Subduction fluxes through geologic time

Much of the author’s research career has been spent working both on modern oceanic volcanic systems and at the same time looking at their Archaean counterparts. Many authors have attempted to make inferences on early Earth models based on modern processes which can be increasingly well constrained. In this short review it will be shown how we are beginning to understand and quantify inputs to modern subduction systems and some questions are posed as to how these processes may have affected Earth’s evolution in its distant past.