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GEOREF RECORD
Earth's earliest atmosphere
Kevin J. Zahnle
Earth's earliest atmosphere
Elements (August 2006) 2 (4): 217-222
Earth's earliest atmosphere
Elements (August 2006) 2 (4): 217-222
Index Terms/Descriptors
Abstract
The aftermath of the Moon-forming impact left Earth with a hot, CO (sub 2) -rich steam atmosphere. Water oceans condensed from the steam after 2 Myr, but for some 10-100 Myr the surface stayed warm ( approximately 500K), the length of time depending on how quickly the CO (sub 2) was removed into the mantle. Thereafter a lifeless Earth, heated only by the dim light of the young Sun, would have evolved into a bitterly cold ice world. The cooling trend was frequently interrupted by volcanic- or impact-induced thaws.
ISSN: 1811-5209
Serial Title: Elements
Serial Volume: 2
Serial Issue: 4
Title: Earth's earliest atmosphere
Author(s): Zahnle, Kevin J.
Affiliation: NASA, Ames Research Center,
Moffett Field, CA,
United States
Pages: 217-222
Published: 200608
Text Language: English
Publisher: Mineralogical Society of America and Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland and Mineralogical Association of Canada and Geochemical Society and Clay Minerals Society,
International
References: 28
Accession Number: 2007-014630
Categories: StratigraphyExtraterrestrial geology
Document Type: Serial
Bibliographic Level: Analytic
Illustration Description: illus.
Country of Publication: International
Secondary Affiliation: GeoRef, Copyright 2018, American Geosciences Institute.
Update Code: 200705
