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Published Online June 16, 2005
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1113634

Research Articles

Submitted on April 15, 2005
Accepted on June 8, 2005

142Nd Evidence for Early (>4.53 Ga) Global Differentiation of the Silicate Earth

Maud Boyet 1* and Richard W. Carlson 1

1 Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 5241 Broad Branch Road NW, Washington, DC 20015, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Maud Boyet , E-mail: boyet{at}dtm.ciw.edu

New high-precision Sm-Nd isotopic data for chondritic meteorites show that their 142Nd/144Nd ratio is 20 ppm lower than that of most terrestrial rocks. This difference indicates that most (70 to 95%) of Earth's mantle is compositionally similar to the incompatible-element depleted source of mid-ocean-ridge basalts possibly as a result of a global differentiation within 30 million years (My) of Earth's formation. The complementary enriched reservoir has never been sampled and is probably located at the base of the mantle. These data impact models of Earth's compositional structure and require revision of the timing of global differentiation on Moon and Mars.


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