Initiation of plate tectonics in the Hadean: Eclogitization triggered by the ABEL Bombardment

When plate tectonics began on the Earth has been long debated and here we argue this topic based on the records of Earth-Moon geology and asteroid belt to conclude that the onset of plate tectonics was during the middle Hadean（4.37-4.20 Ga）. The trigger of the initiation of plate tectonics is the ABEL Bombardment, which delivered oceanic and atmospheric components on a completely dry reductive Earth, originally comprised of enstatite chondrite-like materials. Through the accretion of volatiles, shock metamorphism processed with vaporization of both CI chondrite and supracrustal rocks at the bombarded location, and significant recrystallization went through under wet conditions, caused considerable eclogitization in the primordial continents composed of felsic upper crust of 21 km thick anorthosite, and 50 km or even thicker KREEP lower crust. Eclogitization must have yielded a powerful slab-pull force to initiate plate tectonics in the middle Hadean. Another important factor is the size of the bombardment. By creating Pacific Ocean class crater by 1000 km across impactor, rigid plate operating stagnant lid tectonics since the early Hadean was severely destroyed, and oceanic lithosphere was generated to have bi-modal lithosphere on the Earth to enable the operation of plate tectonics.Considering the importance of the ABEL Bombardment event which initiated plate tectonics including the appearance of ocean and atmosphere, we propose that the Hadean Eon can be subdivided into three periods：（1） early Hadean（4.57-4.37 Ga）,（2） middle Hadean（4.37-4.20 Ga）, and（3） late Hadean（4.20-4.00 Ga）.

Is plate tectonics needed to evolve technological species on exoplanets?

As we continue searching for exoplanets, we wonder if life and technological species capable of communicating with us exists on any of them. As geoscientists, we can also wonder how important is the presence or absence of plate tectonics for the evolution of technological species. This essay considers this question, focusing on tectonically active roclw （silicate） planets, like Earth, Venus, and Mars. The development of technological species on Earth provides key insights for understanding evolution on exoplanets, including the likely role that plate tectonics may play. An Earth-sized silicate planet is likely to experience several tectonic styles over its lifetime, as it cools and its lithosphere thickens, strengthens, and becomes denser. These include magma ocean, various styles of stagnant lid, and perhaps plate tectonics. Abundant liquid water favors both life and plate tectonics. Ocean is required for early evolution of diverse single-celled organisms, then colonies of cells which specialized further to form guts, ap- pendages, and sensory organisms up to the complexity of fish （central nervous system, appendages, eyes）. Large expanses of dry land also begin in the ocean, today produced above subduction zones in juvenile arcs and by their coalescence to form continents, although it is not clear that plate tectonics was required to create continental crust on Earth. Dry land of continents is required for further evolution of technological species, where modification of appendages for grasping and manipulating, and improve- ment of eyes and central nervous system could be perfected. These bioassets allowed intelligent crea- tures to examine the night sky and wonder, the beginning of abstract thinking, including religion and science. Technology arises from the exigencies of daily living such as tool-making, agriculture, clothing, and weapons, but the pace of innovation accelerates once it is allied with science. Finally, the importance of plate tectonics for developing a technological species is examined via a thought experiment using two otherwise identical planets： one with plate tectonics and the other without. A planet with oceans, continents, and plate tectonics maximizes opportunities for speciation and natural selection, whereas a similar planet without plate tectonics provides fewer such opportunities. Plate tectonics exerts envi- ronmental pressures that drive evolution without being capable of extinguishing all life. Plate tectonic processes such as the redistribution of continents, growth of mountain ranges, formation of land bridges, and opening and closing of oceans provide a continuous but moderate environmental pressure that stimulates populations to adapt and evolve. Plate tectonics may not be needed in order for life to begin, but evolution of technological species is favored on planets with oceans, continents, plate tectonics, and intermittently clear night sky.

