http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987114000309

In the early 1980s, evidence that crustal rocks had reached temperatures 〉1000 ℃ at normal lower crustal pressures while others had followed low thermal gradients to record pressures characteristic of mantle conditions began to appear in the literature, and the importance of melting in the tectonic evolution of orogens and metamorphic-metasomatic reworking of the lithospheric mantle was realized. In parallel, new developments in instrumentation, the expansion of in situ analysis of geological ma- terials and increases in computing power opened up new fields of investigation. The robust quantifi- cation of pressure （P）, temperature （T） and time （t） that followed these advances has provided reliable data to benchmark geodynamic models and to investigate secular change in the thermal state of the lithosphere as registered by metamorphism through time. As a result, the last 30 years have seen sig- nificant progress in our understanding of lithospheric evolution, particularly as it relates to Precambrian geodynamics.     

Stagnant lid tectonics:Perspectives from silicate planets,dwarf planets,large moons,and large asteroids

To better understand Earth's present tectonic style-plate tectonics—and how it may have evolved from single plate(stagnant lid) tectonics, it is instructive to consider how common it is among similar bodies in the Solar System. Plate tectonics is a style of convection for an active planetoid where lid fragment(plate) motions reflect sinking of dense lithosphere in subduction zones, causing upwelling of asthenosphere at divergent plate boundaries and accompanied by focused upwellings, or mantle plumes;any other tectonic style is usefully called "stagnant lid" or "fragmented lid". In 2015 humanity completed a 50+ year effort to survey the 30 largest planets, asteroids, satellites, and inner Kuiper Belt objects,which we informally call "planetoids" and use especially images of these bodies to infer their tectonic activity. The four largest planetoids are enveloped in gas and ice(Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune)and are not considered. The other 26 planetoids range in mass over 5 orders of magnitude and in diameter over 2 orders of magnitude, from massive Earth down to tiny Proteus; these bodies also range widely in density, from 1000 to 5500 kg/m~3. A gap separates 8 silicate planetoids with ρ = 3000 kg/m~3 or greater from 20 icy planetoids(including the gaseous and icy giant planets) with ρ = 2200 kg/m~3 or less. We define the "Tectonic Activity Index"(TAI), scoring each body from 0 to 3 based on evidence for recent volcanism, deformation, and resurfacing(inferred from impact crater density). Nine planetoids with TAI = 2 or greater are interpreted to be tectonically and convectively active whereas 17 with TAI 2 are inferred to be tectonically dead. We further infer that active planetoids have lithospheres or icy shells overlying asthenosphere or water/weak ice. TAI of silicate(rocky) planetoids positively correlates with their inferred Rayleigh number. We conclude that some type of stagnant lid tectonics is the dominant mode of heat loss and that plate tectonics is unusual. To make progress understanding Earth's tectonic history and the tectonic style of active exoplanets, we need to better understand the range and controls of active stagnant lid tectonics.     

再论“关于板块运动启动时间的争论”

笔者在"关于板块运动启动时间的争论"一文(陆松年等,2016)基础上,参阅公开发表的部分文章,介绍了前板块岩浆洋和停滞盖研究的新进展,并再次讨论有关板块运动启动时间的不同认识和观点。根据太阳系30个类地行星天体图像资料,硅酸盐质行星体在它的生命期由于冷却和岩石圈增厚似乎经历过多种构造样式,包括岩浆洋、多类型停滞盖以及板块构造。硅酸盐类行星由于增生、分异、撞击和放射性活动,使星体变热,发生熔融反应而形成"岩浆洋"。硅酸盐星球体早期很可能是大面积但寿命很短的岩浆洋,之后的星球可能受两种构造模型控制:停滞盖构造和板块构造。已有资料表明,停滞盖构造是类地行星的主要构造类型,而板块构造在类地行星中是十分罕见的。停滞盖构造是一个单一的、围绕天体的板块,基本由硅酸盐质岩石圈组成。停滞盖构造有三种主要变化形态——热管、滴状及柱状体、拆沉及上涌流。板块构造启动时间从>4.4Ga到0.85Ga至少有11种不同观点:认为板块构造始于冥古宙的有1种、始于始-古太古代的有3种、始于中-新太古代的有4种、始于古元古代有1种、始于新元古代的有2种。本文重点介绍了地球冥古宙-太古宙板块运动启动的地质学证据和特点。     

Did the transition to plate tectonics cause Neoproterozoic Snowball Earth?

