Oceanic Faulting in the Northern Apennine Ophiolites, Italy

蛇绿岩序列作为古代海底或海洋岩石的暴露例子，具有相当大的意义。侏罗纪亚平宁-阿尔卑斯蛇绿岩的独特之处在于它们没有片状脉状成分，基性熔岩和燧石岩直接覆盖在蛇纹岩和辉长岩上。该项目将研究蛇纹岩/辉长岩基底顶部可能是基性熔岩喷发前暴露在海底的大型低角度滑脱断层下盘的可能性。研究结果将有助于建立蛇绿岩的生成模式以及伸展断裂在该系统后续演化中的作用。

Ophiolite sequences are of considerable interest as exposed examples of ancient seafloor or oceanic rocks. The Jurassic Apennine-Alpine ophiolites are unusual in that they have no sheeted dike component with mafic lavas and chert directly overlying serpentinite and gabbro. This project will examine the possibility that the top of the serpentinite/gabbro basement may be the footwall of a large low-angle detachment fault exposed on the seafloor prior to eruption of the mafic lavas. Results should help develop models for ophiolite generation and the role of extensional faulting in the subsequent evolution of the system.