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GSA Special Papers
Earth's Early Atmosphere and Surface Environment
Author(s)
George H. Shaw
George H. Shaw
Geology Department, Union College, Schenectady, New York 12308, USA
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Geological Society of America

Volume
504
Copyright:
© 2014 Geological Society of America
Attribution:You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work). Noncommercial ‒ you may not use this work for commercial purpose. No Derivative works ‒ You may not alter, transform, or build upon this work. Sharing ‒ Individual scientists are hereby granted permission, without fees or further requests to GSA, to use a single figure, a single table, and/or a brief paragraph of text in other subsequent works and to make unlimited photocopies of items in this journal for noncommercial use in classrooms to further education and science.
ISBN print:
9780813725048
Publication date:
May 01, 2014
Book Chapter
Waiting for O2
Author(s)
Kevin Zahnle
Space Science Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Ames Research Center, MS 245-3, Moffett Field, California 94035, USA
;
Kevin Zahnle
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David Catling
Department of Earth and Space Sciences/Astrobiology Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
David Catling
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Published:May 01, 2014
Oxygenic photosynthesis appears to be necessary for an oxygen-rich atmosphere like Earth's. However, available geological and geochemical evidence suggests that at least 200 m.y., and possibly as many as 700 m.y., elapsed between the advent of oxygenic photosynthesis and the establishment of an oxygen atmosphere. The interregnum implies that at least one other necessary condition for O2 needed to be met. Here, we argue that the second condition was the oxidation of the surface and crust to the point where free O2 became more stable than competing reduced gases such as CH4, and that the cause...
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Index Terms/Descriptors
- aliphatic hydrocarbons
- alkanes
- atmosphere
- biologic evolution
- C-13/C-12
- carbon
- chemical composition
- continental crust
- crust
- geochemistry
- Great Oxidation Event
- hydrocarbons
- hydrogen
- isotope ratios
- isotopes
- life origin
- mantle
- methane
- organic compounds
- oxidation
- oxygen
- paleoatmosphere
- photochemistry
- photosynthesis
- reduction
- S-34/S-32
- stability
- stable isotopes
- sulfur
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