Archean Geodynamics and Environments / Edition 1

by Keith Benn, Jean-Claude Mareschal, Kent C. Condie

Overview

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 164.

The Archean Eon represents 1.3 Gyr of Earth's distant past, from about 3.8 Ga to 2.5 Ga—nearly one third of our planet's history. It was during the Archean that a regime of global geodynamics was established, resulting in the formation and recycling of the first lithosphere, as well as the formation, growth, deformation, differentiation, emergence, and erosion of continents. By the end of the Archean, Earth had reached a geodynamic regime dominated by plate tectonic processes. The consequent environments, at and near Earth's surface, included the different niches within which early life forms evolved. It is to the Archean evolution of Earth that we now look to better understand many of the processes that shaped the planet, as we know it.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780875904290
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	01/10/2006
Series:	Geophysical Monograph Series , #164
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.91(d)

About the Author

Keith Benn and Jean-Claude Mareschal are the authors of Archean Geodynamics and Environments, published by Wiley.

Table of Contents

Preface
Keith Benn, Jean-Claude Mareschal, and Kent C. Condie vii

Introduction: Archean Geodynamics and Environments
Keith Benn, Jean-Claude Mareschal, and Kent C. Condie 1

Global Context

Archean Geodynamics and the Thermal Evolution of Earth
Jun Korenaga 7

Continental Growth and the Archean Paradox
A. Lenardic 33

Archean Geodynamics: Similar to or Different From Modern Geodynamics?
Kent C. Condie and Keith Benn 47

Thermomechanical Evolution of Continents

Archean Thermal Regime and Stabilization of the Cratons
Jean-Claude Mareschal and Claude Jaupart 61

Creation and Preservation of Cratonic Lithosphere: Seismic Constraints and Geodynamic Models
C. M. Cooper, A. Lenardic, A. Levander, and L. Moresi 75

Geochemical/Petrologic Constraints on the Origin of Cratonic Mantle
Cin-Ty Aeolus Lee 89

Crustal Ductility and Early Continental Tectonophysics
R. G Bailey 115

Thermal and Mechanical Controls on the Evolution of Archean Crustal Deformation: Examples From Western Australia
Simon Bodorkos and Mike Sandiford 131

Subduction

Experimental Constraints on TTG Petrogenesis: Implications for Archean Geodynamics
Jean-Frangois Moyen and Gary Stevens 149

Geodynamic Modeling of Late Archean Subduction: Pressure-Temperature Constraints From Greenstone Belt Diamond Deposits
C. O'Neill and D. A. Wyman 1 77

Reading the Geochemical Fingerprints of Archean Hot Subduction Volcanic Rocks: Evidence for Accretion and Crustal Recycling in a Mobile Tectonic Regime
A. Polat and R. Kerrich 189

Late-Archean Convergent Margin Volcanism in the Superior Province: A Comparison of the Blake River Group and Confederation Assemblage
D. A. Wyman and P. Hoilings 215

Orogenies

High-Pressure Intermediate-Temperature Metamorphism in the Southern Barberton Granitoid-Greenstone Terrain, South Africa: A Consequence of Subduction-Driven Overthickening and Collapse of Mid-Archean Continental Crust
Johann Diener, Gary Stevens, and Alex Kisters 239

Reflections of the Neoarchean: A Global Perspective
Arie J. van der Velden, Frederick A. Cook, Barry J. Drummond, and Bruce R. Goleby 255

Tectonic Delamination of the Lower Crust During Late Archean Collision of the Abitibi-Opatica and Pontiac Terranes, Superior Province, Canada
Keith Benn 267

Biogeochemical Environments and Life

The Early Record of Life
Frances Westall and Gordon Southam 283

Biogeochemical Cycles of Sulfur and Nitrogen in the Archean Ocean and Atmosphere
Yanan Shen, Daniele L. Pinti, and Ko Hashizume 305