Late accretion history of the terrestrial planets inferred from platinum stable isotopes

Abstract

Late accretion of chondritic material to differentiated planetary bodies is thought to have been common in the early solar system. However, the timing and scale of admixing this material to terrestrial planets are poorly constrained. Using platinum (Pt) stable isotope data in a range of solar system bodies, we show that Earth's post-Archean mantle has chondritic 198Pt/194Pt, consistent with addition of a chondritic late-veneer after core formation. Conversely, terrestrial Archean samples record non-chondritic, heavy, 198Pt/194Pt, indicating preservation of early mantle components that escaped complete mixing with the late-veneer. These data suggest admixing of ≤50 % of the eventual full late-veneer inventory. Such effective mixing within Earth's mantle by 3.85 Ga is most consistent with modern-style plate tectonics.