Transformations
The world's major amber deposits are created by exudation of the resin from various species of trees.
Which are most likely a product of insect or fungal assault.
Cut away tree trunk ( to the left) with typical amber channels and pools (A) which formed within the trunks or branches, under the bark (B) as well as on their surfaces (C).
Each of this resins formed by the tree had a unique chemical constituency and was uniform in nature.
When the resin is initial exuded it is soft and tacky. The molecular structure consists of unlinked complex organic compounds. The resin then has two significant phases through which it must go in order to become amber, both relate to molecular changes. The first change which takes place within the fossilizing resin is the partial polymerization of the molecular structure. The molecules begin to cross chain link and form stronger bonds. The resin begins to take on a harder quality due to this molecular change. This process of polymerization may take thousands of years before the resultant material can be called copal.
The second stage involves the evaporation of volatile oils (oil molecules known as turpenes) trapped within the resin its self. The length of time needed to reach the point at which the majority of turpenes have escaped varies dependant upon surrounding conditions and the nature of the resin at the moment of its formation. It is known that this process can take millions of years.
In brief the process follows this development:
Many scientists refer to Baltic amber as succinite. This is because of the high levels of succinic acid present within it. Scientists have used succinic acid in part to determine whether a deposit should be called amber, a name which strictly should only be used to describe Baltic amber.