Abstract
The north Pindos Mountains of mainland Greece expose a series of thrust sheets, which were emplaced towards the southwest during the Early Tertiary. The Jurassic Pindos ophiolite forms the upper part of this assemblage, and reveals a complex history, interpreted as mainly the result of supra-subduction zone spreading processes. Ophiolitic thrust sheets are additionally found structurally beneath the main peridotite body, and contain variable volcanic sequences, including units of island arc tholeiitic and boninitic affinities. The metamorphic sole formed in response to overthrusting of the young, hot, ophiolite, followed by emplacement onto the Pelagonian continental margin to the east. During the Cretaceous, the Pindos ocean existed as a remnant basin to the west of the emplaced ophiolite, and was infilled by deep marine sediments. During final Late Eocene collision, the Cretaceous sediments and Tertiary foreland basin deposits, were overthrust by the Pindos ophiolite and underlying thrust sheets, then emplaced onto Apulia to the southwest.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Alabaster, T., Pearce, J.A. and Malpas, J., 1982. The volcanic stratigraphy and petrogenesis of the Oman ophiolite complex. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 81: 168–183.
Aubouin, J., Bonneau, M., Celet, P., Charvet, J., Clement, B., Degardin, J.M., Dercourt, J., Ferriere, J., Fleury, J.J., Guernet, C., Maillot, H., Mania, J.H., Mansy, J.L., Terry, J., Thiebault, P., Tsoffias, P. and Verriex, J.J., 1970. Contribution à la géologie des Hellénides: le Gavrovo, le Pinde et la zone ophiolitique subpélagonienne. Annales Société géologique du Nord, 90: 277–306.
Beccaluva, L., Ohnenstetter, D., Ohnenstetter, M. and Paupy, A., 1984. Two magmatic series with island arc affinities within the Vourinos Ophiolite. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 85: 253–271.
Bonatti, E., 1985. Punctiform initiation of seafloor spreading in the Red Sea, during transition from a continental to an oceanic rift. Nature, 316: 33–37.
Brunn, J.H., 1956. Contribution a l’étude géologique du Pinde septentrional et d’une partie de la Macédonie occidentale. Annales géologique des pays hélléniques, 7: 358 p.
Capedri, S., Venturelli, G., Bocchi, G., Dostal, J., Garuti, G. and Rossi, A., 1980. The geochemistry and petrogenesis of an ophiolitic sequence from Pindos, Greece. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 74: 189–200.
Capedri, S., Venturelli, G., Bebien, J. and Toscani, L., 1981. Low and high Ti ophiolites in northern Pindos: petrological and geological constraints. Bulletin Volcanologique, 44 (3): 439–449.
Capedri, S., Venturelli, G. and Toscani, L., 1982. Petrology of an ophiolitic cumulate sequence from Pindos, Greece. Journal of Geology, 17: 223–242.
Capedri, S., Lekkas, E., Papanikolaou, D., Skarpelis, N., Venturelli, G. and Gallo, F., 1985. The ophiolite of the Koziakas Range, Western Thessaly, (Greece). Nues Jahrbuch Mineralogie, 152 (1): 45–64.
Casey, J.F. and Dewey, J.F., 1984. Initiation of subduction zones along transforms and accreting plate boundaries, triple junction evolution, and fore-arc spreading centres-implications for ophiolitic geology and obduction. In: Gass, LG., Lippard, S.J. and Shelton, A.W. (Eds), Ophiolites and oceanic lithosphere. Geological Society of London Special Publication, 13: 269–290.
Cochran, J.R., 1981. The Gulf of Aden: structure of a young ocean basin and continental margin. Journal of Geophysical Research, 86: 263–288.
Cduleneer, G., Nicolas, A. and Boudier, F., 1988. Mantle flow patterns at an oceanic spreading centre: the Oman peridotites record. Tectonophysics, 151: 1–26.
Dixon, J.E. and Robertson, A.H.F., 1985. Asymmetrical ridge-collapse model for genesis of arc-type magmas in Ophiolites. Terra Cognita, 5: 127.
Dupuy, C., Dostal, J., Capedri, S. and Venturelli, G., 1984. Geochemistry and petrogenesis of ophiolites from northern Pindos (Greece). Bulletin Volcanologique, 47(1): 39–46.
Ferriere, J., 1982. Palaéogeographie et tectoniques superposées dans les Héllenides internes: les massifs de l’Othrys et du Peton (Grèce continental). Société de la Géologie de Nord, Lille Publication, 8: 1–970.
Fujiaka A., and leg 126 shipboard scientific party, 1989. Arc volcanism and rifting. Nature, 342: 18–20.
