Origins and variability of new molecular signatures to understand fossil preservation trajectories

Started in october 2023

Funding: MITI CNRS grant – 80Prime

Supervisors: Arnaud Brayard (Laboratoire Biogéosciences) & Loïc Bertrand (Laboratoire PPSM – ENS Paris-Saclay)

Abstract

The imaging of fossil specimens using X-ray scanning methods (µXRF, µXAS) combined with the use of new multispectral imaging techniques has made it possible to describe new fossil species by revealing the existence of numerous anatomical details. This imaging exploits previously undetected physico-chemical contrasts within fossils. These complementary elementary and molecular signatures open up new investigative opportunities for characterising the anatomy of fossil organisms, their (micro)environment and their taphonomic trajectory.

However, the origin and variability of these contrasts remain largely unknown, both from a palaeontological and physico-chemical point of view. The aim of the PhD is to explore the capacity of the local heterogeneity of the signal obtained, from the sub-micrometre to centimetre scale, to constitute a probe of palaeo-environmental conditions and the classification of preservation trajectories.

The project focuses on fossil specimens taken from the Paris Biota samples (Lower Triassic, USA). The study is being carried out using two main analytical probes: on X-ray sources, in particular synchrotron sources, to map the elements and their chemical speciation, and on sources that can be tuned in the UV/visible range to collect photoluminescence maps (PPSM, IPANEMA). The data is processed using statistical analysis approaches.

Keywords

taphonomy ; fossils ; imagery

Thesis advisory panel

Frédéric MARIN
Sylvain BERNARD

extrait:

lien_externe:

titre:

Origines et variabilité de nouvelles signatures moléculaires pour appréhender les trajectoires de préservation fossile

date_de_debut_these:

octobre 2023

nom:

Ritoux

date_de_debut_these_numerique:

202310

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kc_raw_content:

Origins and variability of new molecular signatures to understand fossil preservation trajectories

Started in october 2023

Funding: MITI CNRS grant - 80Prime

Supervisors: Arnaud Brayard (Laboratoire Biogéosciences) & Loïc Bertrand (Laboratoire PPSM - ENS Paris-Saclay)

 

Abstract

The imaging of fossil specimens using X-ray scanning methods (µXRF, µXAS) combined with the use of new multispectral imaging techniques has made it possible to describe new fossil species by revealing the existence of numerous anatomical details. This imaging exploits previously undetected physico-chemical contrasts within fossils. These complementary elementary and molecular signatures open up new investigative opportunities for characterising the anatomy of fossil organisms, their (micro)environment and their taphonomic trajectory.

However, the origin and variability of these contrasts remain largely unknown, both from a palaeontological and physico-chemical point of view. The aim of the PhD is to explore the capacity of the local heterogeneity of the signal obtained, from the sub-micrometre to centimetre scale, to constitute a probe of palaeo-environmental conditions and the classification of preservation trajectories.

The project focuses on fossil specimens taken from the Paris Biota samples (Lower Triassic, USA). The study is being carried out using two main analytical probes: on X-ray sources, in particular synchrotron sources, to map the elements and their chemical speciation, and on sources that can be tuned in the UV/visible range to collect photoluminescence maps (PPSM, IPANEMA). The data is processed using statistical analysis approaches.

 

Keywords

taphonomy ; fossils ; imagery

 

Thesis advisory panel

Frédéric MARIN
Sylvain BERNARD