X-ray fluorescence microscopy of Archean macro and microfossils (Old ID 23649)

Principal Investigator

The 2700 Ma metasediments from the Archean Tanzania Craton contain centimeter size “concretionary” structures that resemble Phanerozoic trace fossils and unusually large and complexly shaped microfossils. Thin section studies and EPMA elemental mapping revealed that the grain size and composition of the “concretions” are very different from the surrounding matrix. They contain a complex internal structure, which is inconsistent with an inorganic origin suggesting the existence of complex life forms 2700 Ma ago. Herein we ask for beam-time to collect detailed high resolution and high sensitivity compositional data for the macrofossils and the microfossils.

01 Sep 2017 - 30 Nov 2017

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