The availability of molecular oxygen shapes the size and structure of Earth’s biosphere. Geological and geochemical records imply that, for most of the Precambrian (the entirety of Earth’s history with the exception of the most recent 540 million years), atmospheric oxygen concentrations were only a fraction of that of the present. A notable exception occurred in the wake of the first major rise in

Mud deposition is common on continental shelves worldwide, resulting from various dispersal behaviors of fine-grained sediments. The mud belt found in the East China Sea (ECS) is a product of a complex land-ocean sediment dispersal system, and has thus been the focus of oceanographic research for decades. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the provenance and dynamical mechanism of the ECS

The 2.4Ga Hotazel Formation is a cyclically interlayered sequence of banded iron formation (BIF) and manganese-rich sedimentary rock at the uppermost part of the Neoarchaean-Palaeoproterozoic Transvaal Supergroup in South Africa. It represents an unusual stratigraphic association in the context of the origin of BIF and the coevolution of oxygen and life on early Earth and hence bears special relevance

The diverse types of Mesozoic intracontinental gold mineralization in the South China Block (SCB) are genetically linked to prolonged oceanic plate subduction. These gold deposits, with estimated resources greater than 2000 tonnes, comprise four gold provinces: Hainan Island, Wuyi-Yunkai Belt, Jiangnan Orogen, and Youjiang Basin. In these provinces, Paleo-Pacific Plate subduction, crustal thickness

Ammonoids are key fossil indexes for Triassic biochronology, as all Triassic stages and substages were initially defined on ammonoid faunas. In recent decades, the temporal resolution of ammonoid biostratigraphical scales for the Early Triassic has been greatly improved. However, many uncertainties in zones correlation and superpositions remain, mainly due to sampling heterogeneities, preservation

Geological storage is a valuable strategy for reducing CO2 emissions to the atmosphere, although seismicity induced by CO2 injection can be a serious hazard that also becomes an obstacle to the development of CO2 geological storage. The most important challenge in this field is fault systems that are difficult to detect and that have complex activation mechanisms, making the evaluation, prediction

The oceans contribute to aerosol particles in the atmosphere through two different physical mechanisms: first by the production of sea spray aerosol (SSA), and second by emitting gases that condense to produce secondary marine aerosol (SMA). These aerosol emissions include three types of chemical compounds: salt particles account for >90% of the mass, most of which is >1 μm dry diameter; sulfate particles

Subduction and closure of the Proto-Tethys and Palaeo-Tethys oceans were important events in the assembly of Eurasia, and created the Central China Orogenic Belt (CCOB). This paper presents a new tectonic model for the CCOB in which we propose that elongate Precambrian basement blocks within the CCOB were originally part of a single ribbon continent, here named K-Qubed after the Kunlun-Qaidam-Qilian-Qinling

A comprehensive revision of the localities of discovery of fossil mysticetes is presented together with a highly inclusive phylogenetic analysis in order to provide the basis for a chronology of the main mysticete diversification events. The results suggest that the origin of Mysticeti (that include earlier toothed taxa together with today baleen-bearing cetaceans) occurred c. 38 Ma; the origin of

The Paleocene–Eocene southern Peru metallogenic belt contains numerous very large to supergiant porphyry Cu–Mo deposits. The deposits were dated previously as coeval with the Incaic I orogeny at ca. 60 Ma. However, tectono-magmatic processes during the formation of the deposits are poorly constrained. Here, we integrate published geochronological, geochemical, and mineralogical data from barren and

The reliable identification of subsurface sedimentary structures (i.e., geologic heterogeneity) is critical in various earth and environmental sciences, petroleum reservoir engineering, and other porous media-related application. The application includes some important and societally relevant problems such as contaminated aquifer remediation, enhanced oil recovery, geological carbon storage, geological

Although much evidence points to a Late Mesozoic large silicic igneous province in SE South China (SESC), diverse Andean-type and non-Andean-type models have been proposed to explain its origins. New age, isotope, and trace element data on zircon from wells in East China Sea (ECS) and offshore-onshore tectonomagmatic comparisons allow reassessment of the geodynamic interactions (ca. 200–86 Ma) between

