Ophiolite Petrology and Mantle Dynamics
Summary
Ophiolites are fragments of ancient oceanic lithosphere that record the processes of mantle melting, melt migration and tectonic emplacement. Their stratigraphy typically comprises ultramafic peridotites at the base, overlain by gabbros, sheeted dyke complexes and volcanic rocks. Peridotites, particularly harzburgites and lherzolites, preserve evidence of partial melting and melt–rock interaction in the mantle wedge above subduction zones. Chromian spinel and clinopyroxene chemistry constrain the extent of melt depletion and prevailing redox conditions. Serpentinites, formed by hydration of peridotites, play a pivotal role in transporting fluids into subduction channels, influencing seismic properties and metasomatic alteration. Rodingites, Ca-rich metasomatic rocks associated with serpentinites, document fluid pathways, pressure–temperature evolution and redox shifts during subduction. Worldwide studies—from the Tethyan realm to the Mediterranean and Red Sea margins—integrate field mapping, petrography, mineral chemistry and thermodynamic models to elucidate melt extraction, element transport and fluid-driven weakening of the forearc lithosphere. This integrated approach has advanced our understanding of mantle dynamics, forearc architecture and the role of fluids in convergent margins.
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Ophiolite Petrology and Mantle Dynamics publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in ophiolite petrology and mantle dynamics across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Ophiolite: A tectonic slice of oceanic lithosphere, including ultramafic mantle and overlying igneous rocks, emplaced onto continental margins.
Peridotite: An ultramafic mantle rock dominated by olivine and pyroxenes, recording partial melting and melt extraction in the mantle.
Serpentinite: A hydrated peridotite composed mainly of serpentine minerals, formed by aqueous alteration of mantle rocks.
Rodingite: A metasomatic Ca-rich rock produced by reaction between serpentinite and Ca-bearing fluids, typically containing garnet, vesuvianite and diopside.
Forearc: The region between a subduction trench and the volcanic arc, where mantle wedge rocks undergo melt depletion and metasomatism.
Metasomatism: Chemical alteration of a rock by hydrothermal fluids, resulting in mineralogical and compositional changes.
Mantle wedge: The portion of the upper mantle above a subducting slab where fluids released from the slab induce partial melting and metasomatic alteration.
References
- Petrogenesis of Neoproterozoic Ultramafic Rocks, Wadi Ibib–Wadi Shani, South Eastern Desert, Egypt: Constraints from Whole Rock and Mineral Chemistry. Applied Sciences (2021).
- High‐P metamorphism of rodingites during serpentinite dehydration (Cerro del Almirez, Southern Spain): Implications for the redox state in subduction zones. Journal of Metamorphic Geology (2018).
- Interplay of irreversible reactions and deformation: a case of hydrofracturing in the rodingite–serpentinite system. Progress in Earth and Planetary Science (2017).
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