Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- List of abbreviations
- Prologue
- 1 The planets: their formation and differentiation
- 2 A primary crust: the highland crust of the Moon
- 3 A secondary crust: the lunar maria
- 4 Mercury
- 5 Mars: early differentiation and planetary composition
- 6 Mars: crustal composition and evolution
- 7 Venus: a twin planet to Earth?
- 8 The oceanic crust of the Earth
- 9 The Hadean crust of the Earth
- 10 The Archean crust of the Earth
- 11 The Post-Archean continental crust
- 12 Composition and evolution of the continental crust
- 13 Crusts on minor bodies
- 14 Reflections: the elusive patterns of planetary crusts
- Indexes
- References
9 - The Hadean crust of the Earth
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 October 2009
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- List of abbreviations
- Prologue
- 1 The planets: their formation and differentiation
- 2 A primary crust: the highland crust of the Moon
- 3 A secondary crust: the lunar maria
- 4 Mercury
- 5 Mars: early differentiation and planetary composition
- 6 Mars: crustal composition and evolution
- 7 Venus: a twin planet to Earth?
- 8 The oceanic crust of the Earth
- 9 The Hadean crust of the Earth
- 10 The Archean crust of the Earth
- 11 The Post-Archean continental crust
- 12 Composition and evolution of the continental crust
- 13 Crusts on minor bodies
- 14 Reflections: the elusive patterns of planetary crusts
- Indexes
- References
Summary
I find no traces of a beginning
(James Hutton)In the following four chapters, we deal with the development of the continental crust on the Earth. The history of this planet, except for the past 200 Myr, is contained almost entirely in the continental crust that is subject to so many factors (erosion, tectonic activity, differentiation, metamorphism, volcanism, break-up and re-accretion among others) that it is surprising how good the record is. We begin with that dark period from which no rocks have survived. This however has not prevented, but rather encouraged speculation about the nature of the crust in that remote epoch. This, the so-named Hadean Eon, extends for several hundred million years, from the formation of the Earth to the first known occurrence of a preserved rock record, a period of time comparable to the extent of the Phanerozoic.
The Hadean crust and mantle
What indeed was the nature of the crust of the Hadean Earth? Extensive searches have failed to reveal rocks older than somewhere between 3850 and 4030 Myr. The only earlier remnants that have survived to record the existence of Hadean surface rocks are some relict detrital zircon crystals up to 4100 Myr in age, with a handful as old as 4363 Myr, that are found in younger sedimentary rocks in the Jack Hills in Western Australia.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Planetary CrustsTheir Composition, Origin and Evolution, pp. 233 - 248Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008
References
(2007) Hierarchical Earth accretion and the Hadean Eon. J. Geol. Soc. London 164, 3–17CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and (1999) Priscoan (4.00–4.03 Gyr) orthogneisses from northwestern Canada. Contrib. Mineral. Pet. 134, 3–16CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (2001) Priscoan (4.00–4.03 Gyr) orthogneisses from northwestern Canada – a discussion. Contrib. Mineral. Pet. 141, 248–50CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (2006) Re-evaluation of the origin and evolution of > 4.2 Gyr zircons from the Jack Hills metasedimentary rocks. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 244, 218–33CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (2004) Internal zoning and U–Th–Pb chemistry of Jack Hills detrital zircons: A mineral record of early Archean to Mesoproterozoic (4348–1576 Ma) magmatism. Precambrian Res. 135, 251–79CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and (1985) The Continental Crust: Its Composition and Evolution, Blackwell, p. 296, note 31Google Scholar
et al. (1992) The Earth's oldest known crust. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 56, 1281–300CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and (2007) Rare earth element behavior in zircon-melt systems. Elements 3, 37–42CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(1987) Origin of the Moon – the collision hypothesis. Ann. Rev. Earth Planet Sci. 15, 271–315CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and (2001) Origin of the Moon in a giant impact near the end of the Earth's formation. Nature 412, 708–12CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and (2005) 142Nd evidence for early (> 4.53 Gyr) global differentiation of the silicate Earth. Science 309, 576–81CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and (2006) Barium isotopes in chondritic meteorites: Implications for planetary reservoir models. Science 314, 809–12CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
and (2006) Solar nebula heterogeneity in p-process samarium and neodymium isotopes. Science 314, 806–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
and (1990) The physics of crystal settling and suspension in a turbulent magma ocean, in The Origin of the Earth (eds. and ), Oxford University Press, pp. 151–74
et al. (2003) Mechanisms of metal–silicate equilibration in the terrestrial magma ocean. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 205, 239–55CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2000) Fluid dynamics of a terrestrial magma ocean, in Origin of the Earth and Moon (eds. and ), University of Arizona Press, pp. 323–38Google Scholar
