| Details: |
The Meso-to-Neoarchean eras (3.2-2.5 billion years ago, Ga) witnessed major changes in the geological and geochemical makeup of the continental crust that represent a change in the global geodynamics- most likely, the onset of plate tectonics. However, whether or not these nascent plate tectonic processes were akin to their modern counterparts, remains contentious. Integrated observations from petrology and numerical modelling now show that subduction-collision processes of the Archean were significantly different from the modern-day subduction-collision processes, implying that plate tectonics on Earth has evolved through time. |