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Oxygen isotope (δ18O, Δ′17O) insights into continental mantle evolution since the Archean

Author

Listed:
  • Ilya N. Bindeman

    (University of Oregon)

  • Dmitri A. Ionov

    (Montpellier University)

  • Peter M. E. Tollan

    (ETH Zurich
    Gubelin Gem Lab)

  • Alexander V. Golovin

    (Sobolev Institute of Geology and Mineralogy Siberian Brach RAS
    Institute of the Earth’s Crust, Siberian Branch, RAS)

Abstract

Oxygen isotopic ratios are largely homogenous in the bulk of Earth’s mantle but are strongly fractionated near the Earth’s surface, thus these are robust indicators of recycling of surface materials to the mantle. Here we document a subtle but significant ~0.2‰ temporal decrease in δ18O in the shallowest continental lithospheric mantle since the Archean, no change in Δ′17O is observed. Younger samples document a decrease and greater heterogeneity of δ18O due to the development and progression of plate tectonics and subduction. We posit that δ18O in the oldest Archean samples provides the best δ18O estimate for the Earth of 5.37‰ for olivine and 5.57‰ for bulk peridotite, values that are comparable to lunar rocks as the moon did not have plate tectonics. Given the large volume of the continental lithospheric mantle, even small decreases in its δ18O may explain the increasing δ18O of the continental crust since oxygen is progressively redistributed by fluids between these reservoirs via high-δ18O sediment accretion and low-δ18O mantle in subduction zones.

Suggested Citation

  • Ilya N. Bindeman & Dmitri A. Ionov & Peter M. E. Tollan & Alexander V. Golovin, 2022. "Oxygen isotope (δ18O, Δ′17O) insights into continental mantle evolution since the Archean," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-31586-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31586-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bernard J. Wood & Michael J. Walter & Jonathan Wade, 2006. "Accretion of the Earth and segregation of its core," Nature, Nature, vol. 441(7095), pages 825-833, June.
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    3. A. L. Perchuk & T. V. Gerya & V. S. Zakharov & W. L. Griffin, 2020. "Building cratonic keels in Precambrian plate tectonics," Nature, Nature, vol. 586(7829), pages 395-401, October.
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