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The debate about early Earth differentiation focuses on the processes responsible for the formation of protocrust(s) and continental crust of felsic (SiO2 ≥ 55 weight %) composition. One aspect of this debate is how Hadean zircons fit into an ultramafic environment. On the basis of experiments, thermodynamic modeling, and elemental partitioning, we show that felsic melts could have been generated by shallow interaction between primordial serpentinized peridotite and basaltic magmas on Earth and Mars. On the basis of the hafnium isotopic evolution of Hadean detrital zircons worldwide, we infer that these interactions allowed for the formation of extensive Hadean felsic crust (4.4 to 4.5 billion years ago), which, in turn, would account for up to 50% of the present continental crustal mass. A similar process may have occurred on Mars. The serpentinized protocrust had a dual role in the primitive planetary environment: to provide ingredients for the continental crust and to enable life to emerge on water-bearing terrestrial planets.
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This content will become publicly available on December 2, 2025
Making Continental Crust on Water-bearing Terrestrial Planets
Debate regarding early Earth differentiation focuses on the fate, nature, origin, volume, and processes responsible for protocrust(s) and felsic crust formation. One specific aspect of this debate is how Hadean zircons and their felsic parental magmas fit with an expected ultramafic environment. Based on our new experiments, thermodynamic modeling, and elemental partitioning, we infer that felsic liquids could have been generated by shallow (< 20 km) interaction between primordial hydrated peridotite (serpentinite) and basaltic magmas. Felsic melts (SiO2 ≥ 55 wt%) can be generated at a maximum melt fraction of 0.4 when starting serpentinite:basalt mass ratio is high (i.e., higher than 1.5:1). Here we show that felsic melts obtained in our experimental runs can account for the Hf isotope evolutionary array displayed by Hadean detrital zircons worldwide. We propose that open system interactions between serpentinite and basaltic melts at the end of the magma ocean stage after magma degassing and water ocean precipitation allowed the formation of extensive early Hadean felsic crust (4.4 - 4.5 Gy ago). Our calculations indicate that this felsic crust accounts for up to 50% of present-day continental crust mass. The abundant production of primordial felsic crust throughout the Hadean could be due to the impact-induced melting owing to frequent impacts. A similar process could have also occurred on Mars, and other rocky planets, provided that water was abundant at shallow and surficial levels, which would account for the existence of a thick felsic crust. The serpentinised protocrust had a dual role in the primitive planetary environment: to provide the first and most abundant felsic crust and to facilitate the emergence of life in the shallow hydrothermal environments of water-bearing terrestrial planets.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2151038
- PAR ID:
- 10629364
- Publisher / Repository:
- American Geophysical Union
- Date Published:
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Location:
- Washington DC
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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