College 1 seminar | Paleontology as a Key Driver in LAHN’s Neutron Imaging Developments

By Leandro C. Gaetano  Instituto de Estudios Andinos “Don Pablo Groeber”, Argentina

and Nahuel Vega Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, Argentina

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The Laboratorio Argentino de Haces de Neutrones (LAHN) is currently commissioning a suite of instruments to be powered by the upcoming RA-10 research reactor in Ezeiza, Argentina. Among these, the Advanced System for TOmography and Radiography (ASTOR) will become the first high-flux neutron imaging instrument in Latin America. Even before completion, ASTOR has already attracted interest from a broad user base, with paleontology emerging as one of the leading communities. To support this group, we acquired a Nikon XT H 225 ST 2X X-ray micro-CT scanner, which has been made accessible to external users. A significant share of proposals now comes from paleontologists, highlighting the strong demand for advanced non-destructive imaging techniques in fossil studies. This presentation will outline the technical challenges posed by paleontological samples, discuss the scenarios where neutron imaging provides clear benefits over X-ray CT, and introduce ASTOR’s design features aimed at meeting these needs. The session will also include a paleontological case study that illustrates how high-definition micro-CT scans have been essential for analyzing tiny mammalian ancestors and thus contributing to answer long-standing evolutionary questions.