Palaeogeographic and palaeotectonic evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean Neotethys

Robertson, Alastair H.F.; Clift, Peter D.; Degnan, P.; Jones, Guy M.

doi:10.1016/0031-0182(91)90140-m

Cited by 389 publications

(279 citation statements)

References 81 publications

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“…Ph.D. thesis, Technische Universitat Braunschweig, 1980;Schliestedt et al 1994;Seek et al 1995). However, this can not be taken to prove a common origin because the mafic phyllites of Tinos, like most of the volcanic members of the Eastern Mediterranean Tethyan ophiolitic complexes, show supra-subduction zone affinity (Pearce, Lippard & Roberts, 1984;Robertson et al 1991). Moreover, Tinos serpentinites were shown geochemically to have originated from harzburgites and dunites, a feature common to the ultramafic parts of both the Greek ophiolites emplaced in late Jurassic time (Smith, 1993) and to the Peri-Arabian ophiolites from Oman to Troodos and Anatolia emplaced in the late Cretaceous (Boudier & Nicolas, 1985).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Two parallel belts of ophiolites are distinguished. Ophiolites of the western belt are allochthonous, interpreted as having originated in the Pindos Ocean (Smith,Woodcock & Naylor, 1979;Robertson et al 1991). Eastwards, in the more internal parts of the Hellenides, another parallel belt of ophiolites is observed (Vardar Zone: Aubouin et al 1970;Dewey et al 1973), probably autochthonous (Smith, 1993).…”

Section: + + +++|Granitoidsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These unmetamorphosed ophiolite complexes (e.g. Vourinos, northern Greece: Moores, 1969; Othris, east central Greece: Smith et al 1975) are interpreted as having originated in a Mesozoic Neo-Tethyan oceanic basin, the Pindos Ocean (Biju-Duval, Dercourt & Le Pichon, 1977;Robertson et al 1991). Studies of the timing of their emplacement show that they were thrust onto Mesozoic carbonate platform sequences in the late Jurassic and then covered by early Cretaceous transgressive limestones (Aubouin et al 1970;Smith, Woodcock & Nay lor, 1979).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The tectono-metamorphic evolution of a dismembered ophiolite (Tinos, Cyclades, Greece)

et al. 1996

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-The six exposures of the Upper tectonic Unit of the Cycladic Massif occurring on the island of Tinos are shown to comprise a metamorphosed dismembered ophiolite complex. The common stratigraphic section consisting of tens-of-metres-thick tectonic slices of mafic phyllites overlain by serpentinites and gabbros is considered to have been derived by a combination of thrusting during obduction and subsequent attenuation by low-angle normal faults. All rock types show evidence of a phase of regional greenschistfacies metamorphism, which in the case of the phyllites is accompanied by penetrative deformation. The greenschist-facies metamorphism in gabbros is preceded by high temperature sea-floor amphibolite-facies alteration, whereas in the serpentinites, the antigorite + forsterite greenschist-facies assemblage overprinted an earlier low temperature lizardite serpentinite. Trace element patterns of the mafic phyllites and a harzburgitic origin of meta-serpentinites suggest a supra subduction zone (SSZ) affinity for the ophiolitic suite. 5"O values of phyllites, gabbros and serpentinites range from 6 to 15%o. Model calculations indicate that such values are consistent with low temperature (50-200 °C) alteration of parent rocks by sea-water at varying water/rock ratios. This would agree with the early low temperature mineralogy of the serpentinites, but the early high temperature alteration of the gabbros would require the presence of "O-enriched sea-water.The following overall history is suggested for Tinos ophiolitic slices.(1) Oceanic crust was generated at a supra-subduction zone spreading centre with high temperature alteration of gabbros. (2) Tectonic disturbance (its early hot stages recorded in an amphibolitic shear zone at the base of serpentinites) brought the already cooled ultramafics into direct contact with sea-water and caused low-7* serpentinization. (3) Tectonism after cooling involved thrusting which caused repetition and inversion of the original order of the oceanic suite. (4) Regional metamorphism of all the ophiolite components at greenschist-facies conditions (~450 °C) overprinted the early alteration mineralogy. It was probably induced by continued thrusting and piling up of nappes. The Tinos ophiolite, dated as late Cretaceous and genetically related to other low pressure rock-units of the same age in the Aegean, differs in age and degree of dismemberment and metamorphism from ophiolites in mainland Greece.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: + + +++|Granitoidsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The tectono-metamorphic evolution of a dismembered ophiolite (Tinos, Cyclades, Greece)

et al. 1996

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“…These siliceous sediments reflect a regional high productivity event within the Neotethys, rather than accumulation below the CCD (see Robertson et al, 1991 for review of literature). The high productivity event also gave rise to the siliceous and phosphatic sediments on the Levant margin, mentioned above.…”

Section: Southern Cyprusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lithofacies evidence for the Cretaceous-Paleogene sedimentary history of Eratosthenes Seamount, Eastern Mediterranean, in its regional tectonic context (Sites 966 and 967)