Fine sediment represents an important part of the solid flux of rivers. Due to the size of these particles, they are often transported as suspended load. They gradually fill the pores of the substrate forming the hyporheic zone or cover the substrate by settling, resulting in the clogging of the riverbed. Clogging of the major part of the riverbed affects the habitat of invertebrates and reduces the

The confluence of our ability to handle big data, significant increases in instrumentation density and quality, and rapid advances in machine learning (ML) algorithms have placed Earth Sciences at the threshold of dramatic progress. ML techniques have been attracting increased attention within the seismic community, and, in particular, in microseismic monitoring where they are now being considered

The current understanding of the origins of modern carbonate muds and their early stages of transformations are reviewed. The fine-grained nature of such sediments makes them susceptible to intensive structural and chemical alteration at relatively shallow burial depths driven especially by mineral instability under microbially mediated reactions within the sediment associated with the decay of organic

Reports of preserved cells and other soft tissues in ancient vertebrates, including dinosaurs, have been met with controversy within the field of vertebrate paleontology. To explain such reports, Schweitzer et al. (2014) hypothesized that iron-mediated radical crosslinking preserves ancient soft tissues in a manner somewhat analogous to histological tissue fixation. In 2018, Wiemann et al. proposed

Oxygenic photosynthesis is arguably the most important biological innovation in Earth's history, facilitating the transition to a habitable planet for complex life. Dating the emergence of oxygenic photosynthesis, however, has proven difficult with estimates spanning a billion years. Sedimentary manganese (Mn) enrichments represent a potentially important line of evidence given the high redox potentials

This paper begins with a review of the history of remote sensing algorithms for the determination of particulate inorganic carbon (PIC; aka calcium carbonate), primarily associated with haptophyte phytoplankton known as coccolithophores. These algae have strong optical particle backscattering (bbp) which can dominate ocean color properties.. In non-bloom conditions, coccolithophore bbp typically accounts

To decipher the geomorphic and drainage evolution between Tibet and the South China Sea (SCS), the Cenozoic source-to-sink evolution of the central northern SCS has always been a research hotspot. However, previous provenance studies mainly focus on Cenozoic deposits in the central Pearl River Mouth Basin (PRMB) and their implications on the evolution of the Pearl River and the source areas in South

The conventional view of crustal deformation in the reactivated Tianshan orogenic belt is strong north–south (NS) compression accommodated by a series of east–west (E–W)-striking thrust faults. Here, we record a non-negligible strike-slip component of present-day crustal deformation, that has not been previously been well-documented. Thus, we are able to constrain deformation and slip partitioning

The Searchlight pluton (SLP) and coeval Highland Range volcanic sequence (HRV) have been suggested to represent intruded and erupted counterparts, and the 15 km tilted crustal section in which they are exposed has been presented as an illustration of the anatomy of a large, upper crustal, intermediate to silicic magmatic system. We summarize herein three decades of published and unpublished research

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) comprise a vast pool of low molecular weight and rapidly diffusible chemicals that are emitted from all cells as well as by photolysis of dissolved organic matter and burning of fossil fuels. In the ocean, VOCs are an important component of the marine carbon cycle, serving as plankton growth products and substrates and also as info-chemicals that influence phytoplankton

The open ocean carbonate pump represents the production and downward flux of particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) in the form of calcium carbonate synthesized by calcifying plankton. This pump operates alongside the organic carbon pump, which concerns the production and downward flux of organic carbon, mostly in the form of particles (POC). While the organic carbon pump draws down atmospheric carbon

The swash zone largely influences nearshore hydrodynamics and morphodynamics through dissipating or reflecting wave energy and controlling whether sediment will be stored on the upper beach or returned to the inner surf zone. It is a region where active beach accretion and erosion occur and beach protection measures such as sand nourishments are often placed. Hence, proper prediction of swash zone

Cosmogenic burial dating based on measurements of the 26Al/10Be ratio is a well-established geochronological method that contributed to significant progress in several scientific disciplines, including fluvial geomorphology, Quaternary geology or palaeo-anthropology. Although it was originally developed to date buried alluvium in multi-level cave systems 25 years ago, merely ∼30 research papers focusing