Girdler, R.W. and Underwood, M., 1985. The evolution of early oceanic lithosphere in the Red Sea. Tectonophysics, 116, 95–108.
Green, T.J., 1983. The sedimentology and structure of the Pindos zone in southern mainland Greece. Unpublished Ph.D thesis: University of Cambridge.
Harkins, M.E., Green, H.W. II, and Moores, E.M., 1980. Multiple intrusive events documented from the Vourinos ophiolite complex, northern Greece. American Journal of Science, 280(A): 284–295.
Harland, W.B., Armstrong, R.L., Cox, A.V., Craig, L.E., Smith, A.G. and Smith, D.G., 1989. A Geologic time scale. Cambridge University Press.
Hynes, A.J., 1974. Igneous activity at the birth of an ocean basin in Eastern Greece. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 11: 842–853.
Institute of Geological and Mineral Exploration, 1987. Konitsa sheet, 1:50,000 scale. Athens.
Jackson, E.D., Green, H.W. and Moores, E.M., 1975. The Vourinos ophiolite, Greece: Cyclic units of lineated cumulates overlying harzburgite tectonite. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 86: 390–398.
Jacobshagen, V., St. Durr, F., Kockel, K.O. and Kowalczyk, G., 1978. Structure and geodynamic evolution of the Aegean region. In: Closs, J., Roeder, D. and Schmidt, K. (Eds), Alps, Appenines, Hellenides. Schweizerbart, Stuttgart, pp. 537–564.
Jones, G., 1990. Tectono-stratigraphy and evolution of the Pindos ophiolite and associated units, northwest Greece. Unpublished Ph.D thesis, University of Edinburgh, U.K. 397 p.
Jones, G., and Robertson, A.H.F., 1990. Tectono-stratigraphy and evolution of the Pindos ophiolite and related units, northwest Greece. Journal of the Geological Society of London, 148(2), 267–268.
Juteau, T. Ernewein, M., Reuber, I., Whitechurch, H. and Dahl, R., 1988. Duality of magma-tism in the plutonic sequence of the Sumail nappe, Oman. Tectonophysics, 151: 107–135.
Karamata, S., 1988. The “Diabase-Chert Formation”. Some genetic aspects. Bulletin T XCV de l’Academie Serbe des Science et des Arts (Sciences naturelles), 28: 1–11.
Kemp, A.E.S., and McCaig, A., 1984. Origins and significance of rocks in an imbricate thrust zone beneath the Pindos ophiolite, northwestern Greece. In: Robertson, A.H.F. and Dixon, J.E. (Eds), The Geological Evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean. Geological Society of London, Special Publication, 17: 569–580.
Kostopoulos, D., 1989. Geochemistry and tectonic setting of the Pindos ophiolite, northwestern Greece. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, U.K.
Lekkas, E., 1988. Geological structure and geodynamic evolution of the Koziakas Mountain Range, Western Thessaly. University of Athens Geological Monographs, 1, Athens. 281 pp.
Lippard, S.J., Shelton, A.W., and Gass, LG., 1986. The ophiolite of northern Oman. Geological Society of London, Memoir 11.
Mavrides, A., Skourtsis-Coroneou, V. and Tsalia-Monopolis, S., 1979. Contribution to the Geology of the Subpelagonian Zone (Vourinos area, West Macedonia). 6th Colloquium on the Geology of the Aegean Region. Institute of Geological and Mineral Exploration, Athens, pp. 175–195.
Montigny, R., Bougault, H., Bottinga, Y. and Allegre, C.J., 1973. Trace element geochemistry and genesis of the Pindos Ophiolite suite. Geochemica et Cosmochemica Acta, 37: 2135–2147.
Moores, E.M., 1969. Petrology and structure of the Vourinos Ophiolitic complex of Northern Greece. Geological Society of America Special Paper, 118, 74 pp.
Mountrakis, D., 1984. Evolution of the Pelagonian Zone in N.W. Macedonia. In: Dixon, J.E. and Robertson, A.H.F. The Geological Evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean. Geological Society of London Special Publication, 17: 581–590.
Mountrakis, D., 1986. The Pelagonian Zone in Greece: a polyphase deformed fragment of the Cimmerian continent and its role in the geotectonic evolution of the eastern Mediterranean. Journal of Geology, 94: 335–347.
Murton, B.J., 1989. Tectonic controls on boninite genesis. In: Saunders, A.D., and Norry, M.J. (Eds), Magmatism in the ocean basins. Geological Society of London Special Publication, 42: 347–377.