When Earth's tectonic style transitioned from stagnant lid (single plate) to the modern episode of plate tectonics is important but unresolved, and all lines of evidence should be considered, including the climate record. The transition should have disturbed the oceans and atmosphere by redistributing continents, increasing explosive arc volcanism, stimulating mantle plumes and disrupting climate equilibrium established by the previous balance of silicate‐weathering greenhouse gas feedbacks. Formation of subduction zones would redistribute mass sufficiently to cause true polar wander if the subducted slabs were added in the upper mantle at intermediate to high latitudes. The Neoproterozoic Snowball Earth climate crisis may reflect this transition. The transition to plate tectonics is compatible with nearly all proposed geodynamic and oceanographic triggers for Neoproterozoic Snowball Earth events, and could also have contributed to biological triggers. Only extraterrestrial triggers cannot be reconciled with the hypothesis that the Neoproterozoic climate crisis was caused by a prolonged (200–250 m.y.) transition to plate tectonics.     

Plate tectonics,flood basalts and the evolution of Earth’s oceans

The chemical composition of the bulk silicate Earth (BSE) indicates that the present‐day thermal budget of Earth is likely to be characterized by a significant excess of surface heat loss over internal heat generation, indicating an important role of secular cooling in Earth’s history. When combined with petrological constraints on the degree of secular cooling, this thermal budget places a tight constraint on permissible heat‐flow scaling for mantle convection, along with implications for the operation of plate tectonics on Earth, the history of mantle plumes and flood basalt magmatism, and the origin and evolution of Earth’s oceans. In the presence of plate tectonics, hotter mantle may have convected more slowly because it generates thicker dehydrated lithosphere, which could slow down subduction. The intervals of globally synchronous orogenies are consistent with the predicted variation of plate velocity for the last 3.6 Gyr. Hotter mantle also produces thicker, buoyant basaltic crust, and the subductability of oceanic lithosphere is a critical factor regarding the emergence of plate tectonics before the Proterozoic. Moreover, sluggish convection in the past is equivalent to reduced secular cooling, thus suggesting a more minor role of mantle plumes in the early Earth. Finally, deeper ocean basins are possible with slower plate motion in the past, and Earth’s oceans in the Archean is suggested to have had about twice as much water as today, and the mantle may have started as dry and have been gradually hydrated by subduction. The global water cycle may thus be dominated by regassing, rather than degassing, pointing towards the impact origin of Earth’s oceans, which is shown to be supported by the revised composition of the BSE.     

俯冲带形成机制的可检验假说和检验方案

五十年前板块构造理论的诞生是地球科学领域的一场革命,它为理解地球如何运作构建了基本框架。过去五十年对该理论的进一步研究告诉我们地质过程最终都是地球热损失的结果。例如,大洋岩石圈板块在洋中脊形成,其运动和增生以及最终通过俯冲带进入地幔导致地幔冷却降温,从而导致大规模的地幔对流。亦即,板块构造的直接驱动力是俯冲大洋岩石圈板块的下沉力。因此,没有俯冲带就没有板块构造,但是俯冲带如何开始仍然有争议。对俯冲起始的研究从未中断,有数值模拟也有地质推断。2014年在西太平洋用三个IODP航次(350、351和352)来检验“自发”和“诱发”俯冲开始的想法。所有这些努力都值得肯定,但这些是无法检验的想法。无法检验意味着没有结果。本文介绍至今唯一可用地质学方法检验的假说,亦即“岩石圈内横向物质组成差异导致的浮力差是俯冲带形成的起因”。这种浮力差位于海底高原的边部和被动大陆边缘,因此这些部位是未来俯冲带起始的必然轨迹。在远离这些部位的正常洋盆内因缺乏浮力差而俯冲带不可能起始。换句话说,“所有岛弧一定有大陆(或海底高原)基底”,这可以通过采集和研究岛弧基底岩石来验证。     

