Definition
Silicon (Si) is an element present in all natural environments, including the biosphere. It has three stable isotopes of mass 28, 29, and 30, respectively. Its isotopic composition is expressed in the delta notation δ30Si (30Si/28Si) and δ29Si (29Si/28Si) in per mil units normalized to a standard reference (see “Delta, Isotopic”). The δ30Si and δ29Si vary in the solar system by up to 10 ‰ and 5 ‰, respectively. These isotopic changes in Earth and extraterrestrial materials are used to constrain diverse processes such as the origin of the solar system, core-mantle segregation, the appearance of life on the early Earth, the temperatures of the early oceans, the weathering of silicate rocks, or the role of siliceous organisms in C-Si cycles.
Overview
The potential role of silica (SiO2) in the emergence of life has been often questioned, especially because SiO2-rich deposits (cherts) host the oldest putative evidence for life. Others have wondered about the biological...
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References and Further Reading
André L, Cardinal D, Alleman LY, Moorbath S (2006) Silicon isotopes in 3.8 Ga West Greenland rocks as clues to the Eoarchaean supracrustal Si cycle. Earth Planet Sci Lett 245:162–173
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André, L., Cardinal, D. (2014). Silicon Isotopes. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1448-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1448-4
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Latest
Silicon Isotopes- Published:
- 22 December 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1448-5
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Original
Silicon Isotopes- Published:
- 07 May 2015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1448-4