The Demir Kapija Ophiolite, Macedonia (FYROM): a Snapshot of Subduction Initiation within a Back-arc

Abstract

Since the late 1970s, it has been increasingly recognized
\nthat the petrology and geochemistry of ophiolites predominantly resemble those of lithological units from
\nintra-oceanic subduction zones, ranging from nascentand
\nfore- to intra- or back-arcs, ruling out analogy with
\nmodern oceanic ridge lithosphere. This conclusion is largely based on studies of the Troodos and Oman ophiolites,
\nwhich have revealed that the mafic members have
\ngeochemical characteristics transitional between those of
\nmid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB) and island arc tholeiites
\n(IAT).