et al. (2005) Chemical characterization of Earth's most ancient clastic metasediments from the Isua greenstone belt, southern West Greenland. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 69, 1555–73CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and (1988) Stored mafic/ultramafic crust and early Archean mantle depletion. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 91, 66–72CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and (1991) Early mantle differentiation and its thermal consequence. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 55, 227–39CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (2006) High-precision 142Nd/144Nd measurements in terrestrial rocks: Constraints from the early differentiation of the Earth's mantle. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 70, 164–91CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (2003) Inheritance of early Archean Pb-isotope variability from long-lived Hadean protocrust. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 145, 25–46CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (1997) Extreme Nd-isotopic heterogeneity in the early Archean – fact or fiction?Chem. Geol. 135, 213–31CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and (1998) Extreme Nd-isotopic heterogeneity in the early Archean – fact or fiction? – Comment. Chem. Geol. 148, 213–17CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (1998) Extreme Nd-isotopic heterogeneity in the early Archean – fact or fiction? –Reply. Chem. Geol. 148, 219–24CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2001) Protoliths of the 3.8–3.7 Gyr Isua greenstone belt, West Greenland. Precambrian Res. 105, 129–41CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (2002) Protoliths of the 3.8–3.7 Gyr Isua greenstone belt – comment. Precambrian Res. 117, 145–9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2002) Protoliths of the 3.8–3.7 Gyr Isua greenstone belt, West Greenland – reply. Precambrian Res. 117, 151–6CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and (2002) Cataclysmic bombardment throughout the inner solar system. Journal of Geophysical Research 107, doi: 1029/2001JE001529CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2006) Physical conditions on the early Earth. Phil. Trans. Royal Soc. B 361, 1721–31CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
(2006) The origin and emergence of life under impact bombardment. Phil. Trans. Royal Soc. B 361, 1845–56CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
and (2006) Atmospheric composition and climate on the early Earth. Phil. Trans. Royal Soc. B 361, 1731–42Google ScholarPubMed
et al. (2000) Heavy bombardment of the Earth at 3.85 Gyr: The search for petrographic and geochemical evidence, in Origin of the Earth and Moon (eds. and ), University of Arizona Press, pp. 475–92
et al. (2002) Tungsten isotopic evidence from 3.8 Gyr metamorphosed sediments for early meteorite bombardment of the Earth. Nature 418, 403–5CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(1998) Physical and chemical constraints for the early Earth and Moon. Origin of the Earth and Moon. Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, Texas contribution 957, pp. 42–3Google Scholar
et al. (2001) Evidence from detrital zircons for the existence of continental crust and oceans on the Earth 4.4 Gyr ago. Nature 409, 175–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
et al. (2001) Oxygen-isotope evidence from ancient zircons for liquid water at the Earth's surface 4300 Ma ago. Nature 409, 178–81CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and (2005) Zircon thermometer reveals minimum melting conditions on earliest Earth. Science 308, 841–4CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
et al. (2007) Hadean diamonds in zircon from Jack Hills, Western Australia. Nature 448, 917–20CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
and (1990) Implications for the evolution of the continental crust from Hf isotopic systematics of Archean detrital zircons. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 54, 1683–97CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2001) On the scarcity of > 3900 Ma detrital zircons in > 3500 Ma metasediments. Precambrian Res. 105, 93–114CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2006) Physical conditions on the early Earth. Phil. Trans. Royal Soc. B 361, 1721–31CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
et al. (2005) The problem of deep carbon: An Archean paradox. Precambrian Res. 143, 1–22CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (2000) Geology and tectonic evolution of the Archean North Pilbara terrain, Pilbara Craton, Western Australia. Econ. Geol. 97, 695–32Google Scholar
et al. (2001) Oxygen isotope ratios and rare earth elements in 3.1 to 4.4 Gyr zircons: Ion microprobe evidence for high ∂18O continental crust and oceans in the early Archean. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 65, 4215–29CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (2005) Magmatic ∂18O in 4400–3900 Ma detrital zircons: A record of the alteration and recycling of crust in the early Archean. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 235, 663–81CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and (2002) On the overabundance of light rare earth elements in terrestrial zircons and its implication for Earth's earliest magmatic differentiation. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 204, 333–46CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (2006) Heavy isotope composition of oxygen in zircon from soil sample 14163: Lunar perspective of an early ocean on Earth. Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 37, Abst. 1593Google Scholar
