Imagerie des spins nucléaires détectés par RPE dans la matière organique primitive en relation avec l’ origine de la vie – ENUSIM-ORIGIN

This projects aims at developing a new type of magnetic imaging by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance working at 9GHz , which will give spatial distribution of nuclear spins via the electron-nucleus hyperfine interaction. This novel technique will allow us to to measure the spatial distribution of of nuclear spins in a solid containing small aquantities of paramagnetic species. The main advantage of this bulk imaging methodology is its non destructive character, and its very high sensitivity (an heritage of EPR) compared to NMR imaging. The other novel aspect of this project is the development of artificial neural network for image processing that should significantly increase the spatial resolution of the images. The scientific project associated to this methodologic development is in relation with the search of the first traces of life on Earth, in the form of amorphous carbon matter trapped in very ancient siliceous rocks.