Confocal micro-XRF spectroscopy using synchrotron or conventional X-ray source based excitation

is becoming a well-established microanalytical method providing three-dimensional (3D)

information on the elemental distributions in the probed sample volume with trace-level detection

limits. Additionally, full-field micro XAS spectroscopy has recently been shown to allow for 3D

structural analysis in previously infeasible time frames. This proposal aims the further

development of quantitative 3D confocal XRF and XAS techniques for the detailed non-destructive

and contamination free study of rare-earth element compositional information of unique

extraterrestrial materials. The project will focus on photon trajectory simulation through X-ray

optics as a novel extension to currently available Monte Carlo based XRF quantification routines,

as well as further developing 3D structural analysis by means of state-of-the-art full-field XAS

methodologies. The experimental studies will be performed in close collaboration with the

NanoGeoscience group lead by Prof. F.E. Brenker (Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt,

Germany) in the framework of approved research projects at the P06 Hard X-ray

Micro/Nanoprobe at the new PETRA III synchrotron radiation facility (Hamburg, Germany) and

DUBBLE beamline (BM26 and BM14) at the ESRF (Grenoble, France) synchrotron radiation

facilities.