Bibliographic Details
| Title: |
Origins of plate tectonics. |
| Authors: |
P. G. |
| Source: |
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 3/10/2026, Vol. 123 Issue 10, p1-1. 1p. |
| Subjects: |
Plate tectonics, Hadean, Precambrian, Minerals |
| Geographic Terms: |
Australia |
| Abstract: |
The article focuses on research into the origins of Earth's plate tectonics by analyzing zircon crystals from Jack Hills, Australia, which date back over 4 billion years. The study found that the igneous cores of these zircons indicate a moderately oxidized mantle source during the Hadean Eon, suggesting early mantle convection. Metamorphic rims of the crystals reveal temperature and pressure conditions consistent with modern plate tectonics beginning by the Archean Eon, around 3.35 billion years ago. These findings imply that Earth's mantle reached near-modern oxidation states by approximately 4.15 billion years ago, supporting the emergence of collisional tectonics in the early Earth. [Extracted from the article] |
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| Database: |
Engineering Source |
