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Computed reconstruction of spatial ammonoid-shell orientation captured from digitized grinding and landmark data
Susanne Lukeneder1, Alexander Lukeneder1, Gerhard W Weber2
1Natural History Museum Vienna, Geological-Paleontological Department, Burgring 7, A-1010 Vienna, Austria.
Computers & Geosciences
|April 7, 2015
Summary
This study introduces a new 3D method to analyze fossil shell orientation, revealing paleocurrents and depositional conditions from disk-shaped ammonoids. This technique enhances understanding of ancient environments using fossil mass occurrences.
Area of Science:
- Paleontology
- Sedimentology
- Geology
Background:
- Fossil orientation provides insights into depositional conditions, particularly paleocurrents and transport mechanisms.
- Previous studies focused on elongated fossils, with disk-shaped fossils like ammonoids used cautiously for paleocurrent interpretation.
- Most research analyzes only the accessible topmost surface of fossil mass occurrences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a novel method for 3D reconstruction of fossil mass occurrences.
- To calculate the spatial shell orientation of disk-shaped fossils, specifically ammonoids.
- To apply this method to reconstruct depositional conditions from a Triassic ammonoid mass occurrence.
Main Methods:
- Grinding a limestone block containing a fossil mass occurrence into 70 slices.
- Utilizing semi-automatic region growing algorithms in Amira software for 3D ammonoid segmentation and model reconstruction.
- Employing landmarks, trigonometric, and vector-based calculations to determine spatial shell orientation (dip, dip-direction, aperture direction, sagittal plane orientation).
Main Results:
- Successful 3D reconstruction and spatial orientation analysis of 675 individual ammonoids (Kasimlarceltites krystyni).
- Determination of statistical orientation patterns (NW/SE) of the ammonoid shells.
- Demonstration of a novel method combining classical analysis with modern 3D visualization techniques.
Conclusions:
- The developed 3D spatial orientation analysis method is effective for disk-shaped fossils.
- This technique overcomes limitations of previous methods by analyzing internal structures.
- The method is adaptable for analyzing any abundant solid matter in fossil mass occurrences, aiding paleocurrent and depositional environment reconstruction.
