New 3D Imaging Method Enhances Study Of Tiny Particles From Space -- And On Earth.

This method was developed to study presolar stardust, 4.6-billion-year-old refractory oxides in meteorites, and micrometeorites, to understand star formation and early history of our Solar System. Volume measurements are essential for certain types of scientific research. To determine how long these particles were exposed to cosmic rays in space, scientists need to know their volume and weight with great precision. Traditional techniques often rely on assumptions about shape or use equipment with limited resolution, leading to significant uncertainties. The new Field Museum method uses SEM to take a series of high-resolution images of a particle from different angles. These images are then aligned using 3D modeling software to generate a detailed digital replica of the object. (The image below depicts secondary electron images of microparticles and corresponding 3-D models.) The resulting models are accurate to within ±10% in volume, a major improvement over earlier methods which could have uncertainties greater than 100%. While the team developed the method for research in cosmochemistry, it has broad potential applications in any field that requires accurate 3D models of very small objects. Researchers in entomology, botany, and paleontology, for example, could use this technique to study the fine structures of insects, plant seeds, or microfossils. This work benefited from international collaboration during the 2022–2023 BELARE Antarctic mission and funding from the TAWANI Foundation. The full study is published in Meteoritics & Planetary Science. The micrometeorite sample used in this study was collected during the 2022–2023 BELARE Antarctic Mission which included our own Maria Valdes (one of the people in the photo at right). The research was supported by the TAWANI Foundation.