Early Earth - W
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Load more
Recommended publications
-
Timeline of Natural History
Timeline of natural history This timeline of natural history summarizes significant geological and Life timeline Ice Ages biological events from the formation of the 0 — Primates Quater nary Flowers ←Earliest apes Earth to the arrival of modern humans. P Birds h Mammals – Plants Dinosaurs Times are listed in millions of years, or Karo o a n ← Andean Tetrapoda megaanni (Ma). -50 0 — e Arthropods Molluscs r ←Cambrian explosion o ← Cryoge nian Ediacara biota – z ←Earliest animals o ←Earliest plants i Multicellular -1000 — c Contents life ←Sexual reproduction Dating of the Geologic record – P r The earliest Solar System -1500 — o t Precambrian Supereon – e r Eukaryotes Hadean Eon o -2000 — z o Archean Eon i Huron ian – c Eoarchean Era ←Oxygen crisis Paleoarchean Era -2500 — ←Atmospheric oxygen Mesoarchean Era – Photosynthesis Neoarchean Era Pong ola Proterozoic Eon -3000 — A r Paleoproterozoic Era c – h Siderian Period e a Rhyacian Period -3500 — n ←Earliest oxygen Orosirian Period Single-celled – life Statherian Period -4000 — ←Earliest life Mesoproterozoic Era H Calymmian Period a water – d e Ectasian Period a ←Earliest water Stenian Period -4500 — n ←Earth (−4540) (million years ago) Clickable Neoproterozoic Era ( Tonian Period Cryogenian Period Ediacaran Period Phanerozoic Eon Paleozoic Era Cambrian Period Ordovician Period Silurian Period Devonian Period Carboniferous Period Permian Period Mesozoic Era Triassic Period Jurassic Period Cretaceous Period Cenozoic Era Paleogene Period Neogene Period Quaternary Period Etymology of period names References See also External links Dating of the Geologic record The Geologic record is the strata (layers) of rock in the planet's crust and the science of geology is much concerned with the age and origin of all rocks to determine the history and formation of Earth and to understand the forces that have acted upon it. -
The History of Planet Earth
SECOND EDITION Earth’s Evolving The History of Systems Planet Earth Ronald Martin, Ph.D. University of Delaware Newark, Delaware © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC, an Ascend Learning Company. NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION 9781284457162_FMxx_00i_xxii.indd 1 07/11/16 1:46 pm World Headquarters Jones & Bartlett Learning 5 Wall Street Burlington, MA 01803 978-443-5000 [email protected] www.jblearning.com Jones & Bartlett Learning books and products are available through most bookstores and online booksellers. To contact Jones & Bartlett Learning directly, call 800-832-0034, fax 978-443-8000, or visit our website, www.jblearning.com. Substantial discounts on bulk quantities of Jones & Bartlett Learning publications are available to corporations, professional associations, and other qualified organizations. For details and specific discount information, contact the special sales department at Jones & Bartlett Learning via the above contact information or send an email to [email protected]. Copyright © 2018 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC, an Ascend Learning Company All rights reserved. No part of the material protected by this copyright may be reproduced or utilized in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright owner. The content, statements, views, and opinions herein are the sole expression of the respective authors and not that of Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not constitute or imply its endorsement or recommendation by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC, and such reference shall not be used for advertis- ing or product endorsement purposes. -
Argon Ages and Geochemistry of Lunar Breccias 67016 and 67455