Plate tectonics in the late Paleozoic

As the chronicle of plate motions through time, paleogeography is fundamental to our understanding of plate tectonics and its role in shaping the geology of the present-day. To properly appreciate the history of tectonics--and its influence on the deep Earth and climate-it is imperative to seek an accurate and global model of paleogeography. However, owing to the incessant loss of oceanic lithosphere through subduction, the paleogeographic reconstruction of ＇full-plates＇ （including oceanic lithosphere） becomes increasingly challenging with age. Prior to 150 Ma ~60% of the lithosphere is missing and re- constructions are developed without explicit regard for oceanic lithosphere or plate tectonic principles; in effect, reflecting the earlier mobilistic paradigm of continental drift. Although these ＇continental＇ re- constructions have been immensely useful, the next-generation of mantle models requires global plate kinematic descriptions with full-plate reconstructions. Moreover, in disregarding （or only loosely applying） plate tectonic rules, continental reconstructions fail to take advantage of a wealth of additional information in the form of practical constraints. Following a series of new developments, both in geo- dynamic theory and analytical tools, it is now feasible to construct full-plate models that lend themselves to testing by the wider Earth-science community. Such a model is presented here for the late Paleozoic （410-250 Ma） together with a review of the underlying data. Although we expect this model to be particularly useful for numerical mantle modeling, we hope that it will also serve as a general framework for understanding late Paleozoic tectonics, one on which future improvements can be built and further tested.

Reviewing subduction initiation and the origin of plate tectonics:What do we learn from present-day Earth?

The theory of plate tectonics came together in the 1960s,achieving wide acceptance after 1968.Since then it has been the most successful framework for investigations of Earth’s evolution.Subduction of the oceanic lithosphere,as the engine that drives plate tectonics,has played a key role in the theory.However,one of the biggest unanswered questions in Earth science is how the first subduction was initiated,and hence how plate tectonics began.The main challenge is how the strong lithosphere could break and bend if plate tectonics-related weakness and slab-pull force were both absent.In this work we review state-of-the-art subduction initiation(SI)models with a focus on their prerequisites and related driving mechanisms.We note that the plume-lithosphere-interaction and mantleconvection models do not rely on the operation of existing plate tectonics and thus may be capable of explaining the first SI.Reinvestigation of plate-driving mechanisms reveals that mantle drag may be the missing driving force for surface plates,capable of triggering initiation of the first subduction.We propose a composite driving mechanism,suggesting that plate tectonics may be driven by both subducting slabs and convection currents in the mantle.We also discuss and try to answer the following question:Why has plate tectonics been observed only on Earth?

Nanorocks, volatiles and plate tectonics

The global geological volatile cycle(H,C,N)plays an important role in the long term self-regulation of the Earth system.However,the complex interaction between its deep,solid Earth components(i.e.crust and mantle),Earth’s fluid envelopes(i.e.atmosphere and hydrosphere)and plate tectonic processes is a subject of ongoing debate.In this study we want to draw attention to how the presence of primary melt(MI)and fluid(FI)inclusions in high-grade metamorphic minerals could help constrain the crustal component of the volatile cycle.To that end,we review the distribution of MI and FI throughout Earth’s history,from ca.3.0 Ga ago up to the present day.We argue that the lower crust might constitute an important,longterm,volatile storage unit,capable to influence the composition of the surface envelopes through the mean of weathering,crustal thickening,partial melting and crustal assimilation during volcanic activity.Combined with thermodynamic modelling,our compilation indicates that periods of well-established plate tectonic regimes at<0.85 Ga and 1.7-2.1 Ga,might be more prone to the reworking of supracrustal lithologies and the storage of volatiles in the lower crust.Such hypothesis has implication beyond the scope of metamorphic petrology as it potentially links geodynamic mechanisms to habitable surface conditions.MI and FI in metamorphic crustal rocks then represent an invaluable archive to assess and quantify the co-joint evolution of plate tectonics and Earth’s external processes.

MY WORK ON REGIONAL GEOTECTONICS & PLATE TECTONICS

I graduated as a geology major from the former Zhongyang (National) University in 1938 and then worked as a research scholar at Kings College in the University of London from 1949 to 1951.I was one of the pioneers in plate tectonic and terrain tectonic studies in China,devoting myself to the regional geotectonics and plate tectonics of southern China for several decades,making significant achievements in these fields.Throughout the life-long course of my academic career,I have published and coauthored some 120 research papers or monographic books at home or abroad.

