The Nitrogen Budget of Earth
Ben Johnson, Colin Goldblatt

TL;DR
This paper compiles and reviews Earth's nitrogen content, establishing a comprehensive budget that highlights the majority of planetary N resides in the solid Earth, with implications for Earth's nitrogen cycle and evolution.
Contribution
It provides the first comprehensive nitrogen budget for Earth based on geologic and geochemical data, clarifying N distribution and reservoirs within Earth's interior.
Findings
Bulk Silicate Earth contains approximately 27±16×10^18 kg N.
Majority of Earth's nitrogen is stored in the solid Earth, not missing.
Mantle reservoirs include N-rich and old, N-poor components.
Abstract
We comprehensively compile and review N content in geologic materials to calculate a new N budget for Earth. Using analyses of rocks and minerals in conjunction with N-Ar geochemistry demonstrates that the Bulk Silicate Earth (BSE) contains \sim7\pm4 times present atmospheric N (4\times10^18 kg N, PAN), with 27\pm16\times10^18 kg N. Comparison to chondritic composition, after subtracting N sequestered into the core, yields a consistent result, with BSE N between 17\pm13\times10^18 kg to 31\pm24\times10^18 kg N. In the chondritic comparison we calculate a N mass in Earth's core (180\pm110 to 300\pm180\times10^18 kg) and discuss the Moon as a proxy for the early mantle. Significantly, we find the majority of the planetary budget of N is in the solid Earth. The N estimate herein precludes the need for a "missing N" reservoir. Nitrogen-Ar systematics in mantle rocks and basalts identify…
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