Nano-imaging of bio-elements on Precambrian biosignatures

• Grant number: 19/23611-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2022
• End date: April 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geophysics
• Agreement: Université Grenoble Alpes
• Mobility Program: SPRINT - Projetos de pesquisa - Mobilidade
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo Ivan Ferreira da Trindade
• Grantee: Ricardo Ivan Ferreira da Trindade
• Principal researcher abroad: Alexandre S Simionovici
• Institution abroad: Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), France
• Host Institution: Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas (IAG). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Flávia Callefo ; Lara Maldanis Cerqueira Peres
• Associated research grant: 16/06114-6 - The Neoproterozoic Earth System and the rise of biological complexity, AP.TEM

Abstract

This project aims to study key Precambrian microbiotas, from different stratigraphies and ages within the Proterozoic of Brazil, using nano-imaging techniques. We plan to analyse both microbialites and microfossils to constrain what kind of biosignatures can provide elemental information such as elements distributions and concentrations with interpretable biological significance to be correlated to the geochemical conditions using coupled analyses using different X-ray probes in Brazil and France. Both countries have new advanced synchrotron sources starting to operate in 2020, and this will be a unique opportunity to evaluate samples well characterized by previous methods, and to compare the results obtained by different X-ray probes, evaluating the reproducibility of our findings at different scales and conditions. This will be important for the development of the new nanoprobe from Sirius in Brazil, the Carnaúba beamline. (AU)