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Earth's early atmosphere as seen from carbon and nitrogen isotopic analysis of Archean sedimentsThe origin and evolution of the Earth's early atmosphere has long been a topic of great interest but determination of actual compositions over geologic time is a difficult problem. However, recent systematic studies of stromatolite deposits (Precambrian Paleobiology Research Group) has extended our knowledge of Archean ecosystems. It has been shown that many stromatolite deposits have undergone negligible alteration since their time of formation. The discovery of primary fluid inclusions within unaltered 3.5 b.y. old Archiean sediments and the observation that the 3.3 b.y. old Barberton cherts have remained closed to argon loss and have not been subjected to thermal metamorphism suggests that an opportunity exists for the direct measurement of the volatile constituents present at their time of formation. Of primary interest to this study was the possibility that the stromatolites and other Archean sediments might retain a vestige of the atmosphere and thus afford an indication of the variations in carbon dioxide and nitrogen isotopic compositions with time. A suite of essentially unaltered Archean stromatolites and the cherts of different ages and geologic sites have been analyzed for their trapped carbon dioxide and nitrogen compositions by the stepped combustion extraction tech nique utilizing static mass spectrometers for the isotope measurements.
Document ID
19860017411
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Gibson, E. K., Jr.
(NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Carr, L. P.
(NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Gilmour, I.
(Open Univ. Milton, United Kingdom)
Pillinger, C. T.
(NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
August 12, 2013
Publication Date
May 1, 1986
Publication Information
Publication: NASA, Washington Second Symposium on Chemical Evolution and the Origin and Evolution of Life
Subject Category
Space Biology
Accession Number
86N26883
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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