3.7 billion year old detrital sediments in Greenland are consistent with active plate tectonics in the Eoarchean
Abstract Plate tectonic processes modulate element cycling, crust generation, and differentiation, yet at what point in Earth’s history these processes emerged remains debated. Here we present evidence that parts of the >3.7 Ga Isua Supracrustal Belt formed within a fore-arc setting, consistent w...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:43983e43fbb44f8394c8ec2f14ec0c97 2024-09-15T18:09:47+00:00 3.7 billion year old detrital sediments in Greenland are consistent with active plate tectonics in the Eoarchean Austin Jarl Boyd Minik T. Rosing Magnus A. R. Harding Donald E. Canfield Tue Hassenkam 2024-04-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01376-w https://doaj.org/article/43983e43fbb44f8394c8ec2f14ec0c97 EN eng Nature Portfolio https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01376-w https://doaj.org/toc/2662-4435 doi:10.1038/s43247-024-01376-w 2662-4435 https://doaj.org/article/43983e43fbb44f8394c8ec2f14ec0c97 Communications Earth & Environment, Vol 5, Iss 1, Pp 1-7 (2024) Geology QE1-996.5 Environmental sciences GE1-350 article 2024 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01376-w 2024-08-05T17:49:33Z Abstract Plate tectonic processes modulate element cycling, crust generation, and differentiation, yet at what point in Earth’s history these processes emerged remains debated. Here we present evidence that parts of the >3.7 Ga Isua Supracrustal Belt formed within a fore-arc setting, consistent with the operation of plate tectonics in the Eoarchean. We show that the oldest known sequence of detrital meta-sedimentary rocks were deposited conformably above chemical sediments on a volcanic basement. Mineral and trace elemental compositions show that turbiditic and pelagic detrital sediments were derived from terrains, comprising both basalts and differentiated tonalitic igneous rocks. The boninitic volcanic basement would have formed in a tensile environment before the adjacent terrains which sourced the clastic sediments. This suggests formation within a fore-arc during the initial few million years of subduction. This environment may have facilitated the local proliferation of life suggested by the frequent occurrence of layers rich in biogenic graphite. Article in Journal/Newspaper Greenland Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Communications Earth & Environment 5 1 |
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Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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ftdoajarticles |
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English |
topic |
Geology QE1-996.5 Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
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Geology QE1-996.5 Environmental sciences GE1-350 Austin Jarl Boyd Minik T. Rosing Magnus A. R. Harding Donald E. Canfield Tue Hassenkam 3.7 billion year old detrital sediments in Greenland are consistent with active plate tectonics in the Eoarchean |
topic_facet |
Geology QE1-996.5 Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
description |
Abstract Plate tectonic processes modulate element cycling, crust generation, and differentiation, yet at what point in Earth’s history these processes emerged remains debated. Here we present evidence that parts of the >3.7 Ga Isua Supracrustal Belt formed within a fore-arc setting, consistent with the operation of plate tectonics in the Eoarchean. We show that the oldest known sequence of detrital meta-sedimentary rocks were deposited conformably above chemical sediments on a volcanic basement. Mineral and trace elemental compositions show that turbiditic and pelagic detrital sediments were derived from terrains, comprising both basalts and differentiated tonalitic igneous rocks. The boninitic volcanic basement would have formed in a tensile environment before the adjacent terrains which sourced the clastic sediments. This suggests formation within a fore-arc during the initial few million years of subduction. This environment may have facilitated the local proliferation of life suggested by the frequent occurrence of layers rich in biogenic graphite. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Austin Jarl Boyd Minik T. Rosing Magnus A. R. Harding Donald E. Canfield Tue Hassenkam |
author_facet |
Austin Jarl Boyd Minik T. Rosing Magnus A. R. Harding Donald E. Canfield Tue Hassenkam |
author_sort |
Austin Jarl Boyd |
title |
3.7 billion year old detrital sediments in Greenland are consistent with active plate tectonics in the Eoarchean |
title_short |
3.7 billion year old detrital sediments in Greenland are consistent with active plate tectonics in the Eoarchean |
title_full |
3.7 billion year old detrital sediments in Greenland are consistent with active plate tectonics in the Eoarchean |
title_fullStr |
3.7 billion year old detrital sediments in Greenland are consistent with active plate tectonics in the Eoarchean |
title_full_unstemmed |
3.7 billion year old detrital sediments in Greenland are consistent with active plate tectonics in the Eoarchean |
title_sort |
3.7 billion year old detrital sediments in greenland are consistent with active plate tectonics in the eoarchean |
publisher |
Nature Portfolio |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01376-w https://doaj.org/article/43983e43fbb44f8394c8ec2f14ec0c97 |
genre |
Greenland |
genre_facet |
Greenland |
op_source |
Communications Earth & Environment, Vol 5, Iss 1, Pp 1-7 (2024) |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01376-w https://doaj.org/toc/2662-4435 doi:10.1038/s43247-024-01376-w 2662-4435 https://doaj.org/article/43983e43fbb44f8394c8ec2f14ec0c97 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01376-w |
container_title |
Communications Earth & Environment |
container_volume |
5 |
container_issue |
1 |
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1810447383620747264 |