Electron microscopy reveals unique microfossil preservation in 1 billion-year-old lakes

Electron Microscopy and Analysis Group Conference 2013

Saunders, M.^1 ; Kong, C.^2 ; Menon, S.^3 ; Wacey, D.^4,5

Centre for Microscopy Characterisation and Analysis, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia^1

Electron Microscopy Unit, University of New South Wales, Kingsford, NSW 2052, Australia^2

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA 93943, United States^3

Department of Earth Science and Centre for Geobiology, University of Bergen, N-5007 Bergen, Norway^4

Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Core to Crust Fluid Systems, Centre for Microscopy Characterisation and Analysis, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia^5

关键词: 3D morphology;    High quality;    Microenvironments;    Microfossils;    Mineral assemblage;    Morphological alteration;    Organic cells;    Post mortem;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/522/1/012024/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1742-6596/522/1/012024

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

Electron microscopy was applied to the study of 1 billion-year-old microfossils from northwest Scotland in order to investigate their 3D morphology and mode of fossilization. 3D-FIB-SEM revealed high quality preservation of organic cell walls with only minor amounts of post-mortem decomposition, followed by variable degrees of morphological alteration (folding and compression of cell walls) during sediment compaction. EFTEM mapping plus SAED revealed a diverse fossilizing mineral assemblage including K-rich clay, Fe-Mg-rich clay and calcium phosphate, with each mineral occupying specific microenvironments in proximity to carbonaceous microfossil cell walls.