Recently, the Compilation of Excellent Results of Projects Funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Volume VIII) was officially published, highlighting representative and outstanding achievements in basic research during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period. Two projects from our school were selected among the 10 outstanding achievements in the field of geosciences:
Professor Ge Rongfeng's Team:Origin and Tectonic Evolution of Earth's Early Continents (selected under "Targeting the Global Science and Technology Frontiers").
Professor Zhang Feifei's Team:Innovative Theory and Application of Metal Stable Isotopes in Tracing Deep-Time Carbon Cycles and Paleoenvironmental Evolution (selected under "Targeting Major National Needs").
The inclusion of these two achievements underscores our school's innovative strength in foundational geosciences research, driving a strong "dual-wheel drive and synergistic efforts" momentum in exploring technological frontiers and serving national strategic needs.
Pioneering Research on Earth's Early Continents
Professor Ge Rongfeng’s team focused on the major scientific question of the origin and tectonic evolution of Earth's early continents. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) [Young Scientists Fund (Category A) 42025202, Young Scientists Fund (Category B) 41922017, and General Program 41872191], the team conducted systematic research yielding a series of groundbreaking results.
Methodological Innovation: The study pioneered the combination of two zircon trace element-based oxygen barometers to propose an innovative zircon oxygen fugacity-hygrometer. This method enables the calculation of the water content of equilibrium magma based on the oxygen fugacity during zircon crystallization.
Key Findings: By calculating the magmatic oxygen fugacity and water content of Archean granitic rocks in major global cratons, the team discovered that most Archean granitic magmas had an oxygen fugacity an order of magnitude higher than contemporaneous mantle-derived magmas. Their water content was also significantly higher, closely resembling Phanerozoic subduction zone island arc magmas.
Historical Impact: The research revealed that during the Eoarchean (3.6–4.0 billion years ago)—approximately 500 million years after Earth's formation—the initiation of early subduction led to a significant increase in the oxygen fugacity and water content of granitic magmas.
These findings are highly significant for understanding the origin of early continents, the onset of plate tectonics, and the formation of critical metal mineral resources. The research was published in Nature, selected as one of the "Top Ten Scientific and Technological Advances in Jiangsu Province's Industry Sectors (Basic Research)," and awarded the "Jiangsu Province Top 100 Excellent Academic Papers in Natural Sciences."
Advancing Deep-Time Carbon Cycle and Paleoenvironmental Studies
Professor Zhang Feifei’s team tackled a core frontier issue in Earth sciences: the driving mechanisms of the deep-time carbon cycle and their impacts on surface environments and biological evolution. Their research was funded by the NSFC [General Program 42073002, Young Scientists Fund (Category B) 42322304] and the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2021YFA0718100).
Theoretical Development: Using typical carbonate sedimentary drill cores from the South China Sea and kilometer-deep coral reef drills, the team comprehensively compared carbonate sedimentation and diagenesis between the North American Bahamas platform and South China Sea island reefs. They systematically established and refined the diagenetic theoretical framework for multiple key metal stable isotopes.
Numerical Modeling: Through deep domestic and international collaboration, the team coupled metal isotopes (such as lithium, barium, and uranium) with multi-level numerical models—including the carbon emission model LOSCAR, the biogeochemical model COPSE, and intermediate-complexity Earth system models (GENIE/GEOCLIM). This established an innovative paradigm for simulating deep-time paleoenvironmental evolution.
Critical Period Analysis: Focusing on pivotal eras like the Precambrian-Cambrian transition, the Paleozoic-Mesozoic transition, and extreme deep-time climate events, the team integrated isotope data with models to reveal the synergistic evolution of the deep-time carbon cycle and marine redox states.
This work has powerfully advanced quantitative paleoceanography. The findings have been published in authoritative international journals such as Science Advances, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, and Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, drawing widespread attention and citations globally.
Background and Future Outlook
The Compilation of Excellent Results of Projects Funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China is a highly prestigious collection of research with significant scientific value and innovative potential. Published every five years, the compilation solicits only 4–5 achievements per disciplinary field, which undergo rigorous review and meticulous selection by respective academic divisions before domestic and international distribution. With eight volumes published to date, the selection of these two projects signifies the highest level of academic recognition for their original innovation and scientific impact.
Moving forward, the School of Earth Sciences and Engineering will act with firm confidence and pragmatic measures to implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s directives on strengthening basic research. Adhering strictly to the "Four Orientations" strategic framework, the school will comprehensively bolster basic research, enhance original innovation capabilities, and strive toward high-level scientific and technological self-reliance to help build a leading nation in science and technology.
Credits:
Text: NJU Earth Sciences
Graphic Design: Zhang Qianqian
Review: Dong Ting
