Earth's early evolution: fresh insights from rocks formed 3.5 billion years ago

PHAB’s Postdoctoral Fellow Jaganmoy Jodder has written an article in The Conversation about rocks that were formed 3.5 billion years ago. Which geological processes drove the formations and where do you find them?

3.51 billion years old volcanic rock from the Indian village of Daitari, where this was 1st reported. This rock is an example of an explosive eruption of silicic lava on the ancient Earth.

3.51 billion years old volcanic rock from the Indian village of Daitari, where this was 1st reported. This rock is an example of an explosive eruption of silicic lava on the ancient Earth.

Jaganmoy and his research team in South Africa published a studywhere they provided information related to surface processes on early Earth. The study is from the Daitari Greenstone Belt of the Singhbhum Craton, India. Volcanic rocks of the Daitari area have been dated around 3.5 billion years. Through this study, the authors provided a detailed geological evolution of the volcano-sedimentary rocks exposed in the Daitari locality. The key findings of this study were that explosive-style volcanic eruptions were common in what are today India, South Africa and Australia around 3.5 billion years ago. Evaluation of such early Earth processes is crucial in linking the planet’s evolutionary history as well as conditions that may have harboured life.

The full article in The journal can be read here.

Published Feb. 26, 2024 12:30 PM - Last modified Feb. 26, 2024 12:30 PM