USING 3D PROJECTIONS TO UNDERSTAND PRECAMBRIAN MICROBIALITE MORPHOLOGY

Precambrian microbialites have differing morphological features depending upon the specific microbialites being examined. The morphologies of Precambrian microbialites have been described with endmember morphologies including cuspate and plumose structures. Understanding of differing microbialite morphologies could give insight into the growth and metabolism of Precambrian microbial mats when combined with proper analysis. However, when comparing in situ morphologies of samples, not all features of microbialite morphology are clear in two-dimensional cross sections. This study seeks to utilize three dimensional scans of Neoarchean aged microbialites from the 2.5-billion-year-old Gamohaan formation (Kaapvaal Craton, South Africa) to recreate full morphologic features of the microbialites. In the future, we plan to combine these three-dimensional scans with in situ carbon isotope analysis to associate specific morphologic features with possible metabolisms.