Greenstone burial–exhumation cycles at the late Archean transition to plate tectonics

Zibra Ivan (), Kemp Anthony I S, Smithies R Hugh, Rubatto Daniela, Korhonen Fawna, Hammerli Johannes, Johnson Tim E, Gessner Klaus, Weinberg Roberto F, Vervoort Jeff D, Martin Laure and Romano Sandra S
Additional contact information
Zibra Ivan: Geological Survey of Western Australia
Kemp Anthony I S: University of Western Australia
Smithies R Hugh: Geological Survey of Western Australia
Rubatto Daniela: University of Bern
Korhonen Fawna: Geological Survey of Western Australia
Hammerli Johannes: University of Western Australia
Johnson Tim E: Curtin University
Gessner Klaus: Geological Survey of Western Australia
Weinberg Roberto F: Monash University
Vervoort Jeff D: School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman
Martin Laure: the University of Western Australia
Romano Sandra S: Geological Survey of Western Australia

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: Abstract Converging lines of evidence suggest that, during the late Archean, Earth completed its transition from a stagnant-lid to a plate tectonics regime, although how and when this transition occurred is debated. The geological record indicates that some form of subduction, a key component of plate tectonics—has operated since the Mesoarchean, even though the tectonic style and timescales of burial and exhumation cycles within ancient convergent margins are poorly constrained. Here, we present a Neoarchean pressure–temperature–time (P–T–t) path from supracrustal rocks of the transpressional Yilgarn orogen (Western Australia), which documents how sea-floor-altered rocks underwent deep burial then exhumation during shortening that was unrelated to the episode of burial. Archean subduction, even if generally short-lived, was capable of producing eclogites along converging lithosphere boundaries, although exhumation processes in those environments were likely less efficient than today, such that return of high-pressure rocks to the surface was rare.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35208-2

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