Continent formation through time

The continental crust is our archive of Earth history, and the store of many natural resources; however, many key questions about its formation and evolution remain debated and unresolved: † What processes are involved in the formation, differentiation and evolution of continental crust, and how have these changed throughout Earth history? † How are plate tectonics, the supercontinent cycle and mantle cooling linked with crustal evolution? † What are the rates of generation and destruction of the continental crust through time? † How representative is the preserved geological record? A range of approaches are used to address these questions, including field-based studies, petrology and geochemistry, geophysical methods, palaeomagnetism, whole-rock and accessory-phase isotope chemistry and geochronology. Case studies range from the Eoarchaean to Phanerozoic, and cover many different cratons and orogenic belts from across the continents.