Micro-abrasion patterns on bones

Sam Griffith (a PhD student at the University of Southampton) has been using the BOSCORF SEM as part of a taphonomy project.  The aim of the study is to better define the effects that mobile fluvial and marine sediments have on the development of micro-abrasion patterns on bone. Bone samples are imaged pre and post abrasion at two different magnifications.  It is hoped that quantifying changes in bone’s surface structure will provide a useful tool for determining the transport histories and submersion times of skeletal remains.  This work is part of a wider research project, which aims to gain a more nuanced understanding of the effects of aquatic processes on human bone taphonomy.

 

Fig. 1. SEM images of bone surface pre and post-abrasion (72hrs) (bone bombarded with 20-36 µm silt, which is embedded in the bone surface).

 

 

Fig. 2. SEM images used to quantify alterations to the bone surface after sediment abrasion e.g. changes in pore size.