Spreading evolution of the Troodos ophiolite, Cyprus

Some recent developments, particularly the recognition of transform-tectonized and nontransform-tectonized fabrics close to the Southern Troodos transform fault, provide a framework for a new evolutionary model of the Troodos ophiolite. This model proposes that most of the ophiolite formed at the Solea axis, against a dextrally slipping Southern Troodos transform. Spreading was largely accommodated by magmatic accretion. The ridge then jumped to the east, a last phase of amagmatic stretching driving normal faulting above a detachment horizon in the Solea graben. A ridge jump boundary separates the old crust, formed at the Solea axis, from the new crust generated at the outside corner of the new ridge with a dextrally slipping continuation of the Southern Troodos transform. The final episode involved extension of the crust generated at the new ridge to form the Larnaca graben in the eastern part of the ophiolite.