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 74 (2010) 763–783 www.elsevier.com/locate/gca Imbrium provenance for the Apollo 16 Descartes terrain: Argon ages and geochemistry of lunar breccias 67016 and 67455 M.D. Norman a,b,*, R.A. Duncan c, J.J. Huard c a Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra 0200, Australia b Lunar and Planetary Institute, 3600 Bay Area Boulevard, Houston TX 77058, USA c College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA Received 23 January 2009; accepted in revised form 16 September 2009; available online 21 October 2009 Abstract In order to improve our understanding of impact history and surface geology on the Moon, we obtained 40Ar–39Ar incre- mental heating age data and major + trace element compositions of anorthositic and melt breccia clasts from Apollo 16 feld- spathic fragmental breccias 67016 and 67455. These breccias represent the Descartes terrain, a regional unit often proposed to be ejecta from the nearby Nectaris basin. The goal of this work is to better constrain the emplacement age and provenance of the Descartes breccias. Four anorthositic clasts from 67016 yielded well-defined 40Ar–39Ar plateau ages ranging from 3842 ± 19 to 3875 ± 20 Ma. Replicate analyses of these clasts all agree within measurement error, with only slight evidence for either inheritance or youn- ger disturbance. In contrast, fragment-laden melt breccia clasts from 67016 yielded apparent plateau ages of 4.0–4.2 Ga with indications of even older material (to 4.5 Ga) in the high-T fractions. -
Foundations of Complex Life: Evolution, Preservation and Detection on Earth and Beyond
National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA Astrobiology Institute Annual Science Report 2016 Team Report: Foundations of Complex Life: Evolution, Preservation and Detection on Earth and Beyond, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Foundations of Complex Life Evolution, Preservation and Detection on Earth and Beyond Lead Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Team Overview Foundations of Complex Life is a research project investigating the early evolution and preservation of complex life on Earth. We seek insight into the early evolution and preservation of complex life by refining our ability to identify evidence of environmental and biological change in the late Mesoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic eras. Better understanding how signatures of life and environment are preserved will guide how and where to look for evidence for life elsewhere in the universe—directly supporting the Curiosity mission on Mars and helping set strategic goals for future explorations of the Solar System and studies of the early Earth. Our Team pursues these questions under five themes: I. The earliest history of animals: We use methods from molecular biology, experimental taphonomy, and paleontology to explore what caused the early divergence of animals. Principal Investigator: II. Paleontology, sedimentology, and geochemistry: We track the origin of complex Roger Summons protists and animals from their biologically simple origins by documenting the stratigraphy, isotopic records, and microfossil assemblages of well-preserved rock successions from 1200 to 650 million years ago. III. A preservation-induced oxygen tipping point: We investigate how changes in the preservation of organic carbon may have driven the Neoproterozoic oxygenation of the oceans coincident with the appearance of complex life. -
Hutton, Kelvin, and the Great Earth Debates. • the Beginnings of Modern Geology “All Natural Processes That Affect the Earth’S Crust (Erosion, Deposition, • Ca
Chapter 1 The Science of Geology An Introduction to Geology • Geology - the science that pursues an understanding of planet Earth • Physical geology - examines the materials composing Earth and seeks to understand the many processes that operate beneath and upon its surface • Historical geology - seeks an understanding of the origin of “If there is an interesting place you want to go, there is Earth and its development interesting geology that you can study there” through time Mersin ophiolite, (Cappadocia, Central Turkey). Turkey The Science of Geology The Science of Geology 1.3: satellite image of Mt. Vesuvius, Italy. • Some historical views • Geology, people, and the environment of the Earth • Many important relationships exist between • Aristotle, 300 BC; people and the natural environment • James Ussher, ca. 1600, ‘Earth was created in Problems and issues 4004 BC;’ addressed by • Catastrophism geology include • Earth’s features formed through • Natural hazards, sudden and violent resources, world changes. ‘The Dog population growth, of and environmental Pompeii’ issues Dwelling in Goreme, Cappadocia The Science of Geology Hutton, Kelvin, and the great Earth debates. • The beginnings of modern geology “All natural processes that affect the Earth’s crust (erosion, deposition, • ca. 1780, James Huton’s volcanic eruptions, faulting, glaciation Theory of the Earth; etc.) operate with the same intensity • Uniformitarianism: “the and under the same set of physical processes that operate constraints now as in the geologic past.” today have operated in “(as to the age of Earth) we see no the past.” vestige of a beginning, no prospect of • a uniformitarian view of an end.” Earth requires a vast These points are incorrect - why? amount of time…. -