Naylor, M.A. and Harle, T.J., 1976. Palaeogeographic significance of rocks and structures,beneath the Vourinos Ophiolite, northern Greece. Journal of the Geological Society of London, 132: 667–676.
Nicolas, A. and Le Pichon, X., 1980. Thrusting of young lithosphere in subduction zones with special reference to structures in ophiolitic peridotites. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 46: 397–406.
Nicolas, A., Ceuleneer, G., Boudier, F. and Misseri, M., 1988. Structural mapping in the Oman ophiolites: mantle diapirism along an oceanic ridge. Tectonophysics 151: 27–56.
Noiret, G., Montigny, R. and Allegre, C.J., 1981. Is the Vourinos Complex an island arc ophiolite? Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 56: 375–386.
Parrot, J.F., 1967. Le cortege ophiolithique du Pinde Septentrional (Grèce). Cahiers ORSTOM Séries Géologie, 114 p.
Parrot, J.F., 1969. Etude d’une coupe de réference dans le cortège ophiolithique du Pinde Septentrional: la valee de l’Aspropotamos. Cahiers ORSTOM Séries Géologie, 1, 35–59.
Parrot, J.F., and Verdoni, P-A., 1976. Conditions de formations de deux assemblages ophiolitiques Mediterraneens (Pinde et Hatay) d’apres l’etude des mineraux constitutifs. Cahiers ORSTOM, Séries Géologie, 8(1): 69–94.
Pearce, J.A., 1975. Basalt geochemistry used to investigate past tectonic environments on Cyprus. Tectonophysics, 25: 41–67.
Pearce, J.A., 1980. Geochemical evidence for the genesis and eruptive setting of lavas from Tethyan ophiolites. In: Panayiotou, A. (Ed), Ophiolites; proceedings of the International Ophiolites Symposium, Cyprus, 1979, pp. 261–272.
Pearce, J.A., 1982. Trace element characteristics of lavas from destructive plate boundaries. In: Andesites (Ed-R.S. Thorpe), pp. 525–547. Chichester: J. Wiley and Sons.
Pearce, J.A., Lippard, S.J. and Roberts, S., 1984a. Characteristics and tectonic significance of supra-subduction zone ophiolites. In: Kokelaar, B.P. and Howells, M.F. (Eds), Marginal Basin Geology. Geological Society of London Special Publication, 16: 77–89.
Pearce, J.A., Harris, N.B.W. and Tindle, A.G., 1984b. Trace element discrimination diagrams for the tectonic interpretation of granitic rocks. Journal of Petrology, 25 (4): 956–983.
Pe-Piper, G., 1982. Geochemistry, tectonic setting and metamorphism of mid-Triassic volcanic rocks of Greece. Tectonophysics, 85: 253–272.
Piskin, O., Delaloye, M., Selcuk, H. and Wagner, J-J., 1986. A guide to Hatay Geology. Ofioliti, 11: 87–104.
Rassios, A., Beccaluva, L., Bortolotti, V., Mavrides, A. and Moores, E.M., 1983. The Vourinos Ophiolitic complex. Ofioliti, 8 (3): 275–292.
Rassios, A., and Roberts, S., 1986. Results of the chromite research program, Vourinos, Greece (1984–1986): a synthesis. In: The application of a multidisciplinary concept for chromite exploration in the Vourinos Complex, northern Greece. European Economic Community Report, part 1: 1–96.
Ross, J.V., Mercier, J-C. C., Ave Lallement, H.G., Carter, N.L. and Zimmerman, J., 1980. The Vourinos ophiolite complex, Greece: the tectonite suite. Tectonophysics, 70: 63–83.
Ross, J.V., and Zimmerman, J., 1982. The Pindos Ophiolite complex, Northern Greece: evolution and significance of the tectonic suite. Abstract in: Dixon, J.E. and Robertson, A.H.F. (Eds), 1984. The Geological Evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean. Conference Abstracts, Edinburgh, 1982, p. 95.
Saunders, A.D. and Tarney, J., 1979. The geochemistry of basalts from a back-arc spreading centre in the Scotia Sea. Geochemica et Cosmochemica Acta, 43: 555–572.
Searle, M.P. and Malpas, J., 1980. Structure and metamorphism of rocks beneath the Semail Ophiolite of northern Oman and their significance in ophiolite obduction. Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (Earth Sciences), 71: 247–262.
Searle, M.P., and Malpas, J., 1982. Petrochemistry and origin and sub-ophiolite metamorphic and related rocks in the Oman Mountains. Journal of the Geological Society of London, 139, 5–24.
