures of shells obtained from deep sea sediments on the Ontong-Java Plateau using phase contrast synchrotron tomography..

Subject Areas: Earth Science, Chemistry


Instruments: I13-2-Diamond Manchester Imaging

Other Facilities: Advanced Light Source

Added On: 18/05/2015 16:09

Discipline Tags:

Earth Sciences & Environment Palaeontology Chemistry Geology

Technical Tags:

Imaging Tomography