et al. (2003) 146Nd–142Nd evidence from Isua metamorphosed sediments for early differentiation of the Earth's mantle. Nature 423, 428–31CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
et al. (2002) 142Nd anomaly confirmed at Isua. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 66, A99Google Scholar
et al. (2003) No 142Nd excess in early Archean Isua gneiss IE 715–28. Lunar and Planetary Science Conference XXXIV, Abst. 1851Google Scholar
et al. (2003) 142Nd evidence for early Earth differentiation. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 214, 427–42CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (2005) High precision 142Nd/144Nd measurements in terrestrial rocks: Constraints on the early differentiation of the Earth's mantle. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 70, 164–91CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (2001) Calibration of the lutetium–hafnium clock. Science 293, 683–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
et al. (2003) Early history of the Earth's crust–mantle system inferred from hafnium isotopes in chondrites. Nature 421, 931–3CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2007) Hierarchical Earth accretion and the Hadean Eon. J. Geol. Soc. London 164, 3–17CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2004) Lu–Hf and Sm–Nd isotopic systematics in chondrites and their constraints on the Lu–Hf properties of the Earth. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 222, 29–41CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2005) Meteorite phosphates show constant 176Lu decay rate since 4557 million years ago. Science 310, 839–41CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
and (1997) The Lu–Hf geochemistry of chondrites and the evolution of the mantle–crust system. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 148, 243–58CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (2001) Evidence from detrital zircons for the existence of continental crust and oceans on the Earth 4.4 Gyr ago. Nature 409, 175–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
et al. (1991) The Sudbury Structure: Controversial or misunderstood?Journal of Geophysical Research 96, 22,753–64CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (1994) The formation of the Sudbury Structure, Canada. Large Meteorite Impacts and Planetary Evolution (eds. B. O. Dressler et al.), Geological Society of America Special Paper 293, pp. 303–18Google Scholar
(1994) Sudbury Igneous Complex: Impact melt or endogenous magma? Implications for lunar crustal evolution. Large Meteorite Impacts and Planetary Evolution (eds. B. O. Dressler et al.), Geological Society of America Special Paper 293, pp. 331–41Google Scholar
et al. (2000) Vredefort, Sudbury and Chicxulub: Three of a kind. Ann. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 28, 305–38CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (2002) The Sudbury Igneous Complex: A differentiated impact melt sheet. Econ. Geol. 97, 1521–40CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2007) Possible reasons of shock melt deficiency in the Bosumtwi drill cores. Meteoritics and Planetary Science 42, 883–94CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (1997) Growth of subcontinental lithospheric mantle beneath Zimbabwe started at or before 3.8 Ga: Re–Os studies of chromites. Geology 25, 983–62.3.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (1989) Os, Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic systematics of southern African peridotite xenoliths: Implications for the chemical evolution of sub-continental mantle. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 53, 1583–95CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2007) The enigma of the terrestrial protocrust: Evidence of its former existence and the importance of its complete disappearance, in The Earth's Oldest Rocks (eds. et al.), Elsevier, pp. 75–89CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2001) On the scarcity of >3900 Ma detrital zircons in >3500 Ma metasediments. Precambrian Res. 105, 93–114CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (2001) Evidence from detrital zircons for the existence of continental crust and oceans on the Earth 4.4 Gyr ago. Nature 409, 175–8Google Scholar
(2007) Hierarchical Earth accretion and the Hadean Eon. J. Geol. Soc. London 164, 3–17CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (2005) Volcanic resurfacing and the early terrestrial crust: Zircon U–Pb and Rare earth elements constraints from the Isua greenstone belt, southern West Greenland. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 240, 276–90CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (2003) Inheritance of early Archean Pb-isotope variability from long-lived Hadean protocrust. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 145, 25–46CrossRefGoogle Scholar
et al. (1999) Age significance of U–Th–Pb zircon data from early Archean rocks of west Greenland – a reassessment based on combined ion–microprobe and imaging studies. Chem. Geol. 160, 201–24CrossRefGoogle Scholar