<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Ophiolites are remnants of oceanic crust and mantle, now typically found within continental mountain ranges like the Alps. Particularly in areas once part of the Tethys Ocean, ophiolites are often accompanied by narrow stripes of metamorphic rocks, commonly referred to as metamorphic soles. These metamorphic soles typically exhibit peak metamorphic conditions characteristic of either granulite or amphibolite facies. Geochronological studies of Tethyan ophiolites indicate that the development of these metamorphic soles occurred almost simultaneously with the crystallization of the ophiolite’s crustal sequence. Geological evidence also suggests that the metamorphism of the sole rocks took place concurrently with deformation, likely at the same time as the ophiolite’s obduction. In our research, we explore the metamorphic effects of shearing in an ophiolite sequence overlying a crustal sequence. Our findings reveal that strong lithologies like ophiolites can produce additional heat through the dissipation of mechanical energy, which can potentially explain the high temperatures found in metamorphic-sole rocks. In addition, heating-driven softening of the footwall rocks eventually leads to the migration of the active shear zone from the mantle sequence into the upper crustal domain. This migration may be responsible for the metamorphic sole incorporation at the base of the ophiolite. Finally, we demonstrate that stopping the shearing process rapidly cools these rocks, corresponding with the findings from thermochronological studies from Oman ophiolite.</p>
</abstract>

Ophiolites are remnants of oceanic crust and mantle, now typically found within continental mountain ranges like the Alps. Particularly in areas once part of the Tethys Ocean, ophiolites are often accompanied by narrow stripes of metamorphic rocks, commonly referred to as metamorphic soles. These metamorphic soles typically exhibit peak metamorphic conditions characteristic of either granulite or amphibolite facies. Geochronological studies of Tethyan ophiolites indicate that the development of these metamorphic soles occurred almost simultaneously with the crystallization of the ophiolite’s crustal sequence. Geological evidence also suggests that the metamorphism of the sole rocks took place concurrently with deformation, likely at the same time as the ophiolite’s obduction. In our research, we explore the metamorphic effects of shearing in an ophiolite sequence overlying a crustal sequence. Our findings reveal that strong lithologies like ophiolites can produce additional heat through the dissipation of mechanical energy, which can potentially explain the high temperatures found in metamorphic-sole rocks. In addition, heating-driven softening of the footwall rocks eventually leads to the migration of the active shear zone from the mantle sequence into the upper crustal domain. This migration may be responsible for the metamorphic sole incorporation at the base of the ophiolite. Finally, we demonstrate that stopping the shearing process rapidly cools these rocks, corresponding with the findings from thermochronological studies from Oman ophiolite.

A thermo-mechanical model of the thermal evolution and incorporation of metamorphic soles in Tethyan ophiolites: a case study from Oman

Austrian Journal of Earth Sciences

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Ophiolites are remnants of oceanic crust and mantle, now typically found within continental mountain ranges like the Alps. Particularly in areas once part of...

A thermo-mechanical model of the thermal evolution and incorporation of metamorphic soles in Tethyan ophiolites: a case study from Oman

Published Online: Mar 01, 2024

Page range: 13 - 24

Received: Dec 18, 2023

Accepted: Feb 09, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17738/ajes.2024.0002

Keywords
ophiolite obduction, metamorphic sole, shear heating, shear zone, Oman ophiolite

© 2024 Iskander Ibragimov et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

A thermo-mechanical model of the thermal evolution and incorporation of metamorphic soles in Tethyan ophiolites: a case study from Oman

Published Online: Mar 01, 2024

Page range: 13 - 24

Received: Dec 18, 2023

Accepted: Feb 09, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17738/ajes.2024.0002

Keywordsophiolite obduction, metamorphic sole, shear heating, shear zone, Oman ophiolite

© 2024 Iskander Ibragimov et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
ophiolite obduction, metamorphic sole, shear heating, shear zone, Oman ophiolite