Open System Models of Isotopic Evolution in Earth's Silicate Reservoirs
Abstract
The present-day elemental and isotopic composition of Earth's terrestrial reservoirs can be used as geochemical constraints to study evolution of the crust-mantle system. A flexible open system evolutionary model of the Earth, comprising continental crust (CC), upper depleted mantle (UM) -source of mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB), and lower mantle (LM) reservoir with an isolated reservoir-source of ocean island basalts (OIB), and incorporating key radioactive isotope systematics (Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, and U-Th-Pb), is solved numerically at 1 Ma time step for 4.55 Ga, the age of the Earth. The best possible model-derived solution is the one that produces the present-day concentrations as well as isotopic ratios in terrestrial reservoirs, constrained from published data. Various crustal growth scenarios (continuous versus episodic and early versus late) and its effect on the evolution of isotope systematics in the silicate reservoirs have been evaluated. Modeling results suggest that a whole mantle that is compositionally similar to the present-day MORB source is not consistent with observational constraints. However, a heterogeneous mantle model, in which the present-day UM is 60% of the total mantle mass and a lower non-chondritic mantle, reproduces the estimated isotopic ratios and abundances in Earth's silicate reservoirs. Our results shows that mode of crustal growth strongly affects isotopic evolution of silicate Earth; only an exponential crustal growth pattern satisfactorily explains the chemical and isotopic evolution of the crust-mantle system. One notable feature of successful models is an early depletion of incompatible elements (and a rapid decrease in Th/U ratio, κ, in the UM) by the initial 500 Ma, as a result of early formation of continental crust. Assuming a slightly younger age of the Earth (4.45 Ga), our model better satisfies the Pb-isotope systematics in the respective silicate reservoirs, particularly in the UM, and explains the origin of several OIBs with more radiogenic Pb isotopic composition. Our model simulations favor preservation of compositionally distinct mantle reservoirs over billion year time periods and a present-day non-chondritic lower mantle.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2016
- Bibcode:
- 2016AGUFMDI41C2649K
- Keywords:
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- 1025 Composition of the mantle;
- GEOCHEMISTRYDE: 3924 High-pressure behavior;
- MINERAL PHYSICSDE: 7208 Mantle;
- SEISMOLOGY