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Early planetesimal differentiation and late accretion shaped Earth’s nitrogen budget

Author

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  • Wenzhong Wang

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    Carnegie Institution for Science
    University College London)

  • Michael J. Walter

    (Carnegie Institution for Science)

  • John P. Brodholt

    (University College London
    University of Oslo)

  • Shichun Huang

    (University of Tennessee at Knoxville)

Abstract

The relative roles of protoplanetary differentiation versus late accretion in establishing Earth’s life-essential volatile element inventory are being hotly debated. To address this issue, we employ first-principles calculations to investigate nitrogen (N) isotope fractionation during Earth’s accretion and differentiation. We find that segregation of an iron core would enrich heavy N isotopes in the residual silicate, while evaporation within a H2-dominated nebular gas produces an enrichment of light N isotope in the planetesimals. The combined effect of early planetesimal evaporation followed by core formation enriches the bulk silicate Earth in light N isotopes. If Earth is comprised primarily of enstatite-chondrite-like material, as indicated by other isotope systems, then late accretion of carbonaceous-chondrite-like material must contribute ~ 30–100% of the N budget in present-day bulk silicate Earth. However, mass balance using N isotope constraints shows that the late veneer contributes only a limited amount of other volatile elements (e.g., H, S, and C) to Earth.

Suggested Citation

  • Wenzhong Wang & Michael J. Walter & John P. Brodholt & Shichun Huang, 2024. "Early planetesimal differentiation and late accretion shaped Earth’s nitrogen budget," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-48500-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48500-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Edward D. Young & Anat Shahar & Hilke E. Schlichting, 2023. "Earth shaped by primordial H2 atmospheres," Nature, Nature, vol. 616(7956), pages 306-311, April.
    2. Igor Rzeplinski & Chrystèle Sanloup & Eric Gilabert & Denis Horlait, 2022. "Hadean isotopic fractionation of xenon retained in deep silicates," Nature, Nature, vol. 606(7915), pages 713-717, June.
    3. 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.
    4. Curtis D. Williams & Sujoy Mukhopadhyay, 2019. "Capture of nebular gases during Earth’s accretion is preserved in deep-mantle neon," Nature, Nature, vol. 565(7737), pages 78-81, January.
    5. Shui-Jiong Wang & Wenzhong Wang & Jian-Ming Zhu & Zhongqing Wu & Jingao Liu & Guilin Han & Fang-Zhen Teng & Shichun Huang & Hongjie Wu & Yujian Wang & Guangliang Wu & Weihan Li, 2021. "Nickel isotopic evidence for late-stage accretion of Mercury-like differentiated planetary embryos," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-7, December.
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