Robertson¹

1998

Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, 160 Scientific Results

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Drilling during Leg 160 penetrated an Early-Late Cretaceous and early Oligocene succession of carbonates in Hole 967E, beneath the lower northern slope of Eratosthenes Seamount. Middle Eocene pelagic carbonates were also recovered in Hole 966F, beneath the plateau area of the seamount. The base of the succession at Site 967 comprises shallow-water limestones, including coral and calcareous red algae, and occasional large foraminifers, that are interpreted as accumulations in a lagoonal setting within a carbonate platform. Neritic sedimentation ended in the upper Aptian (Lower Cretaceous) and was followed by an Upper Cretaceous pelagic carbonate succession that spans the interval from upper Cenomanian to Maastrichtian. Upper Cretaceous pelagic carbonates are locally organic rich and contain common replacement chert. In Hole 967E, Maastrichtian pelagic carbonates are unconformably overlain by lithologically similar chalks of early Oligocene age, with evidence of extensive reworking of older taxa. Minor tectonic instability is indicated by the presence of syndepositional neptunian dikes and fissures. In Hole 966F, middle Eocene pelagic chalks include reworked biota, chert, and organic-rich layers. The Eratosthenes Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene bathyal carbonates accumulated on a relatively level, submerged platform, isolated from terrigenous or gravity input. The transition from a shallow, carbonate platform to a bathyal setting (Turonian or earlier), took place before submergence of carbonate platforms in the Levant (in the Coniacian). Upper Cretaceous deposition on Eratosthenes is interpreted to have taken place seawards of a zone of high biogenic productivity that affected the Levant continental margin. Eratosthenes was also located well south of the zone of ophiolite genesis and tectonic displacement in the Upper Cretaceous. Overall, the Cretaceous and Paleogene carbonates of Eratosthenes are consistent with accumulation on an initially shallow, then submerged, carbonate platform isolated within a southern branch of the Neotethyan ocean, adjacent to the North African continental margin.

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“…Accordingly, the authors adopting the single ocean hypothesis believe that Paleozoic units that geographically separate the ophiolite belts represent progressively more distal margins of Adria, which acted as the African promontory. On the other hand, a number of other authors ( [13][14][15][16][17][18][19], among others) argue that the ophiolite belts in the Balkan Peninsula represent remnants of distinctive oceanic domains, all of them separated by individual Paleozoic to early Mesozoic microcontinents, i.e. terranes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

East Vardar Ophiolites Revisited: A Brief Synthesis of Geology and Geochemical Data

et al. 2018

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The study reports and synthesizes the available geological and geochemical data on the East Vardar ophiolites comprising most known occurrences from the South Apuseni Mountains in Romania to the tip of the Chalkidiki Peninsula in Greece. The summarized geological data suggest that the East Vardar ophiolites are mostly composed of the magmatic sequences, whereas the mantle rocks are very subordinate. The members of the magmatic sequences are characterized by the presence of abundant acid and intermediate volcanic and intrusive rocks. The age of these ophiolites is paleontologically and radiometrically constrained and these data suggest that the East Vardar ophiolite formed as a short-lived oceanic realm that was emplaced before the uppermost Kimmeridgian. A relatively weak adakitic affinity is shown by intra-ophiolitic acid and intermediate rocks in many East Vardar provinces. It can be taken as evidence that the subduction of the young and hot slab, most likely along the earlier spreading ridge has occurred. A paleo-tectonic reconstruction consisting of four stages is proposed. It involves: a) an early/mid-Jurassic northnortheastward subduction of the West Vardar oceanic plate; b) the formation of a mid-Jurassic volcanic arc and a narrow back-arc oceanic stripe of East Vardar behind it; c) the mid-/Upper Jurassic initiation of East Vardar subduction along the ridge axis, and d) complex and heterogeneous emplacement of the East Vardar ophiolites. So far available data allow for having relatively clear ideas about the origin and evolution of the East Vardar ophiolites. However, in order to provide better understanding of all aspects of its evolution we need to answer additional questions related to the true structural position of the East Vardar ophiolites slices in Serbia, the exact nature of subduction that caused back-arc spreading (intraoceanic vs subduction under continent?) and the full significance of the adakitic signature shown by rocks in the East Vardar provinces other than Demir Kapija.

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Palaeogeographic and palaeotectonic evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean Neotethys

Cited by 389 publications

References 81 publications

The tectono-metamorphic evolution of a dismembered ophiolite (Tinos, Cyclades, Greece)

The tectono-metamorphic evolution of a dismembered ophiolite (Tinos, Cyclades, Greece)

Lithofacies evidence for the Cretaceous-Paleogene sedimentary history of Eratosthenes Seamount, Eastern Mediterranean, in its regional tectonic context (Sites 966 and 967)

East Vardar Ophiolites Revisited: A Brief Synthesis of Geology and Geochemical Data

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