Extended Data Fig. 9: Composite plots of four N-body simulations for accretion time, bulk composition and isotope fractionation.

From left to right, the panels are equivalent to Extended Data Figs. 4, 5 & 7, respectively. The results show that there is no systematic difference in the accretion times of the volatile- and non-volatile elements in the simulations (left-hand side panel). The middle panel illustrates that the bulk composition of the Earth can be reproduced using the initial conditions shown in Extended Data Fig. 2b. Isotopic fractionation (right-hand side panel) is always larger than for the equivalent simulation using the initial conditions shown in Extended Data Fig. 2a (compare with Extended Data Fig. 7). Due to the presence of volatile elements in the proto-Earth throughout its growth, most isotopic fractionation is seen in the most volatile elements, and the bimodal nature of the peaks (for example simulation GT/8:1/0.025/R2) carries the imprint of two separate collisional events.