Texture analysis of sauropod bones

["Andrew A. Farke" <andyfarke@hotmail.com>]

Just out. . .

A.R. Pyzalla, P.M. Sander, A. Hansen, R. Ferreyro, S.-B. Yi, M. Stempniewicz
and H.-G. Brokmeier. In press. Texture analyses of sauropod dinosaur bones
from Tendaguru. Materials Science and Engineering: A.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6TXD-4K2T57H-4/2/62cf9b8d41ef9
0a33772dde26777ce07)

Abstract: The apatite texture of fossil Brachiosaurus brancai and Barosaurus
africanus sauropod bones from the excavation site at Tendaguru, Tanzania,
was characterized by neutron diffraction pole figures. The results obtained
reveal predominantly -fibre textures of the apatite; the fibre direction
coincides with the longitudinal direction of the long bones of the
skeletons. Neutron pole figures further indicate that other texture types
may also be present. Texture strength is similar to dinosaur tendons and
contemporary turkey tendon studied by others. Variations of texture strength
across the bone wall cross-sections are not significantly large.