Hyperspectral and micro X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) imagery were used to derive maps of mineralogy and elemental chemistry from a sample of a siliceous hot spring deposit, or sinter, collected from a landslide breccia deposit at the base of the Paeroa fault, which bounds the eastern Taupo Rift at Te Kopia, Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand. The sample is of a known biogenic sinter layer from a paleo-vent area of a recently extinct alkali chloride hot spring. The aim of the study was to distinguish it from other horizons derived from nonbiogenic sources, which is of relevance to early and extraterrestrial life research, specifically to help assess the potential reliability of morphology as an indicator of biology in the geological record. In particular, the distribution of opal, a common mineral in hot springs deposits that is known to preserve microbial features, and the relative abundances of Al-OH clay and water (OH and H₂O) were mapped from hyperspectral imagery and element distributions defined by μXRF element mapping. Layers within the sinter sample composed of spicular geyserite—a type of micro-columnar stromatolite—showed contrasting mineralogy and water content in comparison with interspicular clastic sediment. Whereas clay was found to be concentrated in the interspicular sediment, high water contents characterized the spicules. μXRF imagery also showed differences in the composition of the two components of the spicule-bearing layers, with interspicular sediment being enriched in K, Ti, Fe, and Rb relative to the spicules, which are enriched in Ga. The contrasting nature of the mapped components highlights the detailed upward-branching nature of the spicules, identical to those found in living microstromatolites. These discriminants show that the spicular component can be discerned from the geological background through hyperspectral and μXRF mapping and used to define morphological features that may survive burial diagenesis and metamorphism as a biosignature in deep time rocks.

中文翻译：

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新西兰 Te Kopia 针状间歇岩的生物成因：综合岩相学、高分辨率高光谱和元素分析

使用高光谱和显微 X 射线荧光 (μXRF) 图像从 Paeroa 断层底部的滑坡角砾岩矿床收集的硅质温泉矿床或烧结矿样品中获得矿物学和元素化学图，该断层边界位于新西兰陶波火山区 Te Kopia 的陶波裂谷东部。该样品是来自最近灭绝的碱金属氯化物温泉的古喷口区域的已知生物烧结层。该研究的目的是将其与来自非生物源的其他层区分开来，这与早期和外星生命研究相关，特别是帮助评估形态作为地质记录中生物学指标的潜在可靠性。尤其是蛋白石的分布，₂O) 是从高光谱图像和由 μXRF 元素映射定义的元素分布映射的。由针状沸石（一种微柱状叠层石）组成的烧结样品中的层与针状碎屑沉积物相比，显示出对比鲜明的矿物学和含水量。虽然发现粘土集中在针状沉积物中，但高含水量是针状体的特征。μXRF 图像还显示出含针刺层的两种成分的组成存在差异，针刺间沉积物富含 K、Ti、Fe 和 Rb，而针刺富含 Ga。映射的对比性质组件突出了针状体向上分支的详细性质，与活体微叠层石中发现的相同。