# Assignments

Students are required to critically evaluate the weekly topical article(s) and, taking it in turn, present a synopsis for about 10 minutes on some key of the papers.

## Assignment 1

Topics for the 10-minute presentation about Mass Spectrometry.

- Principles and advantages of Energy Filtering using the Electrostatic Analysers on a Sector Mass Spectrometer
- Systematics of the mass spectra of aliphatic hydrocarbons; discuss ionization potentials, molecular ions, common and characteristic ion series
- Systematics of the mass spectra of aliphatic fatty acid methyl esters; discuss ionization potentials, molecular ions, common and characteristic ion series
- Systematics of the mass spectra of hopanoid hydrocarbons; discuss molecular ions, common and characteristic ion series
- Systematics of the mass spectra of sterane hydrocarbons; discuss ionization potentials, molecular ions, common and characteristic ion series
- Mass spectra of cyanobacterial hydrocarbons

## Assignment 2

Topics for the 10-minute presentation about acyclic isoprenoids as biomarkers.

- Biosynthesis of acetogenic lipids
- Nomenclature of fatty acids (stereochemistry, unsaturations, etc.)
- Acetogenic lipids in microbial mats (FAs and or/hydrocarbons; e.g., Jahnke et al., 2001)
- Mass spectra of cyanobacterial hydrocarbons (Köster et al., 1999)
- Acyclic isoprenoid biomarkers for anaerobic methane oxidation
- Pentamethyl icosane – occurrence and isotopic composition

## Assignment 3

Topics for the 10-minute presentation about bacterial hopanoids.

- LC-MS analysis of functionalized hopanoids
- Biomarkers for aerobic methanotrophy in deep sea mud volcano
- Biochemical similarities and differences between SHC and OSC
- Are 2-methylhopanoids good biomarkers for oxygenic photosynthesis?

## Assignment 4

Topics for the 10-minute presentation about sterols.

- Sterols as membrane components
- Sterols as signalling molecules
- Steroid biosynthesis as an oxygen sensor
- Animal sterols
- Sterol biosynthesis in invertebrates
- Sterols of fungi
- Steranes as proxies for paleoenvironment

## Assignment 5

Topics for the 10-minute presentation about petroleum formation and occurrence.

- Proxies for oxygen content in the past
- δ13C of oils with different ages
- Kerogen color index
- Van Krevelen diagrams
- Methods to improve oil recovery
- Athabasca Pipeline Project
- Abiogenic petroleum origin hypothesis. Drilling Project to reach the Moho

## Assignment 6

Topics for the 10-minute presentation about oxygen deficiency in the past.

- Definition of black shale
- TEX86 index (e.g., Kim et al., 2010 GCA)
- Ladderane lipids in sedimentary records (e.g., Jaeschke et al., 2009 Paleoceanography; 2009 GCA)
- Nitrogen fixation & anoxia (e.g., Kuypers et al., 2004; Higgins et al., 2011 GCA)
- Expansion of marine archaea during the Cretaceous (e.g., Kuypers et al., 2001 Science)
- pCO2 reconstructions using d13C-biomarkers (e.g., Sinninghe Damste et al., 2010 Organice Geochemistry)
- Isotopic ordering in lipids (e.g., Close et al., 2011 Geobiology)