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Earth's mantle has a layered structure. Titanium isotopes reveal significant continental crust extraction occurred 3.5 to 2.7 billion years ago, with limited mantle mixing preserving a primordial lower mantle reservoir.

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Area of Science:

  • Geochemistry
  • Isotope Geology
  • Planetary Science

Background:

  • Earth's mantle is divided into upper and lower layers separated by a seismic discontinuity at 660 km depth.
  • The degree of material exchange between these mantle layers throughout Earth's history is not well understood.
  • Continental crust formation causes titanium (Ti) isotope fractionation, leaving behind isotopically lighter residues.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate mass transfer between Earth's mantle domains using titanium stable isotopes.
  • To reconstruct the evolution of Earth's upper mantle composition and its link to continental crust extraction.
  • To assess the extent of mixing between upper and lower mantle reservoirs over geologic time.

Main Methods:

  • Ultrahigh-precision measurement of 49Ti/47Ti ratios in chondrites, ancient mantle-derived lavas (3.8–2.0 billion years ago), and modern ocean island basalts (OIBs).
  • Calculation of a new bulk silicate Earth (BSE) titanium isotope estimate based on chondritic values.
  • Comparison of titanium isotope compositions to trace mantle evolution and crustal recycling.

Main Results:

  • The bulk silicate Earth (BSE) titanium isotope composition is estimated to be 0.052 ± 0.006‰ heavier than the modern upper mantle (normal mid-ocean ridge basalts, N-MORBs).
  • Earth's upper mantle had a chondritic titanium isotope ratio before 3.5 billion years ago and evolved to an N-MORB-like composition between approximately 3.5 and 2.7 billion years ago.
  • The observed isotopic offset implies less than 30% of Earth's mantle has equilibrated with recycled crustal material, suggesting limited upper-lower mantle exchange.

Conclusions:

  • Significant continental crust extraction occurred during the 3.5–2.7 billion years ago epoch.
  • Limited mass exchange between mantle layers has preserved a primordial lower mantle reservoir for most of Earth's history.
  • Modern plate tectonics, characterized by substantial upper-lower mantle mass transfer, is a relatively recent phenomenon in Earth's evolution.