Recent Advance in the Interior Structure and Dynamics of Venus

Venus is similar to the Earth in size， mass， composition and distance to the sun. However， Venus has neither plate tectonics nor dynamo that exists on the Earth. The lithosphere of Venus is very thick based on its topography and gravity. The admittance and correlation between Venusian geoid and topography are very high， suggesting that they are strongly influenced by the internal dynamical process of Venus. Analyses show that there may be 10 Hawaii-like mantle plumes in Venusian mantle. Data from Venus Express has shown evidence for recent active volcanism among several of these plumes. The distribution of impact craters on Venus shows that Venusian surface has a young age and the age is averaged about 500 Ma， suggesting that Venus may have experienced a global resurfacing event. However， whether this resurfacing is catastrophic or equilibrium is still under debate. It is also unclear whether Venus had plate tectonics in the past， is it always in stagnant lid regime， or might it have an entirely different mode？In general， the style of mantle convection on Venus is quite different from that of the Earth which is manifested by the plate tectonics. Here we reviewed the main observations including gravity， topography and surface tectonics which provide constrains on the interior structure and dynamics of Venus， and recent advance in the interior structure and dynamics of Venus. This review aims to provide new insights into the interior dynamics of Venus.     

微板块与大板块：基本原理与范式转换

传统板块构造理论50多年来一直是占统治地位的地学理论，是理解固体地球运行的基本范式，但遇到三大难题：板块起源、板内变形和板块驱动力。针对这三大难题，微板块构造理论试图开拓一个全球构造研究的新范式。本文通过与传统板块构造理论中基本原理的逐条对比，阐明了微板块构造理论的基本原理和优势及其对传统板块构造理论的拓展。微板块构造范式既不同于传统板块构造范式，又不同于地幔柱范式，是两者的重要补充与拓展。文中着重从几何学、运动学、动力学、适用范围、理论出发点、理论假设与预测的角度，阐明了大板块与微板块的异同，并探讨了两者的转换关系及其转换机制的多样性，介绍了微板块生长成为大板块的4种途径、大〖JP2〗板块破碎为微板块的3种转换模式，探索了前板块构造体制下微地块在非线性地球系统中通过自组织、自生长等方式，进化为板块体制下微板块的自然选择过程。本文还提出陆壳型微地块是密度选择的结果，其密度决定了其保存机制，这是陆壳起源的根本；〖JP〗微地块向微板块的转变是刚性选择的结果，其刚性是初始板块构造体制起始的必要条件；微板块不对称俯冲或对流型式的转变是热选择的结果，其热不对称性是现代板块构造体制起始的必要条件。     

Regimes of subduction and lithospheric dynamics in the Precambrian: 3D thermomechanical modelling

Comparing the early Earth to the present day, geological–geochemical evidence points towards higher mantle potential temperature and a different type of tectonics. In order to investigate possible changes in Precambrian tectonic styles, we conduct 3D high-resolution petrological–thermomechanical numerical modelling experiments for oceanic plate subduction under an active continental margin at a wide range of mantle potential temperature T_P (∆ T_P = 0 − 250 K, compared to present day conditions). At present day mantle temperatures (∆ T_P = 0 K), results of numerical experiments correspond to modern-style subduction, whereas at higher temperature conditions important systematic changes in the styles of both lithospheric deformation and mantle convection occur. For ∆ T_P = 50 − 100 K a regime of dripping subduction emerges which is still very similar to present day subduction but is characterised by frequent dripping from the slab tip and a loss of coherence of the slab, which suggests a close relationship between dripping subduction and episodic subduction. At further increasing ∆ T_P = 150 − 200 K dripping subduction is observed together with unstable dripping lithosphere, which corresponds to a transitional regime. For ∆ T_P = 250 K, presumably equivalent to early Archean, the dominating tectonic style is characterised by small-scale mantle convection, unstable dripping lithosphere, thick basaltic crust and small plates. Even though the initial setup is still defined by present day subduction, this final regime shows many characteristics of plume-lid tectonics. Transition between the two end-members, plume-lid tectonics and plate tectonics, happens gradually and at intermediate temperatures elements of both tectonic regimes are present. We conclude, therefore, that most likely no abrupt geodynamic regime transition point can be specified in the Earth's history and its global geodynamic regime gradually evolved over time from plume-lid tectonics into modern style plate tectonics.     

