Identification

Title

The Geochemistry of Fossil Pigment Preservation (NERC grant NE/J023426/1)

Abstract

These data represent a massive synchrotron based programme to study ancient life. Not all of these data have been processed yet, nor have we published all of the results that we intend to. These data are still very much a work in progress. NERC grant abstract: Building on our previous 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. 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.

Resource type

nonGeographicDataset

Resource locator

http://www.bgs.ac.uk/services/ngdc/accessions/index.html#item106315

function: download

Unique resource identifier

code

http://data.bgs.ac.uk/id/dataHolding/13607254

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

geoscientificInformation

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2008-06-01

Keyword set

keyword value

Simulation

Palaeontology

Geochemistry

Fossils

originating controlled vocabulary

title

reference date

date type

revision

effective date

2011

Keyword set

keyword value

NERC_DDC

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

East bounding longitude

North bounding latitude

South bounding latitude

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

2012-11-01

End position

2015-10-31

Dataset reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2017-10-17

Frequency of update

notApplicable

Quality and validity

Lineage

This project acquired data at the Diamond Light Source (folder labelled DLS data) and at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (folder labelled SSRL data). Each beamline run period has its own folder. Within each SSRL and DLS folder there is an Excel spreadsheet which provides a guide to the scans contained therein. I have also provided FTIR data in a separate folder acquired during the grant period that supported two publications, one on ancient leaf material and the second on a fossil tadpole. These data are NOT obtained as a collective effort, but were obtained by individual researchers and therefore do not conform to any naming convention or come with any spreadsheet.

Conformity

Conformity report

specification

title

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2011

degree

false

explanation

See the referenced specification

Conformity report

specification

title

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2010-12-08

degree

false

explanation

See http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2010:323:0011:0102:EN:PDF

Data format

name of format

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Limitations on public access

Constraint set

Limitations on public access

The copyright of materials derived from the British Geological Survey's work is vested in the Natural Environment Research Council [NERC]. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the prior permission of the copyright holder, via the BGS Intellectual Property Rights Manager. Use by customers of information provided by the BGS, is at the customer's own risk. In view of the disparate sources of information at BGS's disposal, including such material donated to BGS, that BGS accepts in good faith as being accurate, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the quality or accuracy of the information supplied, or to the information's suitability for any use. NERC/BGS accepts no liability whatever in respect of loss, damage, injury or other occurence however caused.

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

School of Earth, Atmospheric, and Environmental Sciences

organisation name

University of Manchester

full postal address

Williamson Building

Manchester

M13 9PL

email address

not available

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

organisation name

British Geological Survey

full postal address

Environmental Science Centre,Keyworth

NOTTINGHAM

NG12 5GG

United Kingdom

telephone number

+44 115 936 3100

email address

enquiries@bgs.ac.uk

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2021-12-01

Metadata language