Decoupled Hf-Nd isotopes in Neoarchean seawater reveal weathering of emerged continents

verfasst von
Sebastian Viehmann, J. Elis Hoffmann, Carsten Münker, Michael Bau
Abstract

Marine chemical sediments from the Temagami banded iron formation (BIF) in Canada exhibit nonchondritic Zr/Hf and Y/Ho ratios and seawater-like rare earth element patterns, indicating that their Hf and Nd are not detrital, but derived from seawater. This is confi rmed by Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf isochron ages of 2605 ± 140 Ma (initial εNd +0.03 ± 4.1) and 2760 ± 120 Ma (initial εHf +7.2 ± 5.3), respectively, that overlap within error the 2.7 Ga U-Pb age of associated igneous rocks. The Temagami BIF is therefore an excellent archive of the Nd-Hf isotopic composition of Neoarchean seawater. Whereas εNd 2.7Ga values cluster around +1, εHf 2.7Ga values range from +6.7 to +24.1, substantially more radiogenic than those of ambient Neoarchean mantle and continental crust. Such an εHf- εNd distribution is typical of modern seawater, plotting above the terrestrial array as defi ned by igneous and clastic sedimentary rocks. The only mechanism known to produce natural waters with decoupled Nd and Hf isotope compositions is the incongruent mobilization of Hf from continental crustal material. Therefore, input of such highly radiogenic Hf into seawater requires substantial amounts of evolved Neoarchean continental crust that was exposed above sea level and available to erosion and terrestrial weathering.

Externe Organisation(en)
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
Constructor University Bremen
Universität zu Köln
Typ
Artikel
Journal
GEOLOGY
Band
42
Seiten
115-118
Anzahl der Seiten
4
ISSN
0091-7613
Publikationsdatum
2014
Publikationsstatus
Veröffentlicht
Peer-reviewed
Ja
ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete
Geologie
Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung
SDG 14 – Lebensraum Wasser
Elektronische Version(en)
https://doi.org/10.1130/G35014.1 (Zugang: Unbekannt)