Thin sectioning and microscopy lab for palaeobiology and other rare sample research

所要求的设备将构成古生物学和其他稀有样品研究的薄片和显微镜设施的核心。拟议中的设施将加强David Evans、Jason Head、Robert Reisz、Matthew Vickaryous、Jean-Bernard Caron和Kimberly Tait的发现基金研究项目。该设施将有两个主要组成部分：1)薄切片制备实验室，2)带有数字成像和分析组件的显微镜系统。薄片实验室将由精密锯、搭接和抛光台以及薄片切片机组成，用于制作稀有样品（化石、陨石）的薄片，以便在显微镜下进行检查。多功能立体显微镜和带有软件的数码相机系统将用于查看和分析实验室准备的幻灯片，并为出版制作高质量的图像。该设施将用于生成分析恐龙（D. Evans和M. Vickaryous），化石鳞片（J. Head）和早期羊膜动物（R.Reisz）骨骼微观结构的数据，以研究已灭绝脊椎动物的生理，牙齿组织学和生长动力学的进化。它还将用于研究“寒武纪大爆发”（J-B）中一些最早的动物化石的组织学和形态学。Caron)，以及表征罕见的陨石，以深入了解太阳系的起源（K. Tait）。该设施将被安置在皇家安大略博物馆，以确保设备的维护，可访问性和安全的策展设施，以容纳稀有和有价值的标本。该设备将极大地扩大现有研究项目的范围，并成为解剖学、生理学、骨组织学、生长动力学和发育进化以及应用薄片制备、显微镜、图像生成和分析等主题的学生培训的组成部分。

The requested equipment will form the core of a thin section and microscopy facility for palaeobiological and other rare sample research. The proposed facility will enhance the Discovery Grant research programs of David Evans, Jason Head, Robert Reisz, Matthew Vickaryous, Jean-Bernard Caron, and Kimberly Tait. This facility will have two main components: 1) a thin-sectioning preparation lab, and 2) a microscopy system with digital imaging and analysis components. The thin sectioning laboratory, which will consist of a precision saw, lap and polishing tables, and a thin-sectioning machine, will be used to produce mounted thin sections of rare samples (fossils, meteorites) for examination under a microscope. The versatile stereomicroscope and digital camera system with software will be used to view and analyze slides prepared in the laboratory and to produce high quality images for publication. This facility will be used to generate data for the analysis of bone microstructure in dinosaurs (D. Evans and M. Vickaryous), fossil squamates (J. Head), and early amniotes (R.Reisz) in order to study the evolution of physiology, dental histology, and growth dynamics in extinct vertebrates. It will also be used to to study the histology and morphology of some of the earliest animal fossils from the "Cambrian Explosion" (J-B. Caron), as well as to characterize rare metoerites to gain insights into the origin of the solar system (K. Tait). This facility will be housed at the Royal Ontario Museum to ensure maintenance of the equipment, accessibility, and secure curatorial facilities to house the rare and valuable specimens. This equipment will greatly enhance the scope of existing research programs and form an integral part of student training in the topics of anatomy, physiology, osteohistology, growth dynamics, and developmental evolution as well as applied thin section preparation, microscopy, image generation and analysis.