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Reevaluating the evidence for a Hadean-Eoarchean dynamo.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Abstract

The time of origin of the geodynamo has important implications for the thermal evolution of the planetary interior and the habitability of early Earth. It has been proposed that detrital zircon grains from Jack Hills, Western Australia, provide evidence for an active geodynamo as early as 4.2 billion years (Ga) ago. However, our combined paleomagnetic, geochemical, and mineralogical studies on Jack Hills zircons indicate that most have poor magnetic recording properties and secondary magnetization carriers that postdate the formation of the zircons. Therefore, the existence of the geodynamo before 3.5 Ga ago remains unknown.

Description

Keywords

37 Earth Sciences, 51 Physical Sciences, 3703 Geochemistry, 3705 Geology, 3706 Geophysics

Journal Title

Sci Adv

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2375-2548
2375-2548

Volume Title

6

Publisher

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Sponsorship
Natural Environment Research Council (NE/P002498/1)
European Research Council (320750)
NERC and ERC