PROPOSAL FOR A CONTINENT `ITSAQIA' AMALGAMATED AT 3.66 Ga AND RIFTED APART FROM 3.53 Ga: INITIATION OF A WILSON CYCLE NEAR THE START OF THE ROCK RECORD

摘要

A synthesis of the geological record of Earth's ten remaining oldest surviving gneiss complexes, each containing > 3.6 Ga rocks, reveals a common history. We propose that the simplest scenario compatible with all observations is that of formation of an ancient continental mass, here named itsaqia, by 3.66 Ga from amalgamation of earlier quartzofeldspathic crust, followed by initiation of continental break-up at 3.53 Ga by rifting. Evidence for this is reconstructed from the remaining oldest rock record (only ca. 10,000 km(2) globally).