DIFFERENT AREAS, SAME OBJECTIVES: SYNCHROTRON LIGHT SOURCE AS A TOOL IN GEOSCIENCES

"Synchrotron radiation (SR) has proven to be an intense and versatile source of X-rays, and hence, very suitable for geological investigation, which embraces different research topics, materials, and scales of analysis. Indeed, such works are benefited from high SR X-ray brilliance , the detailed and in situ chemical investigations of geological materials with high spatial resolution, and the usually non-destructive analysis. Consequently, SR has the potential to expand the frontiers of the Earth Sciences. The employment of SR has brought important contributions to different Geosciences areas, proving to be an important approach for Geology and Palaeontology. LIPs (Large Igneous Provinces) represent gargantuan volumes of lava and gases (expelled in a short period of time that may generate dramatic changes in all Earth's environments, with impact on climate and life. One of the largest LIPs occurrences in the world, the Paraná-Etendeka Magmatic Province (PEMP), had the potential to generate significant amounts of gases and volatiles. One of these gases, sulfur, is a key element in studies of subaerial volcanic aerosols and climate changes, known to cause cooling of the atmosphere and increase hydrosphere acidity. Because of degassing process, most gases and fluids do not remain within the composition of the rock after its crystallization, being lost to the environment. Like volcanic rocks, fossils are important components of the geological processes and landscape/palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. In many cases, organism preservation directly reflects palaeoenvironmental sedimentological and geochemical conditions. However, diagenetic imprints can bias taxonomic and taphonomic interpretations, requiring sophisticated techniques to unravel such changes. Also, detailed investigation of anatomic structures concealed within rocks needs SR. Even though problems are different in both Igneous Petrology and Palaeontology, SR is an effective approach to retrieve information of the palaeoenvironments. Using techniques such as XANES (X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure), micro-/nanoCT (Computed Tomography), µXRF (micro X-Ray Fluorescence) and µXRD (micro X-Ray Diffraction), it is possible to obtain highly detailed information, thus leading to high degree of interpretation scrutiny. Moreover, longstanding questions can be answered and the horizons of Geosciences are expanded.