Faults are complex structures that substantially influence the mechanical behavior and hydraulic connectivity of rock formations. Therefore, studying faults is important for a variety of disciplines such as geoscience, civil, geotechnical, reservoir engineering, and material science among others. Researchers from these disciplines have considered different aspects of faults, namely geometry, petrophysical

To deal with global warming and biodiversity loss, historical land use in South Asia received wide attention because of its huge population and rich biodiversity. We reviewed representative global and regional historical land use reconstructions for South Asia from their data sources, methods of area estimation and spatial mapping, and outcomes. Then we made some prospects on developing historical

We have compiled stratigraphic ranges of genera of calcareous nannofossils, calcispheres, planktonic foraminifers, larger benthic foraminifers, corals and rudists bivalves, and species of dasycladalean green algae. These taxa comprise the main planktonic and benthic carbonate producers of the Cretaceous, a period of exceptionally high sea level and palaeotemperatures that was characterized by unique

The Northwest Pacific subduction zone has undergone a complex tectonic evolution accompanied by intense seismic activity. Understanding the morphology of the subducting slabs can help to unravel the subduction history and suggest guidance for present-day tectonic events. Various studies, including numerous tomographic surveys, have imaged the subducting slabs in increasing detail. 2D sections do not

Soil erosion is part of the erosion-sedimentation cycle and a type of land degradation that can be caused by poor land management. This is expected to be exacerbated by climate change. The rainfall erosivity factor (R) of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) family of soil erosion models is one of the most important parameters being studied because it is heavily influenced by climate change. The

The study of large-scale and long-term sedimentary hiatus and exhumation in vast intraplate basins is of great significance for unravelling their tectonic development, morphodynamics and relationships with petroleum occurrence. The Ordos Basin is an intra-cratonic depression in the western part of the North China Craton that gradually subsides from the Proterozoic to the Mesozoic and contains several

Blue carbon ecosystems (BCE) include mangrove forests, tidal marshes, and seagrass meadows, all of which are currently under threat, putting their contribution to mitigating climate change at risk. Although certain challenges and trade-offs exist, remote sensing offers a promising avenue for transparent, replicable, and cost-effective accounting of many BCE at unprecedented temporal and spatial scales

In the article entitled “Molecular hydrogen in surface and subsurface natural gases: Abundance, origins and ideas for deliberate exploration”, Alexei V. Milkov leverages a large database to address the occurrence of molecular hydrogen (H2) in natural gases. The stated aims involve getting new insights into the mechanisms that lead to the production of H2 in geological habitats as well as producing

Establishing how tectonic plates have moved since deep time is essential for understanding how Earth's geodynamic system has evolved and operates, thus answering longstanding questions such as what “drives” plate tectonics. Such knowledge is a key component of Earth System science, and has implications for wide ranging fields from core-mantle-crust interaction and evolution, geotectonic phenomena such

Landslides are one of the most destructive hazard processes that cause tremendous loss of lives and damage to the built environment. As a crucial part of disaster risk management, building vulnerability assessment aims to link building damage with landslide hazard intensity and building characteristics in a physically based manner. This thorough review summarizes the progresses made in the assessment

In the middle to late Mesozoic period, the Korean Peninsula was in an active continental margin with an accretionary complex developed in the direction of trench to the southeast. The Cretaceous Gyeongsang Basin is the largest nonmarine basin distributed in the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula and is generally considered to be a transtensional or an extensional basin formed by the oblique

The next decade will see new geological mapping of the surface of Venus spurred by multiple new science missions. Planetary scientists must be cognisant of gaps in our understanding of the geology of the second planet in order to plan and maximise the scientific value of these new missions. While our current knowledge of major aspects of volcanology and broad-scale tectonic features on Venus is reasonably

The breakup of a supercontinent is a vital process of global tectonic evolution. How exactly West Gondwana and Pangea broke up is a controversial topic with many unanswered questions and problems that the reconstruction models attempt to solve. Since the mid-20th century in the course of modeling the South Atlantic tectonic evolution, several works contributed to the understanding of South America

Abstract not available

We investigate the processes driving spatial-temporal patterns of Cenozoic exhumation in the Mediterranean and the Middle East by compiling >7300 published low-temperature thermochronometric ages and converting them into exhumation rates through a formal inversion process based on thermal modeling and closure temperature kinetics. Exhumation rates are resolved using piecewise-continuous spatial variability