A gradual transition to plate tectonics on Earth between 3.2 to 2.7 billion years ago

Zircon crystals precipitated from granitoid magmas contain a robust record of the age and chemistry of continental magmatism spanning some 4.375 Ga of Earth history, a record that charts initiation of plate tectonics. However, constraining when exactly plate tectonics began to dominate crustal growth processes is challenging as the geochemical signatures of individual rocks may reflect local subduction processes rather than global plate tectonics. Here we apply counting statistics to a global database of coupled U–Pb and Hf isotope analyses on magmatic zircon grains from continental igneous and sedimentary rocks to quantify changes in the compositions of their source rocks. The analysis reveals a globally significant change in the sources of granitoid magmas between 3.2 and 2.7 Ga. These secular changes in zircon chemistry are driven by a coupling of the deep (depleted mantle) and shallow (crustal) Earth reservoirs, consistent with a geodynamic regime dominated by Wilson cycle style plate tectonics.     

早期大陆与板块构造启动——前沿热点介绍与展望

板块构造的启动时间和机制,一直是国内外地球科学界关注的焦点,有不少热点文章对此进行了讨论。它涉及的不仅是早期地球的构造机制问题,更关系到整个地球的演化历史、变化过程和演化规律,以及地球的未来。本文对国内外的研究状况、研究重点进行了简单述评,强调地球的"热状态和热演化"是构造机制演化的关键控制因素,提出大陆形成和岩石圈的演化与板块构造起源关联密切,是理解早期板块构造启动的重要研究内容。华北克拉通是代表性的古老大陆,本文对它的研究状况给出了介绍和评述。文章最后展望了"早期大陆与板块构造启动"这一重要科学问题的研究方向,并对相应的研究方法提出了评论和建议性意见。     

Initiation of plate tectonics in the Hadean: Eclogitization triggered by the ABEL Bombardment

When plate tectonics began on the Earth has been long debated and here we argue this topic based on the records of Earth-Moon geology and asteroid belt to conclude that the onset of plate tectonics was during the middle Hadean(4.37-4.20 Ga). The trigger of the initiation of plate tectonics is the ABEL Bombardment, which delivered oceanic and atmospheric components on a completely dry reductive Earth, originally comprised of enstatite chondrite-like materials. Through the accretion of volatiles, shock metamorphism processed with vaporization of both CI chondrite and supracrustal rocks at the bombarded location, and significant recrystallization went through under wet conditions, caused considerable eclogitization in the primordial continents composed of felsic upper crust of 21 km thick anorthosite, and 50 km or even thicker KREEP lower crust. Eclogitization must have yielded a powerful slab-pull force to initiate plate tectonics in the middle Hadean. Another important factor is the size of the bombardment. By creating Pacific Ocean class crater by 1000 km across impactor, rigid plate operating stagnant lid tectonics since the early Hadean was severely destroyed, and oceanic lithosphere was generated to have bi-modal lithosphere on the Earth to enable the operation of plate tectonics.Considering the importance of the ABEL Bombardment event which initiated plate tectonics including the appearance of ocean and atmosphere, we propose that the Hadean Eon can be subdivided into three periods:(1) early Hadean(4.57-4.37 Ga),(2) middle Hadean(4.37-4.20 Ga), and(3) late Hadean(4.20-4.00 Ga).     

Tectonic activity of the early Earth (4.56-3.4(2.7?) Ga)

The paper discusses a possible model of the ancient (Hadean-Archean) Earth’s geodynamic evolution. We believe that the early Earth was characterized by a stagnant lid regime and whole-mantle convection suggesting cells that convect through the whole mantle (from the core-mantle boundary to the lithosphere base). The lid tectonics was perturbed by asteroid-meteorite bombardments that destroyed the primary terrestrial partly granitoid crust. The destroyed crust together with the residual enriched mantle reservoirs sank into the lower mantle. In addition to the crust destruction, the bombardments led to emplacement of a huge proportion of basalt-komatiitic melts, which can be interpreted as mantle overturn events. In the Hadean, the Earth survived frequent large-scale asteroid-meteorite bombardments, which resulted in almost a complete destruction of the primary terrestrial crust. In the Early Archean, the Earth still experienced the same tectonic processes, as in the Hadean; however, meteorite impact was small-scale and the bombardments influenced only a limited area of a common, as it seems to us, subequatorial supercontinent. Those bombardments led to the sagduction of the Archean basalt-komatiiic terrestrial crust, which sank into the mantle, transforming into amphibolite-eclogite rocks giving rise to a tonalite-troondhjemite-granodiorite suite. As preserved in the zircon record, the formation of the Archean mantle-derived magmas occurred as pulses at 4.5, 4.2-4.3, 3.8-3.9, and 3.3-3.4 Ga. These peaks, most likely, correspond to the Hadean-Archean meteorite bombardments. There is evidence of formation of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) beneath the cratons between 3.3 and 3.5 Ga. This SCLM was markedly different from peridotites of modern ophiolites. However, the existence of ophiolitic peridotites indicates that modern style plate tectonic processes were in operation at that time, as we will discuss below. The transition from the early Earth (Hadean-Archean) tectonic style to the recent tectonics occurred between 3.4 (2.7?) and 2.0 Ga.     

