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New views of plant fossils from Antarctica: a comparison of X-ray and neutron imaging techniques

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 July 2015

Martin Dawson ,
Jane Francis  and
Rosemary Carpenter
Martin Dawson
Affiliation:
School of Computing, Science and Engineering, University of Salford, M5 4WT, UK,
Jane Francis
Affiliation:
School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK, British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK, CB3 OET,
Rosemary Carpenter
Affiliation:
School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK,
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Abstract

A fossil plant of Eocene age from Antarctica was studied using X-ray and neutron tomography to reveal the three-dimensional plant structures encased within carbonate nodules. The fossil was identified as a branch and leaves of an araucarian conifer, which grew on the volcanic highlands of the Antarctic Peninsula region approximately 50 million yr ago. Both X-ray and neutron imaging techniques successfully exposed the full three-dimensional structure of the fossil without destroying the original specimen, revealing that most of the fossil was present as voids in the concretion and little organic matter was present. However, neutron tomography was found to produce images with superior quality and detail.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Paleontology , Volume 88 , Issue 4 , July 2014 , pp. 702 - 707
Copyright
Copyright © The Paleontological Society 

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