The continental crust: Its composition and evolution
01 Jan 1985-Vol. 312
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors describe the composition of the present upper crust and deal with possible compositions for the total crust and the inferred composition of lower crust, and the question of the uniformity of crustal composition throughout geological time is discussed.
Abstract: This book describes the composition of the present upper crust, and deals with possible compositions for the total crust and the inferred composition of the lower crust. The question of the uniformity of crustal composition throughout geological time is discussed. It describes the Archean crust and models for crustal evolution in Archean and Post-Archean time. The rate of growth of the crust through time is assessed, and the effects of the extraction of the crust on mantle compositions. The question of early pre-geological crusts on the Earth is discussed and comparisons are given with crusts on the Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus and the Galilean Satellites.
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01 Jan 1989
TL;DR: In this article, trace-element data for mid-ocean ridge basalts and ocean island basalts are used to formulate chemical systematics for oceanic basalts, interpreted in terms of partial-melting conditions, variations in residual mineralogy, involvement of subducted sediment, recycling of oceanic lithosphere and processes within the low velocity zone.
Abstract: Summary Trace-element data for mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORBs) and ocean island basalts (OIB) are used to formulate chemical systematics for oceanic basalts. The data suggest that the order of trace-element incompatibility in oceanic basalts is Cs ≈ Rb ≈ (≈ Tl) ≈ Ba(≈ W) > Th > U ≈ Nb = Ta ≈ K > La > Ce ≈ Pb > Pr (≈ Mo) ≈ Sr > P ≈ Nd (> F) > Zr = Hf ≈ Sm > Eu ≈ Sn (≈ Sb) ≈ Ti > Dy ≈ (Li) > Ho = Y > Yb. This rule works in general and suggests that the overall fractionation processes operating during magma generation and evolution are relatively simple, involving no significant change in the environment of formation for MORBs and OIBs. In detail, minor differences in element ratios correlate with the isotopic characteristics of different types of OIB components (HIMU, EM, MORB). These systematics are interpreted in terms of partial-melting conditions, variations in residual mineralogy, involvement of subducted sediment, recycling of oceanic lithosphere and processes within the low velocity zone. Niobium data indicate that the mantle sources of MORB and OIB are not exact complementary reservoirs to the continental crust. Subduction of oceanic crust or separation of refractory eclogite material from the former oceanic crust into the lower mantle appears to be required. The negative europium anomalies observed in some EM-type OIBs and the systematics of their key element ratios suggest the addition of a small amount (⩽1% or less) of subducted sediment to their mantle sources. However, a general lack of a crustal signature in OIBs indicates that sediment recycling has not been an important process in the convecting mantle, at least not in more recent times (⩽2 Ga). Upward migration of silica-undersaturated melts from the low velocity zone can generate an enriched reservoir in the continental and oceanic lithospheric mantle. We propose that the HIMU type (eg St Helena) OIB component can be generated in this way. This enriched mantle can be re-introduced into the convective mantle by thermal erosion of the continental lithosphere and by the recycling of the enriched oceanic lithosphere back into the mantle.
19,221 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors compared the relative abundances of the refractory elements in carbonaceous, ordinary, and enstatite chondritic meteorites and found that the most consistent composition of the Earth's core is derived from the seismic profile and its interpretation, compared with primitive meteorites, and chemical and petrological models of peridotite-basalt melting relationships.
10,830 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the present-day composition of the continental crust, the methods employed to derive these estimates, and the implications of continental crust composition for the formation of the continents, Earth differentiation, and its geochemical inventories are discussed.
Abstract: This chapter reviews the present-day composition of the continental crust, the methods employed to derive these estimates, and the implications of the continental crust composition for the formation of the continents, Earth differentiation, and its geochemical inventories. We review the composition of the upper, middle, and lower continental crust. We then examine the bulk crust composition and the implications of this composition for crust generation and modification processes. Finally, we compare the Earth's crust with those of the other terrestrial planets in our solar system and speculate about what unique processes on Earth have given rise to this unusual crustal distribution.
7,831 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a new calculation of the crustal composition is based on the proportions of upper crust (UC) to felsic lower crust (FLC) to mafic lower-crust (MLC) of about 1.6:0.4.
5,317 citations
University of Bergen1, Charles University in Prague2, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic3, University of Nottingham4, Boise State University5, Goethe University Frankfurt6, Memorial University of Newfoundland7, Stockholm University8, University of Vienna9, University of Geneva10, Swedish Museum of Natural History11
TL;DR: The Plesovice zircon as discussed by the authors has a concordant U-Pb age with a weighted mean Pb-206/U-238 date of 337.13 +/- 0.37 Ma (ID-TIMS, 95% confidence limits, including tracer calibration uncertainty).
3,694 citations
Cites background from "The continental crust: Its composit..."
...Values are concentrations in wt. ppm. Eu/Eu⁎=EuN/√(SmN⁎GdN), Ce/Ce⁎=CeN/√(LaN⁎PrN), normalisation to chondrite after Taylor and McLennan (1985)....
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