Archean Vs. Modern Earth (IMAGE)

University of Maryland

Archean Vs. Modern Earth

Caption

The image at left depicts what Earth might have looked like more than 3 billion years ago in the early Archean. The orange shapes represent the magnesium-rich proto-continents before plate tectonics started--although it is impossible to determine their precise shapes and locations. The ocean appears green due to a high amount of iron (Fe[II]) ions in the water at that time. The timeline traces the transition from a magnesium-rich (mafic) upper continental crust (UCC) to a magnesium-poor (felsic) UCC.

Credit

Ming Tang/UMD

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