AST RX platform

The main aim of the AST-RX platform is to enable the digitisation of natural science specimens using microtomography and nanotomography to contribute to the development and conservation of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle collections. The platform is available to institution staff as well as external scientists and curators who wish to perform a tomographic analysis of specimens in the Muséum’s collections for the purposes of scientific research, conservation, expertise, training or knowledge sharing. Under certain conditions, the digitisation of specimens which do not belong to the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle collections may be possible. The technical capability of the equipment available means specimens of varying sizes (from the infra-millimetric to several tens of centimetres) and different densities (organs, insects, amber, present-day or fossilised bones and teeth, minerals, meteorites, etc.) can be tomographically analysed, enabling a wide range of applications. The AST-RX is attached to the UMS 2700 Integrative systematics tools and methods (CNRS/MNHN) led by Éric Pasquet. The platform’s equipment includes a tomograph for analyses in microfocus and nanofocus. It is the "v|tome|x L 240-180" model from GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies phoenix x|ray made of two interchangeable tubes (240kV/320W microfocus X-Ray tube with up to 1 µm detail detectability and 180 kV/15W nanofocus X-Ray tube with up to 500 nm detail detectability), 400 × 400 mm detector with a 20242 pixel matrix (pixel size: 200x200 µm).