title: Multiscale 3D virtual dissections of 100-million-year-old flowers using X-ray synchrotron micro- and nanotomography.
abstract: A multiscale approach combining phase-contrast X-ray micro- and nanotomography is applied for imaging a Cretaceous fossil inflorescence in the resolution range from 0.75 μm to 50 nm. The wide range of scale views provides three-dimensional reconstructions from the external gross morphology of the inflorescence fragment to the finest exine sculptures of in situ pollen. This approach enables most of the characteristics usually observed under light microscopy, or with low magnification under scanning and transmission electron microscopy, to be obtained nondestructively. In contrast to previous tomography studies of fossil and extant flowers that used resolutions down to the micron range, we used voxels with a 50 nm side in local tomography scans. This high level of resolution enables systematic affinities of fossil flowers to be established without breaking or slicing specimens.
authors.affiliation: Université Rennes 1, CNRS UMR 6118 Géosciences Rennes, Campus de Beaulieu bât. 15, 263 avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042 Rennes, France.
authors.forename: Jean-David
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Moreau
authors.affiliation: European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 6, rue J.-Horowitz, BP 220, 38043 Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cloetens
authors.affiliation: Université Lyon 1 (Claude Bernard), CNRS UMR 5276 LGL-TPE, OSU Lyon, Campus La Doua, Bât. Géode, 43 boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918, 69622 Villeurbanne, France.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.affiliation: Université Lyon 1 (Claude Bernard), CNRS UMR 5276 LGL-TPE, OSU Lyon, Campus La Doua, Bât. Géode, 43 boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918, 69622 Villeurbanne, France.
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Daviero-Gomez
authors.affiliation: Université Rennes 1, CNRS UMR 6118 Géosciences Rennes, Campus de Beaulieu bât. 15, 263 avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042 Rennes, France.
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Néraudeau
authors.affiliation: European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 6, rue J.-Horowitz, BP 220, 38043 Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Tamzin A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Lafford
authors.affiliation: European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 6, rue J.-Horowitz, BP 220, 38043 Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tafforeau
mesh_terms: D035264:Flowers / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005580:Fossils; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D017356:Synchrotrons; D014054:Tomography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*