Precambrian Earth Evolution

拟议的研究计划将调查从46亿年前地球形成到现在的地壳/地幔系统的起源和演化。地球自形成以来一直在缓慢降温，这推动了整个地球历史上的演化发生了深刻的变化。基本的问题仍然存在，例如第一个海洋是什么时候形成的，生命是什么时候出现的，第一个大陆是如何形成的，现代风格的板块构造是什么时候开始的，以及全球镁铁质岩浆作用的灾难性事件对热损失机制、超大陆裂谷、大规模灭绝和极端气候的作用是什么。*将进行的基础科学研究涉及综合方法，涉及野外工作(地质制图和样品采集)、岩石学、地球化学、地质年代学(年代测定)和现场示踪同位素技术。计划中的研究将利用并在某些情况下开发新的最先进和尖端的质谱学技术，通过传统的热电离质谱和现场高空间分辨率(&lt；计划中的研究将探讨前寒武纪镁铁质和超镁铁质岩浆作用的时间、性质和原因，及其在古代超大陆裂谷、大陆岩石圈形成、古代洋壳俯冲和原生矿藏(例如钻石、贱金属和铂族元素)产生中的作用。这项研究的主要成果是更好地了解前寒武纪构造板块结构，更好地洞察未发现的加拿大矿产资源的来源、位置和背景，这对加拿大经济的可持续发展和加拿大钻石行业未来的生存至关重要。这项建议中概述的研究将开发新的技术和方法，允许测量地球上最小颗粒的地质时间和示踪同位素信息，并将对科学研究界和寻找矿产资源的勘探公司具有重要价值。

The proposed research program will investigate the origin and evolution of Earth's crust/mantle system, from when the Earth formed ~4.6 billion years ago to present day. The Earth has been cooling slowly since it formed which has driven profound changes in the evolution of the planet throughout its history. Fundamental questions remain, such as when did the first oceans form, when did life emerge, how did the first continents form, when did modern-style plate tectonics begin, and what is the role of catastrophic episodes of global mafic magmatism on heat-loss mechanisms, rifting of supercontinents, mass extinctions and extreme climate.*******The basic scientific research to be conducted involves an integrated approach involving fieldwork (geologic mapping and sample collection), petrography, geochemistry, geochronology (age dating), and in situ tracer isotopic techniques. The planned research will utilize and, in some cases, develop new state-of-the-art and cutting-edge mass spectrometry techniques to determine high-precision U-Pb accessory mineral (baddeleyite, clinopyroxene, perovskite, zircon, zirconolite) dates of mafic and ultramafic rocks by conventional thermal ionization mass spectrometry and in situ high spatial resolution (<20 micron) methods using both laser ablation multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and secondary ion mass spectrometry.*******The planned research will address the timing, nature, and cause of Precambrian mafic and ultramafic magmatism and its role in the rifting of ancient supercontinents, building continental lithosphere, subduction of ancient oceanic crust, and the generation of primary mineral deposits (e.g., diamonds, base metals and platinum group elements). A primary outcome of this research is a better understanding of Precambrian tectonic plate configurations and better insight into the origin, location and setting of undiscovered Canadian mineral resources, critical for a sustainable Canadian economy and the future viability of the Canadian diamond industry. The research outlined in this proposal will develop new techniques and approaches that allow measurement of geologic time and tracer isotope information on Earth's smallest particles and will be of great value to the scientific research community and to exploration companies searching for mineral resources.***