The Geologic Time Scale Is the Eon
Exploring Geologic Time Poster Illustrated Teacher's Guide #35-1145 Paper #35-1146 Laminated Background Geologic Time Scale Basics The history of the Earth covers a vast expanse of time, so scientists divide it into smaller sections that are associ- ated with particular events that have occurred in the past.The approximate time range of each time span is shown on the poster.The largest time span of the geologic time scale is the eon. It is an indefinitely long period of time that contains at least two eras. Geologic time is divided into two eons.The more ancient eon is called the Precambrian, and the more recent is the Phanerozoic. Each eon is subdivided into smaller spans called eras.The Precambrian eon is divided from most ancient into the Hadean era, Archean era, and Proterozoic era. See Figure 1. Precambrian Eon Proterozoic Era 2500 - 550 million years ago Archaean Era 3800 - 2500 million years ago Hadean Era 4600 - 3800 million years ago Figure 1. Eras of the Precambrian Eon Single-celled and simple multicelled organisms first developed during the Precambrian eon. There are many fos- sils from this time because the sea-dwelling creatures were trapped in sediments and preserved. The Phanerozoic eon is subdivided into three eras – the Paleozoic era, Mesozoic era, and Cenozoic era. An era is often divided into several smaller time spans called periods. For example, the Paleozoic era is divided into the Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous,and Permian periods. Paleozoic Era Permian Period 300 - 250 million years ago Carboniferous Period 350 - 300 million years ago Devonian Period 400 - 350 million years ago Silurian Period 450 - 400 million years ago Ordovician Period 500 - 450 million years ago Cambrian Period 550 - 500 million years ago Figure 2. -
Chapter 8: Geologic Time
Chapter 8: Geologic Time 1. The Art of Time 2. The History of Relative Time 3. Geologic Time 4. Numerical Time 5. Rates of Change Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display. Geologic Time How long has this landscape looked like this? How can you tell? Will your grandchildren see this if they hike here in 80 years? The Good Earth/Chapter 8: Geologic Time The Art of Time How would you create a piece of art to illustrate the passage of time? How do you think the Earth itself illustrates the passage of time? What time scale is illustrated in the example above? How well does this relate to geological time/geological forces? The Good Earth/Chapter 8: Geologic Time Go back to the Table of Contents Go to the next section: The History of (Relative) Time The Good Earth/Chapter 8: Geologic Time The History of (Relative) Time Paradigm shift: 17th century – science was a baby and geology as a discipline did not exist. Today, hypothesis testing method supports a geologic (scientific) age for the earth as opposed to a biblical age. Structures such as the oldest Egyptian pyramids (2650-2150 B.C.) and the Great Wall of China (688 B.C.) fall within a historical timeline that humans can relate to, while geological events may seem to have happened before time existed! The Good Earth/Chapter 8: Geologic Time The History of (Relative) Time • Relative Time = which A came first, second… − Grand Canyon – B excellent model − Which do you think happened first – the The Grand Canyon – rock layers record thousands of millions of years of geologic history. -
Chapter 7: the Age of Earth
