Exploration of the Earliest Crust Forming Events on Earth

这项拟议的工作使用新的仪器技术测量短寿命和自然灭绝的放射性同位素Sm(Sm)和Hf(Hf)的子体放射性核素，以了解地球早期陆壳的形成？S。这项工作将研究加拿大北部奴隶克拉通的Acasta片麻岩杂岩中包含的44亿年前的成分，这些成分包含在38亿到40亿年前的寄主岩石和锆石矿物中，Acasta片麻岩是地球上已知的最古老的岩体。了解早期地球的形成对地球科学的广度具有广泛的影响，从推断生命的起源到理解经济矿藏的形成，特别是那些只起源于较老的地壳或地幔(如加拿大北部的钻石矿藏)的矿藏。地球分异何时导致陆壳的形成，是理解最高级别行星演化的一个基本问题。这项工作将主要由一位有前途的、职业生涯早期的博士后完成，在两位皮埃尔？S的指导下，在一所以分析创新和卓越以及培训年轻的地球化学家而闻名的机构，这些人通常会继续从事高生产率的职业。

This proposed work uses new instrumental techniques to measure daughter radionuclides of short-lived and naturally extinct radioactive isotopes of Samarium (Sm) and Hafnium (Hf) to understand formation of the Earth?s early continental crust. The work will examine 4.4 billion-year-old components contained within 3.8-4 billion-year-old host rocks and zircon minerals of the Acasta Gneiss Complex in the Slave Craton of northern Canada, the oldest known body of rock on Earth. Understanding of the formation of the early Earth has broad implications for the breadth of Earth Sciences, ranging from inferring the origin of life to understanding the formation of economic mineral deposits, especially those originating only in older Earth crust or mantle (such as the diamond deposits in northern Canada). When Earth differentiation led to the formation of continental crust is a fundamental problem in understanding planetary evolution of the highest order. The work would primarily be done by a promising, early-career post-doc under the mentorship of the two PI?s at an institution renowned for both analytical innovation and excellence as well as the training of young geochemists who have typically go on to highly productive careers.