DOI: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2019.102923
论文题名: The Eoarchean legacy of Isua (Greenland) worth preserving for future generations
作者: Nutman A.P. ; Bennett V.C. ; Friend C.R.L. ; Kranendonk M.V.
刊名: Earth Science Reviews
ISSN: 00128252
出版年: 2019
卷: 198 语种: 英语
中文关键词: Early Earth history
; Eoarchean
; Geological heritage
; Isua
英文关键词: Archean
; deformation mechanism
; dolomite
; early Earth
; folding
; metamorphism
; orthogneiss
; stromatolite
; structural geology
; supracrustal rock
; Arctic
; Greenland
; Isua Greenstone Belt
英文摘要: The Eoarchean (>3600 Ma, or millions of years ago) folded and metamorphosed Isua supracrustal belt and the adjacent orthogneiss exposures of Greenland contain rare low deformation lenses that display some uniquely-preserved components of Earth's oldest rock record. These include world's oldest (but contested) stromatolites in dolomitic carbonates, conglomerates, pillow basalts demonstrating submarine eruption, slivers of upper mantle rocks, formation of earliest continental crust by multistage tonalite + diorite emplacement followed by intracrustal granite production. All these diverse occurrences are keys to establish early Earth's processes at the start of the geological record. Although some of these features are preserved at several localities, other critical ones are exposed on only a few m2 of rock at single localities or are of historical significance. None of these sites are currently protected, and there is a reliance on responsible sampling to keep them intact for future generations. Given the high interest in the Archean Eon, combined with the increased ease of fieldwork in remote localities, many significant ‘Deep Time’ localities in not only Greenland but worldwide are in danger of eradication. Here, five key Isua area geological sites are presented, with an explanation of their significance and worthiness for initially reliance on already-collected samples, but hopefully ultimately government protection. This highlights an increasing problem of destruction of in situ evidence of Earth's unique early geological heritage and the need for collaboration in protecting and archiving of these key scientific resources. © 2019 Elsevier B.V. Citation statistics:
资源类型: 期刊论文
标识符: http://119.78.100.158/handle/2HF3EXSE/165895
Appears in Collections: 气候变化与战略
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作者单位: GeoQuEST Research Centre, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; Australian Centre for Astrobiology, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia; Glendale, Tiddington, Oxon OX9 2LQ, United Kingdom; School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales Australia, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
Recommended Citation:
Nutman A.P.,Bennett V.C.,Friend C.R.L.,et al. The Eoarchean legacy of Isua (Greenland) worth preserving for future generations[J]. Earth Science Reviews,2019-01-01,198