Microstromatolites.

<p>(A) Tomographic volume rendering of a multiple microstromatolite at the basalt-vesicle interface (SMNH X5333). (B,C) Tomographic slices of the microstromatolite in A at different levels. The internal structure is characterized by parallel layers in a stromatolitic pattern, and brighter bands towards the margins indicating higher densities. Note how the microstromatolite and surrounding basalt are overgrown by the biofilm and how hyphae protrude. (D) ESEM image of a zeolite crystal (SMNH X5334). A large incorporated microstromatolite is marked with an asterisk. (E) Microphotograph of the marked microstromatolite in D showing a cross section of the internal organization with marginal bands. (F) Microphotograph showing the internal structure of another microstromatolite (SMNH X5335) including layering and the dark marginal band that corresponds to the bright marginal band in SRXTM (compare with B and C). (G) ESEM image of a basalt sample with microstromatolites (SMNH X5336). Frame marks position of H. (H) Close-up of G showing the marginal band.</p

IR spectra of chabazite.

<p>(A) FTIR spectrum of chabazite single crystal showing bands caused by the chabazite structure. Sample thickness is ca 200 μm. The main band centred at 3500 cm^-1 is caused by water molecules (crystal water), whereas the bands around 2100 and 4000 cm^-1 are caused by crystal lattice overtones. Raman spectrum of the same chabazite crystal in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0140106#pone.0140106.g006" target="_blank">Fig 6</a> confirms the absence of hydrocarbons and the presence of molecular water.</p

Mössbauer spectrum.

<p>Mössbauer spectrum of filamentous structures embedded in a zeolite crystal. Diamonds represent measured spectrum, thick solid line represents the sum of the two fitted doublets (thin lines) assigned to Fe³⁺. The obtained hyperfine parameters are similar to those reported for Fe-bearing montmorillonite [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0140106#pone.0140106.ref029" target="_blank">29</a>].</p

Tomographic renderings of boring hyphae protruding on the zeolite surface (SMNH X5338).

<p>(A) Volume rendering showing abundance of hyphae within a zeolite crystal and how they protrude at the mineral surface. Arrow at the left shows hyphae taking a path above the mineral surface; arrow to the right shows hyphae that branch at the point where they exit the mineral surface. (B) Isosurface rendering of left side of A showing a hypha taking a path above the mineral surface, occasionally touching it with short branches. (C, D) Volume rendering showing protruding hyphae that branch at the point where they exit the mineral surface, one branch creeping along the surface.</p

Powder XRD diffractogram of montmorillonite.

<p>Note the change of basal reflection from 13 Å for dry sample (bottom) to 15 Å for moist sample (top), indicating basal swelling typical of montmorillonite. A relative low signal/noise ratio due to the small amount of available sample material.</p

Raman spectra of zeolites.

<p>Raman spectra in the spectral range 100–4200 cm^-1 of the zeolites that are identified as analcime, chabazite and natrolite after comparison with reference spectra in [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0140106#pone.0140106.ref027" target="_blank">27</a>]. An idealized chemical composition is given for each zeolite mineral. Simplified characteristic wavenumber ranges for different Raman vibrational modes of the zeolite spectra are marked with different colours where green (<200 cm^-1) is assigned to Ca-O and Na-O, blue (300–1200 cm^-1) to Si-O and Al-O and red (1611 cm^-1 and 3100–3700 cm^-1) to O-H vibrations.</p

Raman spectra of the microstromatolites.

<p>Raman spectra in the spectral range 150–2000 cm^-1 of the interior and the margin of a microstromatolite (SMNH X5335), shown in 2F. The spectrum from the margin shows bands that are attributed to hematite; a similar spectrum is obtained from the interior but with an additional band around 1600 cm^-1 that indicates the presence of carbonaceous material. Reference spectra of hematite and carbonaceous material have been incorporated in the figure.</p

Tomographic renderings of the basalt-clay-zeolite interface showing the biofilm and protruding hyphae.

<p>(A–D) SRXTM isosurface (A), volume rendering (B, stereo anaglyph), and slices (C, D) of the cellular biofilm with protruding hyphae (SMNH X5337). The biofilm is partially overgrown by a zeolite crystal. Hyphae creeping along the mineral surfaces (arrows in A–C) leave a negative longitudinal cavity. Arrow in D points to base of the hyphae consisting of repetitive spherical cells that more distally transform into filamentous hyphae. (E,F) SRXTM isosurface (E) and volume (F) rendering showing how hyphae creep along the mineral surface (arrows) and/or branch where they protrude at the surface (right-hand arrows) (SMNH X5333).</p

Intricate tunnels in garnets from soils and river sediments in Thailand – Possible endolithic microborings - Fig 7

<p>Negative ToF-SIMS spectra of freshly fractured surfaces of three different minerals: A, B, C) garnet, D, E, F) hematite, and G, H, I) quartz. Fatty acid peaks are found in spectrum of the garnet at m/z 241.17 (A, D, G), m/z 255.20 (B, E, H), and m/z 269.20 (C, F, I). All spectra were performed for 200s on 200x200 μm².</p

NB pyropes.

<p>A) Photograph of a garnet crystal with distinct tubular structures. B) Microphotograph of network of tubular structures originating at the mineral surface and stretching into the garnet relatively localized to the margin of the garnet. C) Tomographic reconstruction (isosurface rendering) of a garnet crystal with network of tubular structures originating at the mineral surface and stretching inwards into the crystal interior. The interior of the crystal are made black to make the tubular structures more visible. Legend: ms, mineral surface.</p