Global Geological And Climatic Events

Hadean Protocrust

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Hadean Protocrust

Why in the News?

A study from Macquarie University, Australia, suggests that plate tectonics may have started earlier than previously thought, with signs of it possibly existing in the Hadean protocrust even before the plates began to move.

What is Hadean Protocrust?

  • The Hadean protocrust is the Earth’s first crust, formed within the first 200 million years of the planet’s creation.
  • During this time, the surface was mostly molten and constantly hit by space rocks, making it very hot and unstable.
  • Over time, parts of the molten surface began to cool and solidify, creating the first crust.

Hadean Protocrust

Back2Basics: Hadean Aeon

  • The Hadean Aeon is the earliest geological eon in Earth’s history, lasting from about 4.6 billion to 4 billion years ago.
  • The surface was incredibly hot and volcanic activity was widespread, often described as “hellish.”
  • It was followed by the Archean Eon (about 4 billion to 2.5 billion years ago), characterized by the formation of Earth’s first stable crust, the beginning of plate tectonics, and the earliest known forms of life.
  • As the surface cooled, the thick parts of the crust formed the first continents, which moved on the hot, semi-fluid layer beneath them called the asthenosphere.

Key Findings of the Recent Study:

  • The researchers found that the chemical signatures linked to plate tectonics might have appeared earlier, even when the Earth’s crust was still forming in the Hadean protocrust.
  • This discovery suggests that early movements of the Earth’s crust, similar to plate tectonics, could have happened before plates began to move as we know them today.
  • The study used models and experiments to support these ideas, but further research is needed to confirm these findings.
[UPSC 2013] Which of the following are responsible for bringing dynamic changes on the surface of the earth?

1. Electromagnetic radiation 2. Geothermal energy 3. Gravitational force 4. Plate movements 5. Rotation of the earth 6. Revolution of the earth

Which of the above are responsible for bringing dynamic changes on the surface of the earth?

(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 2, 4 and 6 only (d) 2 and 4 only

 

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