T h e problem of the origin of the cont inental crust can be resolved into two fundamenta l quest ions: (1) the lo­ cation and mechani sms of init ial m a n t l e extract ion of the primitive crust and (2) the processes by which this primitive crust is converted into the cont inental crust that presently exists . W e know that Archean cont inen­ tal crust is compos i t iona l ly dist inct from ...

Today, plate tectonics is the dominant tectonic style on Earth, but in a hotter Earth tectonics may have looked different due to the presence of more melting and associated compositional buoyancy as well as the presence of a weaker mantle and lithosphere. Here we review the geodynamic constraints on plate tectonics and proposed alternatives throughout Earth’s history. Observations suggest a 100...

It is well corroborated that the earth is relentlessly bubbling inside since its birth and traversing continuously through a geological change. The source of this dynamism is the heat stored inside i.e. the geothermal energy, which is believed to be the product of mainly the decay of natural radio-isotopes in the crust and mantle, and in the core of earth. This heat exerts pressure towards the ...

The size of the Mercurian core and the low ferrous iron bearing silicate content of its crust offer constraints on formation models for the planet. Here we consider a bulk composition that allows endogenous formation of the planet's large core, and by processing the mantle through a magma ocean, would produce a low-iron crust. More Earth-like bulk compositions require silicate removal, perhaps ...

Kimberlites from West Greenland have Hf–Nd isotope as well as major and trace element compositions that are similar to other Group I kimberlites, but that are distinctive in the spectrum of magmas sampled at Earth’s surface. The West Greenland kimberlites have eNdi that ranges from +1.6 to +3.1 and eHfi that ranges from 4.3 to +4.9. The samples exhibit ubiquitous negative DeHfi (deviation from ...

New estimates of the thickness of the lunar highlands crust based on data from the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission, allow us to reassess the abundances of refractory elements in the Moon. Previous estimates of the Moon fall into two distinct groups: earthlike and a 50% enrichment in the Moon compared with the Earth. Revised crustal thicknesses and compositional information from...

The generation and evolution of Earth's continental crust has played a fundamental role in the development of the planet. Its formation modified the composition of the mantle, contributed to the establishment of the atmosphere, and led to the creation of ecological niches important for early life. Here we show that in the Archean, the formation and stabilization of continents also controlled th...

Nitrogen forms an integral part of the main building blocks of life, including DNA, RNA, and proteins. N2 is the dominant gas in Earth's atmosphere, and nitrogen is stored in all of Earth's geological reservoirs, including the crust, the mantle, and the core. As such, nitrogen geochemistry is fundamental to the evolution of planet Earth and the life it supports. Despite the importance of nitrog...