Plate tectonics in the Archean:Observations versus interpretations

Plate tectonics theory,established in the 1960s,has been successful in explaining many geological phenomena,processes and events that occurred in the Phanerozoic.However,the theory has often struggled to provide a coherent framework in interpreting geological records in continental interior and Precambrian period.In dealing with the relationship between plate tectonics and continental geology,continental interior tectonics was often separated from continental margin tectonics in the inheritance and development of their structure and composition.This separation led to the illusion that the plate tectonics theory is not applicable to Precambrian geology,particularly in explaining the fundamental geological characteristics of Archean cratons.Although this illusion does not mean that the Archean continental crust did not originate from a regime of plate tectonics,it led to the development of alternative tectonic models,often involving vertical movements under a regime of stagnant lid tectonics,including not only endogenous processes such as gravitational sagduction,mantle plumes and heat pipes but also exogenous processes such as bolide impacts.These vertical processes were not unique to the Archean but persisted into the Phanerozoic.They result from mantle poloidal convection at different depths,not specific to any particular period.Upgrading the plate tectonics theory from the traditional kinematic model in the 20th century to a holistic kinematic-dynamic model in the 21st century and systematically examining the vertical transport of matter and energy at plate margins,it is evident that plate tectonics can explain the common geological characteristics of Archean cratons,such as lithological associations,structural patterns and metamorphic evolution.By deciphering the structure and composition of convergent plate margins as well as their dynamics,the formation and evolution of continental crust since the Archean can be divided into ancient plate tectonics in the Precambrian and modern plate tectonics in the Phanerozoic.In addition,there are the following three characteristic features in the Archean:(1)convective mantle temperatures were 200–300°C higher than in the Phanerozoic,(2)newly formed basaltic oceanic crust was as thick as 30–40 km,and(3)the asthenosphere had a composition similar to the primitive mantle rather than the depleted mantle at present.On this basis,the upgraded plate tectonics theory can successfully explain the major geological phenomena of Archean cratons.This approach provides a new perspective on and deep insights into the evolution of early Earth and the origin of continental crust.In detail,Archean tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite(TTG)rocks would result from partial melting of the over-thick basaltic oceanic crust at convergent plate margins.The structural patterns of gneissic domes and greenstone keels would result from the buoyancy-driven emplacement of TTG magmas and its interaction with the basaltic crust at convergent margins,and komatiites in greenstone belts would be the product of mantle plume activity in the regime of ancient plate tectonics.The widespread distribution of high-grade metamorphic rocks in a planar fashion,rather than in zones,is ascrible to separation of the gneissic domes from the greenstone belts.The shortage of calc-alkaline andesites in bimodal volcanic associations suggests the shortage of sediment accretionary wedges derived from weathering of granitic continental crust above oceanic subduction zones.The absence of Penrose-type ophiolites suggests that during the subduction initiation of microplates,only the upper volcanic rocks of the thick oceanic crust were offscrapped to form basalt accretionary wedges.The absence of blueschist and eclogite as well as classic paired metamorphic belts suggests that convergent plate margins were over-thickened through either warm subduction or hard collision of the thick oceanic crust at moderate geothermal gradients.Therefore,only by correctly recognizing and understanding the nature of Archean cartons can plate tectonics reasonably explain their fundamental geological characteristics.

Plate Tectonics:The Stabilizer of Earth’s Habitability

Earth is the only planet known to be habitable,and is also unique with its liquid water,and the operation of plate tectonics.The geological record shows that the habitability of our planet can rapidly recover from major disasters or catastrophes,even those that cause mass extinctions.We suggest that plate tectonics,which acts as a link between the shallow and deep,is pivotal for the formation,evolution,and long-term stability of the hydrosphere,atmosphere,lithosphere,and thus life.Plate tectonics links the surface environment with the deep interior of high viscosity,low Reynolds number,low entropy,and low chaos,able to produce a strong healing effect to neutralize catastrophic events.It can transfer the bio-essential elements from the deep interior to the near-surface environment and can recycle toxic elements to the deep.This unique planetary energy and material transfer process of Earth is a continuous,slow-release,and bidirectional cycle,where a change in the surface is slowly buffered by a reaction from the deep,shaping a long-term and stable habitable environment.Therefore,it is considered that plate tectonics is the basic condition for the long-term stable evolution of the Earth’s biosphere and the stabilizer of the Earth’s habitability.