The Orosirian (1800–2050 Ma) plate tectonic episode: Key for reconstructing the Proterozoic tectonic record

Eight lines of evidence indicate that the Orosirian Period in mid-Paleoproterozoic time was characterized by plate tectonics: ophiolites, low T/P metamorphism including eclogites, passive margin formation, tall mountains, paleomagnetic constraints, ore deposits, abundant S-type granites, and seismic images of paleo-subduction zones. This plate tectonic episode occurred about 1 billion years earlier than the present plate tectonic episode began in Neoproterozoic time. The two plate tectonic episodes bracket the ‘Boring Billion’, which may have been a protracted single lid tectonic episode that began when the supercontinent Nuna or Columbia formed. Recognition of multiple lines of evidence for Orosirian plate tectonics demonstrates that Earth’s tectonic style can be reconstructed with some confidence back to at least Early Paleoproterozoic time, and thus the absence of compelling evidence for Mesoproterozoic plate tectonics is not obvious due to poor preservation. A tectono-magmatic lull ～2.3 Ga suggests an earlier episode of single lid tectonics. Evidence for two episodes of plate tectonics and two episodes of single lid tectonics indicates that Earth switched between single lid and plate tectonics multiple times during the last 2.4 Ga.     

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2016.08.001

Geological observations indicate that there are only a few rocks of Archean Earth and no Hadean rocks on the surface of the present-day Earth. From these facts, many scientists believe that the primordial continents never existed during Hadean Earth, and the continental volume has kept increasing. On the other hand, recent studies reported the importance of the primordial continents on the origin of life, implying their existence. In this paper, we discussed the possible process that could explain the loss of the primordial continents with the assumption that they existed in the Hadean. Although depending on the timing of the initiation of plate tectonics and its convection style, subduction erosion, which is observed on the present-day Earth, might have carried the primordial continents into the deep mantle.     

地质历史中板块构造启动时间

地质历史中板块构造是何时开始启动的长期存在着激烈的争论,最极端的一是认为板块构造在新元古代的800 Ma前开始,二是在冥古宙4.3 Ga就已启动,多数学者认为在太古宙末开始启动。确定板块构造启动时间主要依据以下几方面:(1)地球动力学特点,如地幔的热状态以及粘塑性地幔对流模拟表明,板块构造可能是在地球热和冷停滞状态之间演化的一个相。在太古宙较热的地球中,板片强度低,板片的频繁断离阻止了形成类似现代样式的长期俯冲体系,太古宙的板块构造是短期的、阵发性的;(2)代表俯冲的标志的蛇绿岩、蓝片岩和超高压(UHP)变质地体;(3)具有弧特征的岩石组合,如拉斑玄武岩-安山岩-英安岩-流纹岩及英云闪长岩-奥长花岗岩-花岗闪长岩(TTG)岩套;(4)增生楔中混杂岩和大洋板块地层、前陆盆地、大陆裂谷、双变质带、造山带;(5)与俯冲带关系密切的造山型Au矿、斑岩Cu矿和浅成热液矿床、火山岩型块状硫化物矿床(VHMS),它们最早出现的年龄一致在3.5~3.1 Ga,指示了板块构造的开始;(6)世界不同地区大陆的Ni/Co、Cr/Zn比值随沉积年龄变年轻而降低,陆壳从3.0 Ga前的镁铁质转变为2.5 Ga时的长英质,表明全球板块构造的启动应在3.0 Ga的古中太古代;(7)冥古宙锆石、太古宙金刚石中矿物包裹体及Hf、O、C、N同位素组成研究表明,冥古宙地球表面存在类似板块汇聚边缘,太古宙含有大陆沉积物的海洋岩石圈俯冲进入地幔。     

