Abstract Triple oxygen isotope (δ17O and δ18O) values of high- low-temperature altered oceanic crust products basalt alteration experiments were measured to better constrain ocean compositions in deep time. The data define an array δ18O Δ′17O (Δ′17O=δ′17O − λRL × δ′18O + γ) from mantle toward 1‰ −0.01‰, respectively, with a λ ~0.523. used construct model for estimating δ18O-Δ′17O the ancient oc...

If life emerges readily under Earth-like conditions, the possibility arises of multiple terrestrial genesis events. We seek to quantify the probability of this scenario using estimates of the Archean bombardment rate and the fact that life established itself fairly rapidly on Earth once conditions became favorable. We find a significant likelihood that at least one more sample of life, referred...

Thermochemical sulfate reduction experiments with simple amino acid and dilute concentrations of sulfate reveal significant degrees of mass-independent sulfur isotope fractionation. Enrichments of up to 13‰ for (33)S are attributed to a magnetic isotope effect (MIE) associated with the formation of thiol-disulfide, ion-radical pairs. Observed (36)S depletions in products are explained here by c...

Archean Quartzose Rocks at Akilia, Greenland Fedo and Whitehouse (1) presented data to support their hypothesis that granulite grade quartz magnetite rocks on the island of Akilia, southwest Greenland—which are conformably interposed with pyroxenite and hornblendite units that date from before 3830 million years ago (Ma) (2–4)—had a metasomatic ultramafic igneous origin. They offered that inter...

Using a new photochemical model of the Earth’s early atmosphere, the relationship between noble gas photoionization and organic photochemistry has been investigated from the Archean eon to the present day. We have found that the enhanced UV emission of the young Sun triggered a peculiar atmospheric chemistry in a CH4-rich early atmosphere that resulted in the increased formation of an organic h...