Onverwacht and Fig Tree

Interpretable Laser Raman and Laser mass spectra have been obtained from certain other microstructures ( Ramsaysphaera ) (Fig. 32). The Laser mass spectra are characterized by CN and CNO ions (Fig. 33). Raman lines (Fig. 32) appear at 1360, 1600, 2720, 2960 cm-1 within the organic range of the spectrum. The strong line at 1360 cm-1 may be atrributed to a symmetric N—O vibration of the N02 group, the weaker line at 1600 cm-1 is characteristic of aromatic double bonds C = C. The first overtone of the 1360 cm-1 line is observed at 2720 cm-1. The spectrum has the features of a resonant Raman spectrum. It is very often obtained with this type of product in which a large delocalisation of electrons is possible. 

In this case, the small intensity of the peak at 2960 cm-1 is also due to this effect, if it is attributable to CH stretching vibrations. 

Conclusively, the material is characterized by an N-linked aromate, which, together with additional aliphatic and aromatic structures, and probably under participation of sulfur and phosphorus, composes complex molecules. In the exterior sheath of the microspheres, dolomite is indicated by the lines at 1100, 725 and 300 cm-1. A weak line at 1445 cm-1 might belong either to dolomite or to a C—H deformation (Pflug et al., 1979)117) (Fig. 34). There is scarcely any doubt that the detected organic substances represent decomposed and fossilized remains of cell material. 

Kerogens isolated from the Fig Tree cherts produced very complex mixtures of pyrolysis products, dominated by a series of methyl branched alkenes with each member of the series having 3 carbon atoms more than the previous member. At each carbon number a highly complex mixture of branched alkanes and alkenes plus various substituted aromatic compounds was found. The highly branched structures may have actually incorporated isoprenoids originally present in the Precambrian microorganisms (Philp Van DeMent, 1983)6 . 

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