A model of crust-mantle differentiation for the early Earth

The Archean continents,primarily composed of the felsic tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite(TTG)suite,were formed or conserved since~3.8 Ga,with significant growth of the continental crust since~2.7 Ga.The difficulty in direct differentiation of the felsic crustal components from Earth’s mantle peridotite leads to a requirement for the presence of a large amount of hydrated mafic precursor of TTG in Earth’s proto-crust,the origin of which,however,remains elusive.The mafic proto-crust may have formed as early as~4.4 Ga ago as reflected by the Hf and Nd isotopic signals from Earth’s oldest geological records.Such a significant time lag between the formation of the mafic proto-crust and the occurrence of felsic continental crust is not reconciled with a single-stage scenario of Earth’s early differentiation.Here,inspired by the volcanism-dominated heat-pipe tectonics witnessed on Jupiter’s moon Io and the resemblances of the intensive internal heating and active magmatism between the early Earth and the present-day Io,we present a conceptual model of Earth’s early crust-mantle differentiation,which involves an Io-like scenario of efficient extraction of a mafic proto-crust from the early mantle,followed by an intrusion-dominating regime that could account for the subsequent formation of the felsic continents as Earth cools.The model thus allows an early formation of the preTTG proto-crust and the generation of TTG in the continent by providing the favorable conditions for its subsequent melting.This model is consistent with the observed early fractionation of the Earth and the late but rapid formation and/or accumulation of the felsic components in the Archean continents,thus sheds new light on the early Earth’s differentiation and tectonic evolution.

The Orosirian(1800–2050 Ma)plate tectonic episode:Key for reconstructing the Proterozoic tectonic record

Eight lines of evidence indicate that the Orosirian Period in mid-Paleoproterozoic time was characterized by plate tectonics:ophiolites,low T/P metamorphism including eclogites,passive margin formation,tall mountains,paleomagnetic constraints,ore deposits,abundant S-type granites,and seismic images of paleo-subduction zones.This plate tectonic episode occurred about 1 billion years earlier than the present plate tectonic episode began in Neoproterozoic time.The two plate tectonic episodes bracket the‘Boring Billion’,which may have been a protracted single lid tectonic episode that began when the supercontinent Nuna or Columbia formed.Recognition of multiple lines of evidence for Orosirian plate tectonics demonstrates that Earth’s tectonic style can be reconstructed with some confidence back to at least Early Paleoproterozoic time,and thus the absence of compelling evidence for Mesoproterozoic plate tectonics is not obvious due to poor preservation.A tectono-magmatic lull2.3 Ga suggests an earlier episode of single lid tectonics.Evidence for two episodes of plate tectonics and two episodes of single lid tectonics indicates that Earth switched between single lid and plate tectonics multiple times during the last 2.4 Ga.