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3.4-Billion-year-old biogenic pyrites from Barberton, South Africa: sulfur isotope evidenceLaser ablation mass spectroscopy analyses of sulfur isotopic compositions of microscopic-sized grains of pyrite that formed about 3.4 billion years ago in the Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa, show that the pyrite formed by bacterial reduction of seawater sulfate. These data imply that by about 3.4 billion years ago sulfate-reducing bacteria had become active, the oceans were rich in sulfate, and the atmosphere contained appreciable amounts (>>10(-13) of the present atmospheric level) of free oxygen.
Document ID
20040089688
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Ohmoto, H.
(University Park 16802 United States)
Kakegawa, T.
Lowe, D. R.
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
October 22, 1993
Publication Information
Publication: Science
Volume: 262
ISSN: 0036-8075
Subject Category
Exobiology
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: EAR-9003554
CONTRACT_GRANT: NCA2-332
CONTRACT_GRANT: 0-3102002
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
NASA Discipline Exobiology
Non-NASA Center

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