Frontiers in early Earth history and primordial life--PartⅠ

The history of the early Earth is shrouded in mystery, and one of the major outcomes of the Apollo Program, lunar sampling, and the data acquired by subsequent orbiting missions, is that the Moon is an important analogue for the Hadean Earth, which includes primordial planet-forming materials. We assemble two special issues of ＂Geoscience Frontiers＂ with state-of-the-art contributions that provide insights into planetary formation, Earth＇s early history and primordial life. New theories show why the Earth began as a dry planetary system and was later seeded by an ocean-atmosphere system through the bombardment of carbonaceous chondrites. A combination of the information concerning the evolution of Earth, Mars, and the other terrestrial planets is important in understanding the fate of the primordial continental crustal materials and the making of habitable planets.

Reactions between olivine and CO2-rich seawater at 300℃:Implications for H2 generation and CO2 sequestration on the early Earth

To understand the influence of fluid CO2 on ultramafic rock-hosted seafloor hydrothermal systems on the early Earth,we monitored the reaction between San Carlos olivine and a CO2-rich NaCl fluid at 300 C and 500 bars.During the experiments,the total carbonic acid concentration（∑XO2） in the fluid decreased from approximately 65 to 9 mmol/kg.Carbonate minerals,magnesite,and subordinate amount of dolomite were formed via the water-rock interaction.The H2 concentration in the fluid reached approximately 39 mmol/kg within 2736 h,which is relatively lower than the concentration generated by the reaction between olivine and a CO2-free NaCl solution at the same temperature.As seen in previous hydrothermal experiments using komatiite,ferrous iron incorporation into Mg-bearing carbonate minerals likely limited iron oxidation in the fluids and the resulting H2 generation during the olivine alteration.Considering carbonate mineralogy over the temperature range of natural hydrothermal fields,H2 generation is likely suppressed at temperatures below approximately 300℃ due to the formation of the Mg-bearing carbonates.Nevertheless,H_2 concentration in fluid at 300℃ could be still high due to the temperature dependency of magnetite stability in ultramafic systems.Moreover,the Mg-bearing carbonates may play a key role in the ocean-atmosphere system on the early Earth.Recent studies suggest that the subduction of carbonated ultramafic rocks may transport surface CO2 species into the deep mantle.This process may have reduced the huge initial amount of CO2 on the surface of the early Earth.Our approximate calculations demonstrate that the subduction of the Mg-bearing carbonates formed in komatiite likely played a crucial role as one of the CO2 carriers from the surface to the deep mantle,even in hot subduction zones.

From the Beginning of the World to the Beginning of Life on Earth

Hypersphere World-Universe Model (WUM) is, in fact, a Paradigm Shift in Cosmology [1]. In this paper, we provide seven Pillars of WUM: Medium of the World;Inter-Connectivity of Primary Cosmological Parameters;Creation of Matter;Multicomponent Dark Matter;Macroobjects;Volcanic Rotational Fission;Dark Matter Reactors. We describe the evolution of the World from the Beginning up to the birth of the Solar System and discuss the condition of the Early Earth before the beginning of life on it.

Atmospheric and Oceanic Oxygenation and Evolution of Early Life on Earth: New Contributions from China

The buildup of oxygen in the Earth＇s atmosphere and oceans has fundamentally reshaped the dynamics of nearly all major biogeochemical cycles and ultimately paved the way for the diversification of complex life on Earth. Over the past decades there have been sustained efforts to develop a more comprehensive understanding of ocean-atmosphere redox evolution and its relationship to the evolution of early life （Fig. 1）. It is generally accepted that the development of oxygenic photosynthesis at ~2.7 Ga may have been responsible for the Great Oxidation Event （GOE） at the beginning of the Proterozoic Eon, whereas a second big O2 rise at the end of the Proterozoic Eon （the so-called Neoproterozoic Oxidation Event or NOE） was responsible for the diversification of metazoans （Lyons et al., 2014）.

Centrifuge model test of an irrigation-induced loess landslide in the Heifangtai loess platform, Northwest China

The Heifangtai platform in Northwest China is famous for irrigation-induced loess landslides.This study conducted a centrifuge model test with reference to an irrigation-induced loess landslide that occurred in Heifangtai in 2011.The loess slope model was constructed by whittling a cubic loess block obtaining from the landslide site.The irrigation water was simulated by applying continuous infiltration from back of the slope.The deformation,earth pressure,and pore pressure were investigated during test by a series of transducers.For this particular study,the results showed that the failure processes were characterized by retrogressive landslides and cracks.The time dependent reductions of cohesion and internal friction angle at basal layer with increasing pore-water pressure were responsible for these failures.The foot part of slope is very important for slope instability and hazard prevention in the study area,where concentration of earth pressure and generation of high pore-water pressures would form before failures.The measurements of earth pressure and pore-water pressure might be effective for early warning in the study area.