A case for catastrophic early degassing of the earth.

Evidence is given for the occurrence in early earth history of massive escape of volatiles from the interior of the earth to its surface, which must have had catastrophic proportions. The mechanism and time of this event are inferred from the abundances and distribution of volatiles in the atmosphere, hydrosphere and crust, and from meteorite studies, and geophysical and astronomical observations. This event is linked to the melting of the earth during accretion which resulted in the concentration of U, Th, K and Pb in the outermost portion of the earth and in virtually complete expulsion of nonradiogenic Ar, Ne and Kr from its interior.