Proto-South China Sea Plate Tectonics Using Subducted Slab Constraints from Tomography

The past size and location of the hypothesized proto-South China Sea vanished ocean basin has important plate-tectonic implications for Southeast Asia since the Mesozoic. Here we present new details on proto-South China Sea paleogeography using mapped and unfolded slabs from tomography. Mapped slabs included： the Eurasia-South China Sea slab subducting at the Manila trench; the northern Philippine Sea Plate slab subducting at the Ryukyu trench; and, a swath of detached, subhorizontal, slab-like tomographic anomalies directly under the South China Sea at 450 to 700 km depths that we show is subducted ‘northern proto-South China Sea’ lithosphere. Slab unfolding revealed that the South China Sea lay directly above the ‘northern Proto-South China Sea’ with both extending 400 to 500 km to the east of the present Manila trench prior to subduction. Our slab-based plate reconstruction indicated the proto-South China Sea was consumed by double-sided subduction, as follows：（1） The ‘northern proto-South China Sea’ subducted in the Oligo–Miocene under the Dangerous Grounds and southward expanding South China Sea by in-place ‘self subduction’ similar to the western Mediterranean basins;（2） limited southward subduction of the proto-South China Sea under Borneo occurred pre-Oligocene, represented by the 800–900 km deep ‘southern proto-South China Sea’ slab.

The progressive onset and evolution of Precambrian subduction and plate tectonics

The regime of plate tectonics on early Earth is one of the fundamental problems in Earth sciences.Precambrian era takes the majority(ca.88%)of Earth’s history and thus plays a key role in understanding the onset of plate tectonics and the mechanism,distribution and process of Precambrian subduction zones.This paper presents a review on the progresses of subduction and subduction zones in different stages of Precambrian era,and sorts out some key issues and fields that merits further attention.We suggest that there was progressive onset and evolution of subduction and plate tectonics from Archean to Proterozoic eras.We emphasize the importance of comprehensive studies on subduction mechanism,metamorphic type,plate tectonics regime,the compositional evolution of continental crust,and petrogenesis of diverse granitoids formed in the Archean.It is proposed that innovative analytical techniques,big data,experimental petrology and numerical geodynamic modeling will facilitate future studies of Precambrian subduction zones.

Plate and plume tectonics:Numerical simulation and seismic tomography

About three decades after the establishment of the plate tec- tonics theory in the late 1960s, Maruyama （1994） proposed the ＂plume tectonics＂ theory based on whole-mantle seismic tomogra- phy image （Fukao, 1992; Fukao et al., 1994）. According to this the- ory, the earth＇s interior is divided into three regimes： the earth＇s surface region governed by lateral motions of tectonic plates, the mantle governed by vertical motions of ＂superplumes＂ （i.e., large- scale mantle upwelling/downwelling plumes）, and the core, whose convection style is probably controlled by superplumes in the mantle. With the rapid progress in earth science after the birth of the plume tectonics theory, it is now widely accepted that various geological phenomena observed in the earth＇s surface are closely linked to the fluid motion in the deep mantle （e.g., Davies, 2011）.

Plate convergence in the Indo-Pacific region

The Indo-Pacific convergence region is the best target to solve the teo remaining challenges of the plate tectonics theory,i.e.,subduction initiation and the driving force of plate tectonics.Recent studies proposed that the Izu-Bonin subduction initiation belongs to spontaneous initiation,which implies that it started from extension,followed by low angle subduction.Numerical geodynamic modeling suggests that the initiation of plate subduction likely occurred along a transform fault,which put the young spreading ridge in direct contact with old oceanic crust.This,however,does not explain the simultaneous subduction initiation in the west Pacific region in the Cenozoic.Namely,the subduction initiations in the Izu-BoninMariana,the Aleutian,and the Tonga-Kermadec trenches are associated with oceanic crusts of different ages,yet they occurred at roughly the same time,suggesting that they were all triggered by a maj or change in the Pacific plate.Moreover,low angle subduction induces compression rather than extension,which requires external compression forces.Given that the famous Hawaiian-Emperor bending occurred roughly at the same time with the onset of westward subductions in the west Pacific,we propose that these Cenozoic subductions were initiated by the steering of the Pacific plate,which are classified as induced initiation.Induced subduction initiation usually occurs in young ocean basins,forming single-track subduction.The closure s of Neo-Tethys Oceans were likely triggered by plume s in the south,forming northward subductions.Interestingly,the Indian plate kept on moving northward more than 50 Ma after the collision between the Indian and Eurasian continents and the break-off of the subducted oceanic slab attached to it.This strongly suggests that slab pull is not the main driving force of plate tectonics,whereas slab sliding is.

