Ophiolite Geochemistry and Tectonics of Subduction Zones
Summary
Ophiolites, fragments of oceanic lithosphere emplaced onto continental margins, offer unique windows into mantle processes and subduction initiation. Their complex stratigraphy—from ultramafic peridotites through mafic gabbros to basaltic sheeted dykes and pillow lavas—records interactions between mid-ocean ridge magmatism and supra-subduction zone metasomatism. Geochemical analyses of major and trace elements, as well as radiogenic isotopes, reveal a spectrum of signatures: mid-ocean ridge basalt affinity enriched by seawater alteration; island-arc tholeiite traits reflecting fluid-induced melting in mantle wedges; and high-field strength element depletions linked to slab-derived fluid flux. Tectonically, ophiolite belts mark ancient subduction channels where obduction has thrust oceanic plate sections onto continental margins. Integrated approaches—combining field mapping, geochronology and petrogenetic modelling—reconstruct subduction onset, slab rollback, lithosphere decoupling and eventual emplacement. This interdisciplinary research informs hazards assessment, resource exploration of chromite and platinum-group elements, and refines our understanding of plate boundary evolution across geological time.
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Ophiolite Geochemistry and Tectonics of Subduction Zones publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in ophiolite geochemistry and tectonics of subduction zones across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Ophiolite: A section of oceanic lithosphere and upper mantle emplaced onto continental crust.
Supra-subduction zone (SSZ): A tectonic environment above a subducting slab where fluid-induced melting occurs.
Obduction: The thrusting of oceanic lithosphere over continental crust during plate convergence.
Metasomatism: Chemical alteration of rocks by fluid-rock interaction, often introducing trace elements.
Isotope geochemistry: Use of radiogenic isotopes (e.g., Nd, Sr) to trace mantle sources and melting processes.
References
- Relicts of Neo-Tethyan mantle wedge in the Indo-Burma Range, India: Record of carbonate metasomatism and Neo-Tethyan mantle evolution. Results in Earth Sciences (2023).
- Petrology of Peridotites and Nd-Sr Isotopic Composition of Their Clinopyroxenes from the Middle Andaman Ophiolite, India. Minerals (2018).
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