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Barium content of Archaean continental crust reveals the onset of subduction was not global

Author

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  • Guangyu Huang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Ross N. Mitchell

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Richard M. Palin

    (University of Oxford)

  • Christopher J. Spencer

    (Queen’s University)

  • Jinghui Guo

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

Earth’s earliest continental crust is dominated by tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite (TTG) suites, making these rocks key to unlocking the global geodynamic regime operating during the Archaean (4.0–2.5 billion years ago [Ga]). The tectonic setting of TTG magmatism is controversial, with hypotheses arguing both for and against subduction. Here we conduct petrological modeling over a range of pressure–temperature conditions relevant to the Archaean geothermal gradient. Using an average enriched Archaean basaltic source composition, we predict Ba concentrations in TTG suites, which is difficult to increase after magma generated in the source. The results indicate only low geothermal gradients corresponding to hot subduction zones produce Ba-rich TTG, thus Ba represents a proxy for the onset of subduction. We then identify statistically significant increases in the Ba contents of TTG suites worldwide as recording the diachronous onset of subduction from regional at 4 Ga to globally complete sometime after 2.7 Ga.

Suggested Citation

  • Guangyu Huang & Ross N. Mitchell & Richard M. Palin & Christopher J. Spencer & Jinghui Guo, 2022. "Barium content of Archaean continental crust reveals the onset of subduction was not global," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-34343-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34343-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robert H. Smithies & Yongjun Lu & Christopher L. Kirkland & Tim E. Johnson & David R. Mole & David C. Champion & Laure Martin & Heejin Jeon & Michael T. D. Wingate & Simon P. Johnson, 2021. "Oxygen isotopes trace the origins of Earth’s earliest continental crust," Nature, Nature, vol. 592(7852), pages 70-75, April.
    2. Robert P. Rapp & Nobumichi Shimizu & Marc D. Norman, 2003. "Growth of early continental crust by partial melting of eclogite," Nature, Nature, vol. 425(6958), pages 605-609, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jin Liu & Richard M. Palin & Ross N. Mitchell & Zhenghong Liu & Jian Zhang & Zhongshui Li & Changquan Cheng & Hongxiang Zhang, 2024. "Archaean multi-stage magmatic underplating drove formation of continental nuclei in the North China Craton," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.

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