Application of modern tomographic imaging methods for the investigation of the internal anatomy of mysticete periotica and the evolution of low frequency hearing in baleen whales

本项目将利用X射线和中子断层扫描技术对须鲸化石中耳朵(骨膜神秘)的内部解剖进行非破坏性研究(配合DFG应用：骨膜神秘的内部解剖和须鲸低频听力的进化和发展)。我们的目的是发展和优化断层扫描方法，以获得关于须鲸耳朵S解剖的生物统计学数据，并将在古生物学家的帮助下对其进行分析，以深入了解低频听力的演化和发展。生物测量参数将通过3D图像进行识别，这些图像是标本的特征，可以用于全面描述耳朵的几何形状。将实施专门的软件来提取复杂的生物特征数据。所获得的数据将被提供给古生物学家进行进一步分析。基于中子和X射线的不同成像技术的互补使用将有助于增强图像对比度，并从大样本中获得额外的结构信息，从而能够提取传统层析方法难以获得的相关解剖特征。该项目的一个总体目标是研究新的成像方法，如层析成像(在大样本情况下)和相位对比层析成像(在弱对比度情况下)在古生物对象研究中的适用性。这些可能会对这一领域未来的研究产生重大影响，并可能加强柏林自然博物馆与柏林技术大学之间未来的合作。

In this project x-ray and neutron tomography will be used to investigate non-destructively the internal anatomy of ears (mysticete periotica) in fossils of baleen whales (in cooperation with the DFG-application: The internal anatomy of mysticete periotica and the evolution and development of low frequency hearing in baleen whales).Our aim is to develop and optimise tomographic methods in order to obtain biometric data about the baleen whales ear´s anatomy which will be analysed with the help of palaeontologists for getting deep insights into the evolution and development of low-frequency hearing. Biometric parameters will be identified with the 3D images that are characteristic for the specimen and that can be used for a thorough description of the ear geometry. Special software will be implemented that extracts complex biometric data. The obtained data will be provided to palaeontologists for further analysis.The complementary use of different imaging techniques based on neutrons and x-rays will contribute to enhance image contrast and to obtain additional structural information from large samples that allows for the extraction of relevant anatomical features which are hardly accessible by conventional tomographic methods. A general aim of the project is to investigate the applicability of novel imaging methods like laminography (in case of large samples) and phasecontrast tomography (in case of weak contrast) in the research of paleontological objects. These could strongly influence future research on this field and could strength the future collaboration between the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin and the Technical University Berlin.