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Heat-pipe Earth
Abstract
The heat transport and lithospheric dynamics of early Earth are currently explained by plate tectonic and vertical tectonic models, but these do not offer a global synthesis consistent with the geologic record. Here we use numerical simulations and comparison with the geologic record to explore a heat-pipe model in which volcanism dominates surface heat transport. These simulations indicate that a cold and thick lithosphere developed as a result of frequent volcanic eruptions that advected surface materials downwards. Declining heat sources over time led to an abrupt transition to plate tectonics. Consistent with model predictions, the geologic record shows rapid volcanic resurfacing, contractional deformation, a low geothermal gradient across the bulk of the lithosphere and a rapid decrease in heat-pipe volcanism after initiation of plate tectonics. The heat-pipe Earth model therefore offers a coherent geodynamic framework in which to explore the evolution of our planet before the onset of plate tectonics.
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“Such a regime is suggested to have occurred on Earth during the Hadean Eon (Fig. 1: Moore and Webb, 2013) and implies that volcanism dominates over intrusive magmatism, although this is not the case for subsequent stagnant-lid modes (Rozel et al., 2017).”
From Secular change and the onset of plate tectonics on Earth (2020) · cites this paper as Moore and Webb, 2013
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Metadata
- Authors
- Moore, W. B., & Webb, A. A. G.
- Affiliations
- National Institute of Aerospace (US)
- Louisiana State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Moore, William B.
- Venue
- Nature
- Published
- 2013-09
- Volume
- 501
- Issue
- 7468
- Pages
- 501-505
- ISSN
- 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-4687
- OpenAlex
- W1999892058
- Cited by
- 374
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2026: 27 · 2025: 37 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 32 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 31 · 2019: 52 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 5
- FWCI
- 18.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Nature (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- The HKU Scholars Hub (University of Hong Kong) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- NASA Astrobiology Institute
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geochemistry and Petrology › Geological and Geochemical Analysis
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Space and Planetary Science › Astro and Planetary Science
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geology › Geological and Geophysical Studies
- Keywords
- early Earth, plate tectonics origin, lithosphere dynamics, heat transport, volcanic resurfacing, Hadean Earth, magma ocean, geothermal gradient, detrital zircon, cratons
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