X-ray Computed Tomograph system - DFG Major Research Instrumentation

Projekt

X-ray Computed Microtomography (µCT) at the University of Bayreuth

The University of Bayreuth (UBT) has recently acquired an X-ray computed microtomography (µCT) device to advance research in soil physics and animal ecology. X-ray µCT generates detailed, non-destructive, three-dimensional images of materials by capturing variations in the density of their constituents, which influence X-ray absorption.

Soil Physics

The opaque nature of soil has traditionally required destructive sampling to investigate soil processes — a method that can compromise both the accuracy and quality of analyses. X-ray µCT overcomes these challenges by revealing the internal structure of soil non-destructively and in three dimensions. In combination with the existing instrumentation at the Chair of Soil Physics (CSP), the device enables analysis of how the content and spatial distribution of soil minerals, pore spaces, and organic matter affect water storage, water movement, nutrient diffusion, and solute transport and availability. Additionally, the device facilitates 3D image-based simulations of water flow and solute transport using real, intact soil samples, providing detailed insights into the mechanisms driving these processes and the potential to develop improved upscaling methods.

Animal Ecology

In animal ecology, X-ray µCT allows rapid visualisation of internal features, whole-organism topography, and external structures in three dimensions and at high resolution. It is used alongside complementary techniques such as confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), integrating visual results across methods — from histology at the cell and tissue level to complex three-dimensional structures. Current applications include the visualisation and parameterisation of embryos and larvae to study developmental processes under environmental stress, as well as the analysis of morphological properties such as porosity and structural thickness in shells and exoskeletons of aquatic and terrestrial taxa affected by ocean acidification and global warming.