Advances in Structural Geology and Tectonics in the Late 20th Century: A Review

Based on analyses of the share of documents of structural geology and tectonics in the GeoRef system over 100 years in the last century, and the historical change of international （31 years） and domestic （16 years） document counts of various topics in structural geology and tectonics, the position of structural geology and tectonics in the geosciences is evaluated and the major advaces in fields of plate tectonics, continental dynamics and global dynamics are reviewed. Our attention mainly focuses on the advances in studies of structural analysis, deformation mechanisms and rheology of rocks, contractional tectonics and late- and post-orogenic extensional collapse in orogens, large-scale strikeslip faults and indentation-extrusion tectonics, active tectonics and natural hazards. The relationships of structural geology and tectonics with petrology and geochronology are also discussed in terms of intersection of scientific disciplines. Finally, some suggestions are proposed for the further development of structural geology and tectonics in China.

Decoding earth’s plate tectonic history using sparse geochemical data

Accurately mapping plate boundary types and locations through time is essential for understanding the evolution of the plate-mantle system and the exchange of material between the solid Earth and surface environments.However,the complexity of the Earth system and the cryptic nature of the geological record make it difficult to discriminate tectonic environments through deep time.Here we present a new method for identifying tectonic paleo-environments on Earth through a data mining approach using global geochemical data.We first fingerprint a variety of present-day tectonic environments utilising up to 136 geochemical data attributes in any available combination.A total of 38301 geochemical analyses from basalts aged from 5-0 Ma together with a well-established plate reconstruction model are used to construct a suite of discriminatory models for the first order tectonic environments of subduction and mid-ocean ridge as distinct from intraplate hotspot oceanic environments,identifying 41,35,and 39 key discriminatory geochemical attributes,respectively.After training and validation,our model is applied to a global geochemical database of 1547 basalt samples of unknown tectonic origin aged between 1000-410 Ma,a relatively ill-constrained period of Earth’s evolution following the breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent,producing 56 unique global tectonic environment predictions throughout the Neoproterozoic and Early Paleozoic.Predictions are used to discriminate between three alternative published Rodinia configuration models,identifying the model demonstrating the closest spatio-temporal consistency with the basalt record,and emphasizing the importance of integrating geochemical data into plate reconstructions.Our approach offers an extensible framework for constructing full-plate,deeptime reconstructions capable of assimilating a broad range of geochemical and geological observations,enabling next generation Earth system models.

Dynamic subduction process of local plate revealed by Ibaraki earthquake sequence of 1982 in Japan

The kinematics and dynamics of plate tectonics are frontal subjects in geosciences and the strong earthquake occurred along the plate boundary result directly from plate movement. By analyzing Ibaraki earthquake sequence, it has been found that the focal fault plane shows a special image of grading expansion along the direction of strike and adjustment along the dip direction respectively. With the consideration of strike, dip and slip directions of focal mechanism, we have confirmed that Ibaraki earthquake belongs to a thrust fault earthquake occurred under the Japan Trench. The cause of the earthquake sequence is discussed in the paper. The study on the temporal-spatial distribution of the earthquake sequence with a time-scale between the year-scale spatial geodetic data and the second-scale moment tensor of the strong earthquake has indicated the dynamic process of Pacific Plate subduction under the Eurasia Plate. According to the average slip distance of earthquake and the velocity of plate movement, it is predicted that a strong earthquake might occur in recent years.

Did Major Impacts Affect Sedimentologic/Sequence-Analytical Pattern of the Early Palaeozoic Sedimentary Systems of Jordan,Arabian Plate?