Earth and Life History Ancient Carvings These beautiful formations in Paria Canyon, along the boder of Arizona and Utah, were carved by the Paria River about 5.4 million years ago. 40,000–12,000 1875 Years Ago Henry Hancock discovers that a Organisms are trapped tooth more than 23 cm long and in tar pits found at La 9 cm wide may be from a saber- Brea (Los Angeles, tooth cat; realizes the bones at California). La Brea could be ancient. A.D. 1 1750 1800 1850 1900 1795 1896 James Hutton pro- Henri Becquerel dis- poses idea that covers radioactivity of natural processes uranium salts not long forming rock layers after Wilhelm Conrad occur uniformly Roentgen discovers throughout time. the X ray in 1895. 278 (bkgd)Layne Kennedy/CORBIS, (t)Albert Copley/Visuals Unlimited, (b)American Institute of Physics/Emilio Segrè Visual Archives To learn more about geologists and paleontologists and their work, visit ca7.msscience.com. Interactive Time Line To learn more about these events and others, visit ca7.msscience.com. c. 1910–1915 1980 1990 First scientific digs of the La Luis and Walter Alvarez from UC NASA researchers Kevin Pope, Brea Tar Pits are made by Berkeley propose that an asteroid Adriana Ocampo, and Charles scientists from the Univer- crashed into Earth 65 million years Duller, identify a huge crater sity of California; about ago, causing the sudden extinction in the Yucatan, Mexico, that 170,000 fossils found. of dinosaurs and many other living they think is the site of the things. asteroid crash. 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 1913 1967 November 2002 First numeric time scale of geo- Richard Leakey finds two The National Science Founda- logic ages is proposed by skulls and uses new technol- tion launches a program, sci- Arthur Holmes of Great Britain; ogy to date objects more entists from around the world he used radioactive means to accurately; one is 195,000 will verify dates and class of measure the age of Earth years old, the oldest for a old specimens and analyze (about 4 billion years old). -
Workshop on Moon in Transition: Apollo 14, Kreep, and Evolved Lunar Rocks
WORKSHOP ON MOON IN TRANSITION: APOLLO 14, KREEP, AND EVOLVED LUNAR ROCKS (NASA-CR-I"'-- N90-I_02o rRAN31TION: APJLLN l_p KRFEP, ANu _VOLVFD LUNAR ROCKS (Lunar and Pl_net3ry !nst.) I_7 p C_CL O3B Unclas G3/91 0253133 LPI Technical Report Number 89-03 UNAR AND PLANETARY INSTITUTE 3303 NASA ROAD 1 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77058-4399 7 WORKSHOP ON MOON IN TRANSITION: APOLLO 14, KREEP, AND EVOLVED LUNAR ROCKS Edited by G. J. Taylor and P. H. Warren Sponsored by Lunar and Planetary Institute NASA Johnson Space Center November 14-16, 1988 Houston, Texas Lunar and Planetary Institute 330 ?_NASA Road 1 Houston, Texas 77058-4399 LPI Technical Report Number 89-03 Compiled in 1989 by the LUNAR AND PLANETARY INSTITUTE The Institute is operated by Universities Space Research Association under Contract NASW-4066 with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Material in this document may be copied without restraint for Library, abstract service, educational, or personal research purposes; however, republication of any portion requires the written permission of the authors as well as appropriate acknowledgment of this publication. This report may be cited as: Taylor G. J. and Warren PI H., eds. (1989) Workshop on Moon in Transition: Apo{l_ 14 KREEP, and Evolved Lunar Rocks. [PI Tech. Rpt. 89-03. Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston. 156 pp. Papers in this report may be cited as: Author A. A. (1989) Title of paper. In W_nkshop on Moon in Transition: Ap_llo 14, KREEP, and Evolved Lunar Rocks (G. J. Taylor and P. H. Warren, eds.), pp. xx-yy. LPI Tech. Rpt. -
A Christian Physicist Examines Noah's Flood and Plate Tectonics
A Christian Physicist Examines Noah’s Flood and Plate Tectonics by Steven Ball, Ph.D. September 2003 Dedication I dedicate this work to my friend and colleague Rodric White-Stevens, who delighted in discussing with me the geologic wonders of the Earth and their relevance to Biblical faith. Cover picture courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey, copyright free 1 Introduction It seems that no subject stirs the passions of those intending to defend biblical truth more than Noah’s Flood. It is perhaps the one biblical account that appears to conflict with modern science more than any other. Many aspiring Christian apologists have chosen to use this account as a litmus test of whether one accepts the Bible or modern science as true. Before we examine this together, let me clarify that I accept the account of Noah’s Flood as completely true, just as I do the entirety of the Bible. The