Abstract
One of the outstanding problems for geologists studying ophiolites is to understand how obduction1 takes place. Current opinion interprets ophiolites as fragments of oceanic lithosphere, and obduction as a series of events which result in ophiolites being tectonically transported from an oceanic to a continental location. It is the early stages of the obduction process which remain the most obscure; in particular, how ophiolites become detached from their oceanic site of generation. Any attempt at understanding obduction requires the identification of key features which may indicate provenance and likely decoupling mechanisms. Six such features are considered here: ophiolite dimensions, internal structure, chemistry, petrology, the presence of metamorphic soles and their radiometric ages relative to those of ophiolite crystallization. Taken together the evidence suggests that certain ophiolites originate by the overthrusting of hot, thin lithosphere in the vicinity of spreading centres by decoupling along the elevated lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Coleman, R. G. J. geophys. Res. 76, 1212–1222 (1971).
Alabaster, T. et al. Ophiolite Symp., Cyprus, 751–757 (1980).
Sleep, N. H. & Rosendahl, B. R. J. geophys. Res. 84, 6831–6839 (1979).
Christensen, N. I. & Salisbury, M. H. Rev. geophys. Space Phys. 13, 57–86 (1975).
Jacobsen, S. B. & Wasserburg, G. J. J. geophys. Res. 84, 7429–7445 (1979).
Pearce, J. A. Ophiolite Symp., Cyprus, 261–272 (1980).
Pearce, J. A. et al. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A300, 299–317 (1981).
Capedri, S. et al. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 74, 189–200 (1980).
Bebien, J. Nature 270, 232–234 (1977).
Dalziel, W. D., de Wit, M. J. & Palmer, K. F. Nature 250, 291–294 (1974).
Karig, D. E. Spec. Publ. geol. Soc. Lond. 10, 563–576 (1982).
Miyashiro, A. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 19, 218–224 (1973).
Hawkins, J. W. Ophiolite Symp., Cyprus, 244–254 (1980).
Smith, A. G. & Spray, J. G. Spec. Publ. geol. Soc. Lond. (in the press).
Nicolas, A. et al. Nature 294, 414–417 (1981).
Spray, J. G. Nature 299, 524–528 (1982).
Menzies, M. A. & Allen, C. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 45, 197–213 (1974).
Spray, J. G. Spec. Publ. geol. Soc. Lond. (in the press).
Graham, C. M. & England, P. C. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 31, 142–152 (1976).
Spray, J. G. et al. Spec. Pub. geol. Soc. Lond. (in the press).
Boudier, F. & Coleman, R. G. J. geophys. Res. 86, 2573–2592 (1981).
Steiger, R. H. & Jager, E. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 36, 359–362 (1977).
Forsyth, D. W. Tectonophysics 38, 89–118 (1977).
Parker, R. L. & Oldenburg, D. W. Nature 242, 137–139 (1973).
Parsons, B. & Sclater, J. G. J. geophys. Res. 82, 803–827 (1977).
Boudier, F., Nicolas, A. & Bouchez, J-L. Nature 296, 825–828 (1982).
Nicolas, A. & Le Pichon, X. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 46, 397–406 (1980).
Spray, J. G. & Roddick, J. C. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 72, 43–55 (1980).
MacDonald, K. C. & Fox, P. J. Nature 302, 55–58 (1983).
Fox, P. J., Detrick, R. S. & Purdy, G. M. Ophiolite Symp., Cyprus, 161–168 (1980).
Salisbury, M. H. & Christensen, N. I. J. geophys. Res. 83, 805–817 (1978).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Spray, J. Lithosphere–asthenosphere decoupling at spreading centers and initiation of obduction. Nature 304, 253–255 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/304253a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/304253a0
This article is cited by
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
