Earth-atmosphere evolution based on new determination of Devonian atmosphere Ar isotopic composition.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Earth-atmosphere evolution based on new determination of Devonian atmosphere Ar isotopic composition.
Authors: Stuart, Finlay M.1 fin.stuart@glasgow.ac.uk, Mark, Darren F.1, Gandanger, Pierre1, McConville, Paul1
Source: Earth & Planetary Science Letters. Jul2016, Vol. 446, p21-26. 6p.
Subjects: Atmospheric evolution, Devonian Period, Argon isotopes, Noble gases, Rocks, Geological formations
Abstract: The isotopic composition of the noble gases, in particular Ar, in samples of ancient atmosphere trapped in rocks and minerals provides the strongest constraints on the timing and rate of Earth atmosphere formation by degassing of the Earth's interior. We have re-measured the isotopic composition of argon in the Rhynie chert from northeast Scotland using a high precision mass spectrometer in an effort to provide constraints on the composition of Devonian atmosphere. Irradiated chert samples yield 40 Ar/ 36 Ar ratios that are often below the modern atmosphere value. The data define a 40 Ar/ 36 Ar value of 289.5 ± 0.4 at K/ 36 Ar = 0. Similarly low 40 Ar/ 36 Ar are measured in un-irradiated chert samples. The simplest explanation for the low 40 Ar/ 36 Ar is the preservation of Devonian atmosphere-derived Ar in the chert, with the intercept value in 40 Ar– 39 Ar– 36 Ar space representing an upper limit. In this case the Earth's atmosphere has accumulated only 3% ( 5.1 ± 0.4 × 10 16 mol ) of the total 40 Ar inventory since the Devonian. The average accumulation rate of 1.27 ± 0.09 × 10 8 mol 40 Ar/yr overlaps the rate over the last 800 kyr. This implies that there has been no resolvable temporal change in the outgassing rate of the Earth since the mid-Palaeozoic despite the likely episodicity of Ar degassing from the continental crust. Incorporating the new Devonian atmosphere 40 Ar/ 36 Ar into the Earth degassing model of Pujol et al. (2013) provides the most precise constraints on atmosphere formation so far. The atmosphere formed in the first ∼100 Ma after initial accretion during a catastrophic degassing episode. A significant volume of 40 Ar did not start to accumulate in the atmosphere until after 4 Ga which implies that stable K-rich continental crust did not develop until this time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Earth & Planetary Science Letters is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: egs
DbLabel: Engineering Source
An: 115412063
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Earth-atmosphere evolution based on new determination of Devonian atmosphere Ar isotopic composition.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stuart%2C+Finlay+M%2E%22">Stuart, Finlay M.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> fin.stuart@glasgow.ac.uk</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mark%2C+Darren+F%2E%22">Mark, Darren F.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gandanger%2C+Pierre%22">Gandanger, Pierre</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22McConville%2C+Paul%22">McConville, Paul</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Earth+%26+Planetary+Science+Letters%22">Earth & Planetary Science Letters</searchLink>. Jul2016, Vol. 446, p21-26. 6p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Atmospheric+evolution%22">Atmospheric evolution</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Devonian+Period%22">Devonian Period</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Argon+isotopes%22">Argon isotopes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Noble+gases%22">Noble gases</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rocks%22">Rocks</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Geological+formations%22">Geological formations</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The isotopic composition of the noble gases, in particular Ar, in samples of ancient atmosphere trapped in rocks and minerals provides the strongest constraints on the timing and rate of Earth atmosphere formation by degassing of the Earth's interior. We have re-measured the isotopic composition of argon in the Rhynie chert from northeast Scotland using a high precision mass spectrometer in an effort to provide constraints on the composition of Devonian atmosphere. Irradiated chert samples yield 40 Ar/ 36 Ar ratios that are often below the modern atmosphere value. The data define a 40 Ar/ 36 Ar value of 289.5 ± 0.4 at K/ 36 Ar = 0. Similarly low 40 Ar/ 36 Ar are measured in un-irradiated chert samples. The simplest explanation for the low 40 Ar/ 36 Ar is the preservation of Devonian atmosphere-derived Ar in the chert, with the intercept value in 40 Ar– 39 Ar– 36 Ar space representing an upper limit. In this case the Earth's atmosphere has accumulated only 3% ( 5.1 ± 0.4 × 10 16 mol ) of the total 40 Ar inventory since the Devonian. The average accumulation rate of 1.27 ± 0.09 × 10 8 mol 40 Ar/yr overlaps the rate over the last 800 kyr. This implies that there has been no resolvable temporal change in the outgassing rate of the Earth since the mid-Palaeozoic despite the likely episodicity of Ar degassing from the continental crust. Incorporating the new Devonian atmosphere 40 Ar/ 36 Ar into the Earth degassing model of Pujol et al. (2013) provides the most precise constraints on atmosphere formation so far. The atmosphere formed in the first ∼100 Ma after initial accretion during a catastrophic degassing episode. A significant volume of 40 Ar did not start to accumulate in the atmosphere until after 4 Ga which implies that stable K-rich continental crust did not develop until this time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Earth & Planetary Science Letters is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=egs&AN=115412063
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1016/j.epsl.2016.04.012
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 6
        StartPage: 21
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Atmospheric evolution
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Devonian Period
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Argon isotopes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Noble gases
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Rocks
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Geological formations
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Earth-atmosphere evolution based on new determination of Devonian atmosphere Ar isotopic composition.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Stuart, Finlay M.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Mark, Darren F.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Gandanger, Pierre
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: McConville, Paul
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 15
              M: 07
              Text: Jul2016
              Type: published
              Y: 2016
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0012821X
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 446
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Earth & Planetary Science Letters
              Type: main
ResultId 1