Bible demonstrates itself to be reliable and remarkably consistent, having numerous interesting participants in various stories through which is interwoven a continuous theme of God’s plan for man’s redemption. Noah’s Flood is one of those stories, revealing to us both God’s judgment of sin and God’s over-riding grace and mercy. It remains a timeless account, for it has much to teach us about a God who never changes. It is one of the most popular Bible stories for children, and the truth be known, for us adults as well. It is rather unfortunate that many dismiss the account as mythical, simply because it seems to be at odds with a scientific view of the earth. -
Origins of Life in the Universe Zackary Johnson
11/4/2007 Origins of Life in the Universe Zackary Johnson OCN201 Fall 2007 [email protected] Zackary Johnson http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/oceanography/zij/education.html Uniiiversity of Hawaii Department of Oceanography Class Schedule Nov‐2Originsof Life and the Universe Nov‐5 Classification of Life Nov‐7 Primary Production Nov‐9Consumers Nov‐14 Evolution: Processes (Steward) Nov‐16 Evolution: Adaptation() (Steward) Nov‐19 Marine Microbiology Nov‐21 Benthic Communities Nov‐26 Whale Falls (Smith) Nov‐28 The Marine Food Web Nov‐30 Community Ecology Dec‐3 Fisheries Dec‐5Global Ecology Dec‐12 Final Major Concepts TIMETABLE Big Bang! • Life started early, but not at the beginning, of Earth’s Milky Way (and other galaxies formed) history • Abiogenesis is the leading hypothesis to explain the beginning of life on Earth • There are many competing theories as to how this happened • Some of the details have been worked out, but most Formation of Earth have not • Abiogenesis almost certainly occurred in the ocean 20‐15 15‐94.5Today Billions of Years Before Present 1 11/4/2007 Building Blocks TIMETABLE Big Bang! • Universe is mostly hydrogen (H) and helium (He); for Milky Way (and other galaxies formed) example –the sun is 70% H, 28% He and 2% all else! Abundance) e • Most elements of interest to biology (C, N, P, O, etc.) were (Relativ 10 produced via nuclear fusion Formation of Earth Log at very high temperature reactions in large stars after Big Bang 20‐13 13‐94.7Today Atomic Number Billions of Years Before Present ORIGIN OF LIFE ON EARTH Abiogenesis: 3 stages Divine Creation 1. -
Convective Isolation of Hadean Mantle Reservoirs Through Archean Time
Convective isolation of Hadean mantle reservoirs through Archean time Jonas Tuscha,1, Carsten Münkera, Eric Hasenstaba, Mike Jansena, Chris S. Mariena, Florian Kurzweila, Martin J. Van Kranendonkb,c, Hugh Smithiesd, Wolfgang Maiere, and Dieter Garbe-Schönbergf aInstitut für Geologie und Mineralogie, Universität zu Köln, 50674 Köln, Germany; bSchool of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia; cAustralian Center for Astrobiology, The University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia; dDepartment of Mines, Industry Regulations and Safety, Geological Survey of Western Australia, East Perth, WA 6004, Australia; eSchool of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, United Kingdom; and fInstitut für Geowissenschaften, Universität zu Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany Edited by Richard W. Carlson, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington, DC, and approved November 18, 2020 (received for review June 19, 2020) Although Earth has a convecting mantle, ancient mantle reservoirs anomalies in Eoarchean rocks was interpreted as evidence that that formed within the first 100 Ma of Earth’s history (Hadean these rocks lacked a late veneer component (5). Conversely, the Eon) appear to have been preserved through geologic time. Evi- presence of some late accreted material is required to explain the dence for this is based on small anomalies of isotopes such as elevated abundances of highly siderophile elements (HSEs) in 182W, 142Nd, and 129Xe that are decay products of short-lived nu- Earth’s modern silicate mantle (9). Notably, some Archean rocks clide systems. Studies of such short-lived isotopes have typically with apparent pre-late veneer like 182W isotope excesses were focused on geological units with a limited age range and therefore shown to display HSE concentrations that are indistinguishable only provide snapshots of regional mantle heterogeneities.