Guangzhou, March 23 (BNA): Chinese scientists have revealed their new findings about the origin of elemental oxygen on the early Earth, suggesting that it may have been derived primarily from rocks.
Previous studies showed that early Earth experienced a spike in oxygen in the atmosphere, the Great Oxidation Event, about 2.33 to 2.45 billion years ago, during which a large amount of oxygen was produced through oxygen photosynthesis by cyanobacteria.
Xinhua reported that the abiotic origin of the oxygen present before the event has been largely studied and is traditionally believed to be related to the dissociation of water.
A research team from the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences proposed their new insights that the oxygen in the early Earth’s atmosphere may have come from rocks interacting with water, rather than water alone after they conducted detailed laboratory experiments.
In simulating early Earth’s atmosphere, the team used isotope labeling technology to track oxygen derived from the interfaces between water and eroded quartz, a mineral similar to silicate. They found that oxygen originated mainly from the mineral surface, while only a little bit of water dissociation.
“Mechanical forces in various geodynamic processes, such as earthquakes and erosion, deform minerals to produce surface radicals to release oxygen through interaction with water, thus providing primary oxidants and oxygen for early life on Earth and its development,” said He Hongping, the team. Leader in the institute.
He noted that the production of metallic oxygen could occur on other Earth-like planets.
The results were published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
WWA