Mineralogical constraints on Precambrian

Christopher T. Reinhard () and Noah J. Planavsky
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Christopher T. Reinhard: University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California, USA
Noah J. Planavsky: University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California, USA

Nature, 2011, vol. 474, issue 7349, E1-E1

Abstract: Abstract Arising from M. T. Rosing, D. K. Bird, N. H. Sleep & C. J. Bjerrum Nature 464, 744–747 (2010)10.1038/nature08955 Rosing and others1 recently proposed a new model for the early Earth’s atmospheric composition. They suggest, on the basis of mineral assemblages in sedimentary rocks, that atmospheric CO2 and CH4 concentrations have been consistently overestimated. This proposal is intriguing, given that high concentrations of these gases are traditionally considered to be the solution to the ‘faint young Sun paradox’ of why the Earth did not freeze over in our Sun’s youth when solar luminosity was greatly decreased. Rosing and others1 instead invoke a decreased planetary albedo during the Earth’s early history. New insights into this problem, which has long captivated those interested in the Earth’s early climate and biological history, are welcome. However, we believe that the arguments presented by Rosing and others1 for roughly modern values of the partial pressure of CO2 ( ) are not robust.

Date: 2011
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DOI: 10.1038/nature09959

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