Course description:
The early Earth experienced transitions from magma oceans to proto-lithosphere and finally the formation of tectonic plates as we know them today on modern Earth. The processes shaping our planet during the Archean are documented sparsely in the rock record. Yet, crustal processes involving crust formation, metamorphism and geodynamics are pivotal to the understanding of the major driving forces governing the early evolution of the Earth shaping it into a habitable environment.
The sparse crustal rock record of Archean terranes provides the ultimate source of knowledge for studying this crucial period of planet evolution addressing first order questions such as the timing and conditions of metamorphism, the onset of plate tectonics, evolution and distribution of early life or the formation of continental crust. At the same time, recent technological as well as methodological advances have opened up exciting new avenues to explore this dynamic epoch in geological history.
This short course aims to provide an overview on current knowledge and comparison of different Archean terranes, e.g., Pilbara, Baberton, Isua, and others. We plan a three-day course covering the following topics: TTG formation, formation and evolution of continental crust, onset of plate tectonics, geodynamic models, Archean seawater, silification, early life and Archean metamorphism in addition to methodological session covering state-of-the art analytical approaches, e.g. non-traditional isotope systems, accessory phases, etc.. The short course consists of a series of lectures including keynote lectures from external experts. In addition, interactive sessions will be hold facilitating network development of MSc and PhD students in the field, development of future research questions and an oral/poster session for students to present their MSc and/or PhD work on Early Earth topics.

Targeted audience: MSc and PhD students, potentially Early Career Researchers
Maximum number of participants: 60 students

Time & Venue:
25.-28.03.2025
Geoscience Centre
Georg-August University Göttingen
Goldschmidtstraße 1
D-37077 Göttingen

Organizers @UGoe:
Thomas Müller & Dominik Sorger (Metamorphic Petrology), Andreas Pack (Isotope Geology), Matthias Willbold (Geochemistry), Jan-Peter Duda (Geobiology), Hilmar von Eynatten (Sedimentology)

Co-organizer:
Elis Hoffman & Alex Webb (FU Berlin), Thorsten Nagel (TU Freiberg)