Hadean Eon

Hadean

Earths history from 4.6 to 4.0 billion yrs ago

Hadean beginning and end date

B = meteorite ages. E = oldest known rock

Ancient minerals/ rocks from Hadean

Zircon crystals 4.4 billion, Acosta Gneiss, Nuvvuagittiq greenstone 4.3 billion

Iron catastrophe

Heavy elements sank down to the core (irons and nickles), lighter elements (oxygen, aluminum, silicon) moved up towards early crust

Early atmosphere

During the iron catastrophe extreme gastric volcanos evolved earths atmosphere, earth did have an earlier one but the sun took it :1

Missing element from earths early atmosphere

NO OXYGEN - no hematite

Composition of early atmosphere

CO2, CO, H2O H2, HCl, CH4, NH3

Early oceans

Zircon was formed in a wet place, shallow, warm (evidence: lack of carbonates)

Early continents

Formed 4.3 billion years ago and very geologically active

Crust was made up of what during Hadean

Komatite and periodotite (komatite no longer exists)