专业英语-地史古生物学.docVIP

Historical geology examines the origin and evolution of Earth, including its continents, atmosphere, oceans, and life history. Historical geology is, however, more than just a recitation of past events. It is the study of a dynamic planet that has changed continuously during the past 4.6 billion years. In addition to determining what occurred in the past, geologists are also concerned with interpreting how and why past events happened. –––––“Historical Geology”, 2004, Reed Wicander James Monroe ① The Earth accreted from planetesimals and differentiated into a core and mantle, and at least some crust was also present. ② Like the other terrestrial planets, the Earth was bombarded by comets and meteorites, and volcanic activities were ubiquitous. ③ Furthermore, a primitive atmosphere formed, although it was quite different from the oxygen-rich one we have today. ①The oldest known organisms occur as fossil prokaryotes (anaerobic and autotrophic bacteria and cyanobacteria) from the 3.5-billion-year-old Warrawoona Group, western Australia. Other than the origin of life itself, the most significant biological event of the Archean was the development of photosynthesis. The oldest known undisputed stromatolites were found in 3.0-billion-year-old rocks in South Africa. ②The Archean rock associations mainly consist of greenstone belts（绿岩带）and granite-gneiss complexes（花岗片麻杂岩）. Actually, granite-gneiss complexes have rocks varying form granite to peridotite to various sedimentary rocks, all of which have been metamorphosed. ③Some primitive cratons or continental nuclei (including North China nucleus ) formed and grew by continental accretion during this Eon. By the end of the Archean, perhaps 30% to 40% of the present volume of continental crust existed. ④Archean mineral resources: Gold is the mineral most commonly associated with Archean rocks. Though 92% of the Earth’s Banded Iron Formations (BIFs, from 3.8 to 1.8 Ga in ag