Konservat-Lagerstätten—deposits with exceptionally preserved fossils of articulated multi-element skeletons and soft tissues—offer the most complete snapshots of ancient organisms and communities in the geological record. One classic example, the Posidonia Shale in southwestern Germany, contains a diverse array of fossils preserved during the ∼183 Ma Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event. Seminal work on this

Recent applications in Earth sciences require geoid models to be determined with the sub-centimetre internal accuracy. Regional models of the geoid are usually determined using discrete gravity values measured at and/or outside the Earth, and global models of the Earth gravity field and topographic surface. In this article, we review the previous studies that (to some extent) discuss the estimation

The naturally occurring isotope radon-222 (222Rn) is widely employed as a tracer for groundwater discharge to lakes, lagoons, rivers, estuaries, and coastal oceans. Owing to the highly diverse hydrogeological settings, limitations, and assumptions when applying the 222Rn mass balance, there is a clear need to create a uniform approach that will constrain the uncertainties in the reported groundwater

In the last three decades, significant progress has been made in the investigation of rhenium‑osmium (Re-Os) isotopic system in organic-rich samples. The Re-Os geochronometer can provide precise absolute depositional ages of organic-rich sediments (ORS) and information on the age of the generation, migration, and charge of crude oil. Thus, this dating tool is widely used to establish the time scale

The tectono-magmatic evolution of the North China Craton (NCC) plays a crucial role in understanding the Jurassic–Early Cretaceous (Yanshanian) intracontinental orogeny in East Asia. A holistic understanding of multi-phased deformation and magmatism in the NCC is greatly complicated by the sporadically distributed Mesozoic strata with significantly different stratigraphic associations in various zones

A big mantle wedge (BMW) is an important deep Earth structure that has implications for our understanding of geodynamic processes. The eastern and northeastern Asian BMWs have been extensively studied in the past two decades. This paper reviews evidence for the age, formation, spatial extent, and geodynamic effects of BMWs, with the aim of distinguishing between two BMWs. The eastern Asian BMW initially

Phytoplankton photosynthesis and organic matter production fuel marine ecosystems and provide the source material for trophic transfer and export to the ocean interior. Methods for directly measuring photosynthetic rates (both Gross and Net Primary Production, GPP and NPP) are limited in extent and not suitable for broad regional or global assessments. Satellite-based models for estimating GPP and

The Indo-Pacific Convergence Zone (IPCZ) has a complex ocean dynamical system. All scale processes are active and interplay from small-scale turbulent mixing to basin-scale circulation. The IPCZ acts as an “oceanic bridge” for the inter-basin mass transports and basin-scale planetary waves, closely linking basin-scale circulations in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Numerous straits in the Indonesian

This work aims to review and discuss with new interpretations the tectonic evolution of the Ivrea Verbano Zone (IVZ), to highlight how inheritance from previous orogenic cycles may have driven the Mesozoic Alpine Tethys rifting processes. After the Mesozoic rifting, the IVZ was located at the base of the continental crust of the Adriatic distal margin, before being exhumed at the surface during Alpine

Mountain-front fans are an important part of the global sediment system, acting as buffers and stores of sediment between upland sources and down-system sinks. Fans emanate from the Hajar Mountains in the eastern UAE and northern Oman which have developed from morphologically and geologically variable catchments and in a range of depositional settings, as well as spanning a wide range of shapes and

Ophiolites, fragments of oceanic lithosphere exposed on land, are typically found as isolated klippen in intensely deformed fold-thrust belts spanning hundreds to thousands of kilometers along-strike. Ophiolites whose geochemistry indicates that they formed above subduction zones, may have been relics of larger, once-coherent, oceanic lithosphere tracts that formed the leading edge of an upper plate

Large igneous provinces (LIPs) are the products of exceptional magmatic events that played important roles in tectonic plate reorganizations, environmental crises, energy resource formation and ore genesis. Studying the ages of LIPs has been crucial for constraining the duration of these magmatic events and deciphering their temporal relationship with associated geological events. There have been a