ASTROBIOLOGY OF THE NEOPROTEROZOIC

The Neoproterozoic is a time when Earth surface processes and their interaction with the biosphere fluctuated on planetary scales. As such it provides an important testbed for the developing field of Astrobiology. In addition, the Neoproterozoic provides important insights into processes and conditions that differed substantially from their present states. This presentation will review the astrobiological implications of recent discoveries and interpretations of the Neoproterozoic Earth, including those that relate to the state of the Earth-Moon system, large-scale true polar wander, global refrigeration, and accelerated evolution of the biosphere.