Archean Geodynamics and Environments
Geophysical Monograph Series (Series Nr. 164)
1. Edition January 2006
328 Pages, Hardcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the
Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 164.
The Archean Eon represents 1.3 Gyr of Earth's distant past, from
about 3.8 Ga to 2.5 Ga--nearly one third of our planet's
history. It was during the Archean that a regime of global
geodynamics was established, resulting in the formation and
recycling of the first lithosphere, as well as the formation,
growth, deformation, differentiation, emergence, and erosion of
continents. By the end of the Archean, Earth had reached a
geodynamic regime dominated by plate tectonic processes. The
consequent environments, at and near Earth's surface, included the
different niches within which early life forms evolved. It is to
the Archean evolution of Earth that we now look to better
understand many of the processes that shaped the planet, as we know
it.
Keith Benn, Jean-Claude Mareschal, and Kent C. Condie vii
Introduction: Archean Geodynamics and Environments
Keith Benn, Jean-Claude Mareschal, and Kent C. Condie 1
Global Context
Archean Geodynamics and the Thermal Evolution of Earth
Jun Korenaga 7
Continental Growth and the Archean Paradox
A. Lenardic 33
Archean Geodynamics: Similar to or Different From Modern Geodynamics?
Kent C. Condie and Keith Benn 47
Thermomechanical Evolution of Continents
Archean Thermal Regime and Stabilization of the Cratons
Jean-Claude Mareschal and Claude Jaupart 61
Creation and Preservation of Cratonic Lithosphere: Seismic Constraints and Geodynamic Models
C. M. Cooper, A. Lenardic, A. Levander, and L. Moresi 75
Geochemical/Petrologic Constraints on the Origin of Cratonic Mantle
Cin-Ty Aeolus Lee 89
Crustal Ductility and Early Continental Tectonophysics
R. G Bailey 115
Thermal and Mechanical Controls on the Evolution of Archean Crustal Deformation: Examples From Western Australia
Simon Bodorkos and Mike Sandiford 131
Subduction
Experimental Constraints on TTG Petrogenesis: Implications for Archean Geodynamics
Jean-Frangois Moyen and Gary Stevens 149
Geodynamic Modeling of Late Archean Subduction: Pressure-Temperature Constraints From Greenstone Belt Diamond Deposits
C. O'Neill and D. A. Wyman 1 77
Reading the Geochemical Fingerprints of Archean Hot Subduction Volcanic Rocks: Evidence for Accretion and Crustal Recycling in a Mobile Tectonic Regime
A. Polat and R. Kerrich 189
Late-Archean Convergent Margin Volcanism in the Superior Province: A Comparison of the Blake River Group and Confederation Assemblage
D. A. Wyman and P. Hoilings 215
Orogenies
High-Pressure Intermediate-Temperature Metamorphism in the Southern Barberton Granitoid-Greenstone Terrain, South Africa: A Consequence of Subduction-Driven Overthickening and Collapse of Mid-Archean Continental Crust
Johann Diener, Gary Stevens, and Alex Kisters 239
Reflections of the Neoarchean: A Global Perspective
Arie J. van der Velden, Frederick A. Cook, Barry J. Drummond, and Bruce R. Goleby 255
Tectonic Delamination of the Lower Crust During Late Archean Collision of the Abitibi-Opatica and Pontiac Terranes, Superior Province, Canada
Keith Benn 267
Biogeochemical Environments and Life
The Early Record of Life
Frances Westall and Gordon Southam 283
Biogeochemical Cycles of Sulfur and Nitrogen in the Archean Ocean and Atmosphere
Yanan Shen, Daniele L. Pinti, and Ko Hashizume 305