Styles of mantle convection and their influence on planetary evolution

Mantle convection is the method of heat elimination for silicate mantles in terrestrial bodies, provided they are not too small or too hot. Bodies that are small (～Moon or smaller, possibly even Mercury) may rely largely on conduction or melt migration, and bodies that are very hot (Io, very early Earth) may use massive melt migration (magma oceans) and heat pipes. In the standard, simple picture, we can use scaling laws to determine the secular cooling of a planet, likelihood and form of volcanism, and the possibility of a core dynamo. Contrary to popular belief, small planets do not cool faster than larger planets (provided they convect) but they do tend to have a slightly lower internal temperature at all times and thus may cease to be volcanically active at an earlier epoch. On the other hand, a larger volume fraction of a small planet may be involved in melt generation. However, our understanding of heat transfer by mantle convection is limited by three very important, largely unsolved problems: The complexities of rheology, the effects of compositional gradients, and the effects of phase transitions, especially melting. The most striking manifestation of the role of rheology lies in the difference between a mobile lid mode (plate tectonics for Earth) and a stagnant lid mode (other large terrestrial bodies). This difference may arise because of the role of water, but perhaps also because of melting, or size (gravity), or the vagaries of history. It has profound effects for the differences in history of Earth, Venus and Mars, including their surface geology, volatile reservoirs and magnetic fields. Since thermal convection is driven by small density differences, it can also be greatly altered or limited by compositional or phase effects. Melt migration introduces additional complications to the heat transport as well as being a source for the irreversible differentiation that might promote layering. Our limited understanding and ability to model these processes continues to limit the development of a predictive framework for the differences among the terrestrial planets.     

变质作用、板块构造及超级大陆旋回

麻粒岩相超高温变质作用（GUHTM）主要发育于新太古代至寒武纪岩石中;推测在深部较年轻的,特别是新生代造山带岩石中也会有GUHTM存在。岩石中最初出现GUHTM记录意味着产生瞬时极高热流处的地球动力学发生了改变。许多GUHTM带可能发育于类似现代大陆弧后的构造背景中。在较热的地球上,超大陆及其裂解形成的循环组合,尤其是经岩石圈减薄的洋盆卷入到其外翻过程中可能产生比现代太平洋边缘更热的大陆弧后。中温榴辉岩 高压麻粒岩相变质作用（EHPGM）也是最先发现于新太古代岩石记录中,并发育于从元古宙至古生代岩石中。EHPGM带是对GUHTM带的补充,并经常认为是记录了从俯冲至碰撞造山作用的过程。在元古宙岩石记录中的蓝片岩明显记录了与现代俯冲作用相关的低热流梯度。以发育柯石英(±硬柱石)或金刚石为特征的硬柱石蓝片岩和榴辉岩（高压变质作用,HPM）及超高压变质岩（UHPM）主要是在显生宙形成。HPMUHPM记录了显生宙俯冲碰撞造山带早期碰撞过程中的低热流梯度及陆壳的深俯冲作用。尽管与直觉不同,在超级大陆聚敛期（Wilson旋回洋盆打开和关闭）的大陆地块增生过程,许多HPMUHPM带看来确实是通过小洋盆关闭而发育起来的,反映双重热体制的双重变质带仅发育于新太古代以来的岩石记录中。双重热体制是现代板块构造的特点,而双重变质作用则是板块构造在岩石记录中的特征性标志。尽管构造样式很可能不同,新太古代以来GUHTM和EHPGM带的发育证明“元古宙板块构造体制”的开始。以冷俯冲和大陆地壳深俯冲至地幔,以及其中的部分又从深达300 km处发生折返为标志,“元古宙板块构造体制”在新元古代进化为“现代板块构造体制”,这个转变可由岩石中的HPMUHPM证明。记录这种极端条件的变质带年龄是不一致的,而变质作用发生时间与各大陆岩石圈聚合到超级克拉通（如Superia/Sclavia）或超级大陆（如Nuna (Columbia), Rodinia, Gondwana, 和Pangea）的时间却是一致的。     

Precambrian geodynamics: Concepts and models

In contrast to modern-day plate tectonics, studying Precambrian geodynamics presents a unique challenge as currently there is no agreement upon paradigm concerning the global geodynamics and lithosphere tectonics for the early Earth. This review is focused on discussing results of recent modeling studies in the context of existing concepts and constraints for Precambrian geodynamics with an emphasis placed on three critical aspects: (1) subduction and plate tectonics, (2) collision and orogeny, and (3) craton formation and stability. The three key features of Precambrian Earth evolution are outlined based on combining available observations and numerical and analogue models. These are summarized below:

