title: In situ laser-Raman imagery of precambrian microscopic fossils.
abstract: Laser-Raman imagery is a sensitive, noninvasive, and nondestructive technique that can be used to correlate directly chemical composition with optically discernable morphology in ancient carbonaceous fossils. By affording means to investigate the molecular makeup of specimens ranging from megascopic to microscopic, it holds promise for providing insight into aspects of organic metamorphism and biochemical evolution, and for clarifying the nature of ancient minute fossil-like objects of putative but uncertain biogenicity.
authors.affiliation: Astro and Solar System Physics Program, Department of Physics, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294-1170, USA.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Kudryavtsev
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Schopf
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Agresti
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Wdowiak
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D005580:Fossils; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D010163:Paleontology / Q000379:methods*; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman