Archaean Geochemistry: The Origin and Evolution of the Archaean Continental Crust

ISBN-13: 9783642700033 / Angielski / Miękka / 2011 / 286 str.

A. Kr Ner; G. N. Hanson; A. M. Goodwin

Opis

Archaean Geochemistry 1972 - 1984 The realisation that the continental crust contains well-preserved relics which date as far back as 4/5 of the Earth's age has given a great impetus to the study of early Precambrian terrains. As late as the mid-sixties the Archaean still constituted the 'terra-in cognita' of earth science. High metamorphic grades, poor out crop, and not least a widely assumed obliteration of early crustal records by convective recycling and thermal reworking had com bined to discourage research in this field. Many excellent local studies existed, notably around gold mining centres, but remained unrelated to a broader regional and theoretical understanding. This situation has changed as the consequence of two inter-related factors: (1) advances in isotopic methods and their application to Precambrian rocks, and (2) the recognition that some of the oldest terrains have retained a wealth of primary igneous and sedi mentary textures and even geochemical characteristics.

Spis treści

Mantle Chemistry and Accretion History of the Earth.- Geochemical Characteristics of Archaean Ultramafic and Mafic Volcanic Rocks: Implications for Mantle Composition and Evolution.- Archaean Sedimentary Rocks and Their Relation to the Composition of the Archaean Continental Crust.- Spatial and Temporal Variations of Archaean Metallogenic Associations in Terms of Evolution of Granitoid-Greenstone Terrains with Particular Emphasis on the Western Australian Shield.- Magma Mixing in Komatiitic Lavas from Munro Township, Ontario.- Oxygen Isotope Compositions of Minerals and Rocks and Chemical Alteration Patterns in Pillow Lavas from the Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa.- Petrology and Geochemistry of Layered Ultramafic to Mafic Complexes from the Archaean Craton of Karnataka, Southern India.- Pressures, Temperatures and Metamorphic Fluids Across an Unbroken Amphibolite Facies to Granulite Facies Transition in Southern Karnataka, India.- Origin of Archaean Charnockites from Southern India.- Radiometric Ages (Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, U-Pb) and REE Geochemistry of Archaean Granulite Gneisses from Eastern Hebei Province, China.- The Most Ancient Rocks in the USSR Territory by U-Pb Data on Accessory Zircons.- Age and Evolution of the Early Precambrian Continental Crust of the Ukrainian Shield.- Significance of Early Archaean Mafic-Ultramafic Xenolith Patterns.