Based on profound sequence-analytical data of the early Palaeozoic sedimentary systems of Jordan, Arabian Plate, a correlation attempt is proposed with regard to possible major impact events after Price [10]. His methodological concept tells that abrupt 441 Ma. Referring to the fact that major impacts may trigger, respectively influence, exogenic and endogenic processes on an over-regional, even global, extent, this paper put the “sensitive” geological setting of Jordan at the Arabian Platform’s margin into focus. That mainly concerns the early Palaeozoic coastlines as to sea level change as well as the Jordan Valley Rift as being possibly to susceptible for tectonic re-activation changes of both direction and speed of plate motions would indicate such convulsive processes as occurred on: 550 Ma, 526.5 Ma, 514 Ma, 502 Ma, 456/455.4 Ma, and following triggering of magmatism at the Precambrian/Cambrian boundary. The following phenomena are taken into account: Faulting and magmatism triggered along the Jordan Valley Rift (Wadi Araba) in connection with the Pan-African Orogeny, anoxic sediments, temporary high detrital input onto the adjoining stable platform from Gondwana hinterlands, and significant chemical weathering in the Gondwana source areas by intensive acid (nitric) rain directing mineral content variation in the “Nubian Sandstones” (e.g. feldspar, kaolinite/dickite, tourmaline).

Review on study of seismotectonics in China

This paper reviews briefly the progresses made during the last four years (1999~2002) in study of seismotectonics in China, especially appraises the achievements in the fields of the crustal and upper mantles structure, the active faults and tectonic setting of large earthquakes, the crustal deformation, and the numerical simulation. Most earthquakes occurred in China belong to continental earthquakes. Therefore, Chinese seismologists pay more attention to the continental earthquakes. Based on improvements of the observation systems in China during the ninth Five-Year Plan, the studies on seismotectonics have achieved great progresses.

Statistical tests of recent plate tectonic units by using geodetic data

The statistical testing models of the plate tectonic units and the hypothesis of their rigidity is presented by using the dense geodetic data, and to a certain extent the established statistic value can be regarded as a quantitative index to compare the rigidity degrees of different blocks. The several conclusions about the global megaplates and the regional tectonics of China are tested and verified by actual calculations, which testifies the effectiveness of this method in testing the rigidity degree and delineating their boundaries.

Ripple Tectonics—When Subduction Is Interrupted

Subduction plays a fundamental role in plate tectonics and is a significant factor in modifying the structure and topography of the Earth. It is driven by convection forces that change over a >100 Myr time scale. However, when an oceanic plateau approaches, it plugs the subduction, and causes slab necking and tearing. This abrupt change may trigger a series of geodynamic (tectonic, volcanic) and sedimentary responses recorded across the convergence boundary and its surrounding regions by synchronous structural modifications. We suggest that a large enough triggering event may lead to a ripple tectonic effect that propagates outwards while speeding up the yielding of localized stress states that otherwise would not reach their threshold. The ripple effect facilitates tectonic, volcanic, and structural events worldwide that are seemingly unrelated. When the world’s largest oceanic plateau, Ontong Java Plateau (OJP), choked the Pacific-Australian convergence zone at ~6 Myr ago, it induced kinematic modifications throughout the Pacific region and along its plate margins. Other, seemingly unrelated, short-lived modifications were recorded worldwide during that time window. These modifications changed the rotation of the entire Pacific plate, which occupies ~20% of the Earth’s surface. In addition, the Scotia Sea spreading stopped, global volcanism increased, the Strait of Gibraltar closed, and the Mediterranean Sea dried up and induced the Messinian salinity crisis. In this paper, we attribute these and many other synchronous events to a new “ripple tectonics” mechanism. We suggest that the OJPincipient collision triggered the Miocene-Pliocene transition. Similarly, we suggest that innovative GPS-based studies conducted today may seek the connectivity between tectonic, seismic, and volcanic events worldwide.

New Zircon U-Pb Age of Granodiorite in Chifeng at the Northern Margin of North China Craton and Constraints on Plate Tectonic Evolution

Objective The North China Craton （NCC） is one of the oldest cratons in the world. The accretionary belt at its northern margin has been the focus of scholars both at home and abroad （Zhu Junbing and Ren Jishun, 2017）. In recent years, a series of Late Paleozoic-Mesozoic intrusions trending E-W have been discovered within the northern margin of the NCC, forming a magmatic belt. The study on the origin and tectonic setting of this magmatic belt not only has important significance for understanding the Late Paleozoic-Mesozoic tectonic evolution history of the northern margin of the NCC, but also can provide key constraints on the evolution of its surrounding Xing＇an- Mongolia orogenic belt and the Paleo-Asian Ocean. At present, no Devonian to early stage of Early Carboniferous intrusion has been reported within the northern margin of the NCC.