logo
ResearchBunny Logo
An andesitic source for Jack Hills zircon supports onset of plate tectonics in the Hadean

Earth Sciences

An andesitic source for Jack Hills zircon supports onset of plate tectonics in the Hadean

S. Turner, S. Wilde, et al.

This compelling study by Simon Turner and colleagues challenges traditional views on Earth's early crust by revealing that the ancient Jack Hills zircons originated from andesitic melts in a subduction environment, raising intriguing questions about the onset of plate tectonics as early as 4.3 billion years ago.

00:00
00:00
Playback language: English
Abstract
The composition and origin of Earth's early crust remains hotly debated. This study uses partition coefficients to invert the trace element composition of 4.3–3.3 Gyr Jack Hills zircons to calculate the composition of the melts from which they crystallized. The results strongly indicate that the protolith for the Jack Hills zircons was an andesite formed in a modern subduction setting, not an intra-plate mafic rock, a TTG, or a Sudbury-like impact melt. No secular variation was found between 4.3 and 3.3 Gyr, implying little change in the composition or tectonic affinity of the Earth's early crust from the Hadean to Mesoarchaean, suggesting an early onset of plate tectonics.
Publisher
Nature Communications
Published On
Mar 06, 2020
Authors
Simon Turner, Simon Wilde, Gerhard Wörner, Bruce Schaefer, Yi-Jen Lai
Tags
Earth's early crust
Jack Hills
zircons
andesite
plate tectonics
subduction setting
trace element composition

Related Publications

Explore these studies to deepen your understanding of the subject.

Evaluating the effectiveness of the Kidogo model in empowering women and strengthening their capacities to engage in paid labor opportunities through the provision of quality childcare: a study protocol for an exploratory study in Nakuru County, Kenya
Social Work

Evaluating the effectiveness of the Kidogo model in empowering women and strengthening their capacities to engage in paid labor opportunities through the provision of quality childcare: a study protocol for an exploratory study in Nakuru County, Kenya

K. Okelo, M. Nampijja, et al.

The teaching of the cello in Spain: An analysis of the planning frameworks used for teaching in conservatories
Education

The teaching of the cello in Spain: An analysis of the planning frameworks used for teaching in conservatories

P. Hernández-dionis, D. Pérez-jorge, et al.

An energizing role for motivation in information-seeking during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic
Psychology

An energizing role for motivation in information-seeking during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic

Y. Abir, C. B. Marvin, et al.

An artificial intelligence system for predicting the deterioration of COVID-19 patients in the emergency department
Medicine and Health

An artificial intelligence system for predicting the deterioration of COVID-19 patients in the emergency department

F. E. Shamout, Y. Shen, et al.

Listen, Learn & Level Up
Over 10,000 hours of research content in 25+ fields, available in 12+ languages.
No more digging through PDFs, just hit play and absorb the world's latest research in your language, on your time.
listen to research audio papers with researchbunny