This grant supports acquisition of a high-performance transmitted light microscope for the Micropaleontology Laboratory at The Pennsylvania State University. PI research focuses on study of calcareous nannofossils assemblages as recorders of past climate and oceanographic conditions. A state-of-the-art Zeiss microscope with digital image analysis capability will allow for detailed taxonomic study of even the smallest nannofossils. The microscope will support expansion of student training in methods of marine micropaleontology, a currently shrinking field that remains critical for advances in our understanding of Earth?s climate dynamics and for hydrocarbon exploration.
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The microscope allows ultra-high resolution observations of calcareous nannoplankton. The attached camera system provides superb images. The microscope is attached to a monitor for demonstrations and is calibrated for size measurement with a precision of a fraction of a micron. The resolution and high magnification allow for very detailed observations of nannoplankton taxonomy and preservation. In particular, the combination of phase contrast and cross-polarized light provides crystal clear images of nannofossil rim structures that allow different families to be identified. We are currently using the microscope for studies of ancient nannoplankton assemblages during abrupt climate change intervals and during the recovery phase of mass extinctions, especially after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. Futures studies include the significance of size of modern and recent nannoplankton and the forces driving extinction during the last 10 million years, as well as detailed phylogeny. The microscope is used to train graduate students in the area of Cretaceous and Cenozoic calcareous nannoplankton biostratigraphy. In addition, the instrument is used for laboratory demonstrations of nannoplankton and diatoms in undergraduate courses including Marine Geology. In the future, we plan to bring in large school groups as part of department open houses and they will get to learn about microfossils and geologic time.
