Hf-Nd isotopes in archean marine chemical sediments

Implications for the geodynamical history of early earth and its impact on earliest marine habitats

authored by

Sebastian Viehmann

Abstract

The Hf-Nd isotope systems are coupled in magmatic systems, but incongruent Hf weathering (‘zircon effect’) of the continental crust leads to a decoupling of the Hf-Nd isotope systems in low-temperature environments during weathering and erosion processes. The Hf-Nd isotope record was recently dated back from the Cenozoic oceans until the Archean, showing that both isotope systems were already decoupled in seawater 2.7 Ga ago and potentially 3.4 Ga and 3.7 Ga ago. While there might have existed a hydrothermal pathway for Hf into Archean seawater, incongruent Hf weathering of more evolved, zircon-bearing uppermost continental crust that was emerged and available for subaerial weathering accounts for a significant decoupling of Hf-Nd isotopes in the dissolved (<0.2 µm) and suspended (>0.2 µm) fractions of Early Earth’s seawater. These findings contradict the consensus that uppermost Archean continental crust was (ultra)mafic in composition and predominantly submerged. Hence, Hf-Nd isotopes in Archean marine chemical sediments provide the unique potential for future research to trace the emergence of evolved continental crust, which in turn has major implications for the geodynamical evolution of Early Earth and the nutrient flux into the earliest marine habitats on Earth.

External Organisation(s)

University of Vienna

Type

Review article

Journal

Geosciences (Switzerland)

Volume

8

Publication date

16.07.2018

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 14 - Life Below Water

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8070263 (Access: Open)