• •Archean geodynamics was dominated by plume tectonics and the development of hot accretionary orogens with low topography, three-dimensional deformation and pronounced gravitational tectonics. Mantle downwellings and lithospheric delamination (dripping-off) processes are likely to have played a key role in assembling and stabilizing the hot orogens on a timescale up to hundreds of millions of years. Both oceanic-like and continental-like lithospheres were rheologically weak due to the high Moho temperature (> 800 °C) and melt percolation from hot partially molten sublithospheric mantle.
• •Wide spread development of modern-style subduction on Earth started during Mesoarchean–Neoarchean at 3.2–2.5 Ga. This is marked by the appearance of paired metamorphic complexes and oldest eclogite ages in subcontinental lithospheric mantle. Numerical models suggest that the transition occurred at mantle temperatures 175–250 °C higher than present day values, and was triggered by stabilization of rheologically strong plates of both continental and oceanic type. Due to the hot mantle temperature, slab break-off was more frequent in the Precambrian time causing more episodic subduction compared to present day.
• •Wide spread development of modern-style (cold) collision on Earth started during Neoproterozoic at 600–800 Ma and is thus decoupled from the onset of modern-style subduction. Cold collision created favorable conditions for the generation of ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic complexes which become widespread in Phanerozoic orogens. Numerical models suggest that the transition occurred at mantle temperatures 80–150 °C higher than present day values and was associated with stabilization of the continental subduction. Frequent shallow slab break-off limited occurrence of UHP rocks in the Precambrian time.

Further progress in understanding Precambrian geodynamics requires cross-disciplinary efforts with a special emphasis placed upon quantitative testing of existing geodynamic concepts and extrapolating back in geological time, using both global and regional scale thermomechanical numerical models, which have been validated for present day Earth conditions.     

Is plate tectonics needed to evolve technological species on exoplanets?

As we continue searching for exoplanets,we wonder if life and technological species capable of communicating with us exists on any of them.As geoscientists,we can also wonder how important is the presence or absence of plate tectonics for the evolution of technological species.This essay considers this question,focusing on tectonically active rocky(silicate) planets,like Earth,Venus,and Mars.The development of technological species on Earth provides key insights for understanding evolution on exoplanets,including the likely role that plate tectonics may play.An Earth-sized silicate planet is likely to experience several tectonic styles over its lifetime,as it cools and its lithosphere thickens,strengthens,and becomes denser.These include magma ocean,various styles of stagnant lid,and perhaps plate tectonics.Abundant liquid water favors both life and plate tectonics.Ocean is required for early evolution of diverse single-celled organisms,then colonies of cells which specialized further to form guts,appendages,and sensory organisms up to the complexity of fish(central nervous system,appendages,eyes).Large expanses of dry land also begin in the ocean,today produced above subduction zones in juvenile arcs and by their coalescence to form continents,although it is not clear that plate tectonics was required to create continental crust on Earth.Dry land of continents is required for further evolution of technological species,where modification of appendages for grasping and manipulating,and improvement of eyes and central nervous system could be perfected.These bioassets allowed intelligent creatures to examine the night sky and wonder,the beginning of abstract thinking,including religion and science.Technology arises from the exigencies of daily living such as tool-making,agriculture,clothing,and weapons,but the pace of innovation accelerates once it is allied with science.Finally,the importance of plate tectonics for developing a technological species is examined via a thought experiment using two otherwise identical planets:one with plate tectonics and the other without.A planet with oceans,continents,and plate tectonics maximizes opportunities for speciation and natural selection,whereas a similar planet without plate tectonics provides fewer such opportunities.Plate tectonics exerts environmental pressures that drive evolution without being capable of extinguishing all life.Plate tectonic processes such as the redistribution of continents,growth of mountain ranges,formation of land bridges,and opening and closing of oceans provide a continuous but moderate environmental pressure that stimulates populations to adapt and evolve.Plate tectonics may not be needed in order for life to begin,but evolution of technological species is favored on planets with oceans,continents,plate tectonics,and intermittently clear night sky.