| 项目编号: | NE/J023426/1
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| 项目名称: | The Geochemistry of Fossil Pigment Preservation |
| 作者: | Roy Albert Wogelius
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| 承担单位: | University of Manchester
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| 批准年: | 2011
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| 开始日期: | 2012-01-11
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| 结束日期: | 2015-31-10
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| 资助金额: | GBP515450
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| 资助来源: | UK-NERC
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| 项目类别: | Research Grant
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| 国家: | UK
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| 语种: | 英语
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| 特色学科分类: | Agri-environmental science 
; (85%)
; Chemical measurement 
; (15%)
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| 英文摘要: | The Geochemistry of Fossil Pigment Preservation
Principal Investigator: R.A. Wogelius
Co-Investigators: P.L. Manning, W.I.Sellers, B.E. van Dongen
Summary
The University of Manchester Palaeontology and Geochemistry Groups, in collaboration with the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource and other international partners, has recently shown that newly developed analytical techniques can resolve previously undetected chemical information about fossilized tissues. Several publications from this group (Wogelius et al., 2011; Edwards et al., 2011; Barden et al., 2011; Bergmann et al., 2010) have combined state-of-the-art synchrotron rapid scanning x-ray fluorescence imaging (SRS-XRF) with other sensitive techniques in order to show the chemical details of exceptionally preserved bones, feathers, skin, and a range of other soft tissues. Most importantly, this work has shown that patterns of copper distribution in the soft tissues of a number of fossils may successfully be used as biomarkers for the original distribution of eumelanin pigment. This finding was used to restore the eumelanin patterns within the oldest documented bird with a fully derived avian beak, the 120 million year old Confuciusornis sanctus. However, besides eumelanin, there are a number of other pigments that are important for life. In particular, chemical detection of phaeomelanin would provide critical information about the evolution of avian and mammalian species. Building on our 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, such as:
1) What are the key factors that control the breakdown kinetics of eumelanin, and thus what conditions favour exceptional preservation?
2) How does the presence of melanin affect the fossilisation process?
3) Can we reliably detect phaeomelanin as opposed to eumelanin, since the presence of this alternative form will improve our ability to resolve further aspects of fossil colour?
4) Because phaeomelanin is only found in birds and mammals, can it be used as a biomarker for endothermy and/or homeothermy?
5) Finally, can we reliably resolve the residues of other chemical pigments?
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 |
| 资源类型: | 项目
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| 标识符: | http://119.78.100.158/handle/2HF3EXSE/102981
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| Appears in Collections: | 科学计划与规划
气候变化与战略
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作者单位: | University of Manchester
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| Recommended Citation: | |
Roy Albert Wogelius. The Geochemistry of Fossil Pigment Preservation. 2011-01-01.
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