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Nitrogen isotope evidence for Earth’s heterogeneous accretion of volatiles

Author

Listed:
  • Lanlan Shi

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Wenhua Lu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Takanori Kagoshima

    (University of Tokyo)

  • Yuji Sano

    (University of Tokyo
    Kochi University)

  • Zenghao Gao

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Zhixue Du

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science)

  • Yun Liu

    (Chengdu University of Technology)

  • Yingwei Fei

    (Carnegie Institution for Science)

  • Yuan Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science)

Abstract

The origin of major volatiles nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen, and sulfur in planets is critical for understanding planetary accretion, differentiation, and habitability. However, the detailed process for the origin of Earth’s major volatiles remains unresolved. Nitrogen shows large isotopic fractionations among geochemical and cosmochemical reservoirs, which could be used to place tight constraints on Earth’s volatile accretion process. Here we experimentally determine N-partitioning and -isotopic fractionation between planetary cores and silicate mantles. We show that the core/mantle N-isotopic fractionation factors, ranging from −4‰ to +10‰, are strongly controlled by oxygen fugacity, and the core/mantle N-partitioning is a multi-function of oxygen fugacity, temperature, pressure, and compositions of the core and mantle. After applying N-partitioning and -isotopic fractionation in a planetary accretion and core–mantle differentiation model, we find that the N-budget and -isotopic composition of Earth’s crust plus atmosphere, silicate mantle, and the mantle source of oceanic island basalts are best explained by Earth’s early accretion of enstatite chondrite-like impactors, followed by accretion of increasingly oxidized impactors and minimal CI chondrite-like materials before and during the Moon-forming giant impact. Such a heterogeneous accretion process can also explain the carbon–hydrogen–sulfur budget in the bulk silicate Earth. The Earth may thus have acquired its major volatile inventory heterogeneously during the main accretion phase.

Suggested Citation

  • Lanlan Shi & Wenhua Lu & Takanori Kagoshima & Yuji Sano & Zenghao Gao & Zhixue Du & Yun Liu & Yingwei Fei & Yuan Li, 2022. "Nitrogen isotope evidence for Earth’s heterogeneous accretion of volatiles," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-32516-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32516-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Shoh Tagawa & Naoya Sakamoto & Kei Hirose & Shunpei Yokoo & John Hernlund & Yasuo Ohishi & Hisayoshi Yurimoto, 2021. "Experimental evidence for hydrogen incorporation into Earth’s core," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Nicolas Dauphas, 2017. "The isotopic nature of the Earth’s accreting material through time," Nature, Nature, vol. 541(7638), pages 521-524, January.
    3. Francis Albarède, 2009. "Volatile accretion history of the terrestrial planets and dynamic implications," Nature, Nature, vol. 461(7268), pages 1227-1233, October.
    4. Zaicong Wang & Harry Becker, 2013. "Ratios of S, Se and Te in the silicate Earth require a volatile-rich late veneer," Nature, Nature, vol. 499(7458), pages 328-331, July.
    5. Mario Fischer-Gödde & Thorsten Kleine, 2017. "Ruthenium isotopic evidence for an inner Solar System origin of the late veneer," Nature, Nature, vol. 541(7638), pages 525-527, January.
    6. J. Labidi & P. H. Barry & D. V. Bekaert & M. W. Broadley & B. Marty & T. Giunta & O. Warr & B. Sherwood Lollar & T. P. Fischer & G. Avice & A. Caracausi & C. J. Ballentine & S. A. Halldórsson & A. Ste, 2020. "Hydrothermal 15N15N abundances constrain the origins of mantle nitrogen," Nature, Nature, vol. 580(7803), pages 367-371, April.
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