The evolution of Earth during the Hadean and Archean, and its relationship to the development of life, remains a frontier research area where the most advanced field and analytical techniques must be harnessed to glean details from the ancient geologic record. The period also provides our best model for understanding the potential development of habitable conditions on exoplanets. Here we solicit contributions from a broad range of scientists working on the Earth evolution older than about 2.5 Ga, from the core to the atmosphere. Examples of areas of interest include sources of water for the early Earth, constraints on greenhouse gases in the early atmosphere, tectonic processes in the crust and mantle, heat loss and style of mantle convection, early development of the core and geodynamo, the relationship between melt production and ocean/atmospheric development, evidence for early life, and constraints on the nature of near surface environments.

Invited speaker:
Pascal Philippot (IPG Paris, France)
Martin Van Kranendonk (Geological Survey W. Australia)