Smith, A.G., 1979. Othris, Pindos and Vourinos Ophiolites and the Pelagonian Zone. 6th Colloquium on the Geology of the Aegean Region. Institute of Geological and Mineralogical Exploration, Athens, pp. 1369–1373.
Smith, A.G., and Woodcock, N.H., 1976. The earliest Mesozoic structures in the Othris region, Eastern Central Greece. Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France, 18: 245–251.
Smith, A.G., Woodcock, N.H. and Naylor, M.A., 1979. The structural evolution of a Mesozoic continental margin, Othris Mountains, Greece. Journal of the Geological Society of London, 146: 589–603.
Smith, A.G., and Spray, J.G., 1984. A half-ridge transform model for the Hellenic-Dinaric ophiolites. In: Dixon, J.E. and Robertson, A.H.F. The Geological Evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean. Geological Society of London Special Publication, 17: 629–644.
Spray, J.G., 1984. Possible causes and consequences of upper mantle decoupling and ophiolite displacement. In: Dixon, J.E. and Robertson, A.H.F. The Geological Evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean. Geological Society of London Special Publication, 17: 255–269.
Spray, J.G., and Roddick, J.C., 1980. Petrology and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of some Hellenic sub-ophiolite metamorphic rocks. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 72: 43–55.
Spray, J.G., Bebien, J., Rex, D.C. and Roddick, J.C., 1984. Age constraints on the igneous and metamorphic evolution of the Hellenic-Dinaric ophiolites. In: Dixon, J.E. and Robertson, A.H.F. The Geological Evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean. Geological Society of London Special Publication, 17: 619–628.
Terry, J., 1971. Sur l’age Triassique de laves associées a la nappe ophiolitique du Pinde septentrional (Epire et Macedonie, Grèce). Comptes rendus sommaires de la Société géologique de France, pp. 384–385.
Terry, J., 1974. Ensembles lithologiques et structures internes du cortège ophiolitique du Pinde séptentrionale (Grèce), construction d’un model pétrogenetique. Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France, 16: 204–213.
Terry, J., 1975. Echo d’une téctonique jurassique: les phenomènes de résedimentation dans le secteur de la nappe des ophiolites du Pinde septentrional (Grèce). Comptes rendus sommaires de la Societé géologique de France, pp. 49–51.
Terry, J., 1979. Distinction géochemique de plusieurs groupes dans les ensembles volcaniques de la nappe ophiolitique du Pinde septentrional (Grèce). Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France, 21(6): 727–735.
Terry, J., and Mercier, M., 1971. Sur l’éxistence d’une serie détritique bèirrasienne intercalée entre la nappe des ophiolites et le flysch Eocene de la nappe du Pinde (Pinde septentrional, Grèce). Comptes rendus sommaires de la Société géologique de France, pp. 71–73.
Valsami, E., 1990. Hydrothermal alteration processes in the Pindos ophiolite, northwest Greece. Unpublished Ph.D thesis, University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, U.K.
Vergely, P., 1976. Origine “vardarienne” chevauchement vers l’ouest et rétrocharriage vers l’est des ophiolites de Macedonie (Grèce) au cours du Jurassique supérieur-Eocrétace. Comptes Rendus de la Academie de Science, Paris, D280: 1063–1066.
Vergely, P., 1977. Discussion of the palaeogeographic significance of rocks beneath the Vourinos ophiolite, Northern Greece. Journal of the Geological Society of London, 133: 505–507.
Vergely, P., 1984. Téctonique des ophiolites dans les Hellenides internes. Consequences sur l’évolutions des regions Tethysiennes occidentales. Thèse de l’Université de Paris-Sud, Orsay.
Whitechurch, H. and Parrot, J.F., 1978. Ecailles métamorphiques infraperidotitiques dans le Pinde septentrional (Grèce): croûte oceanique, métamorphisme et subduction. Comptes Rendus de la Academie de Sciénce, Paris t.286: 1491–1494.
Woodcock, N.H. and Robertson, A.H.F., 1977. Origins of some ophiolite-related metamorphic rocks of the “Tethyan” belt. Geology, 5: 373–76.
Wright, L., 1986. The effect of deformation on the Vourinos Ophiolite. In: The application of a multi-disciplinary concept for chromite exploration in the Vourinos Complex, N Greece. European Economic Community report, part 1, Athens, 1986, pp. 155–216.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1991 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this paper
Cite this paper
Jones, G., Robertson, A.H.F., Cann, J.R. (1991). Genesis and Emplacement of the Supra-Subduction Zone Pindos Ophiolite, Northwestern Greece. In: Peters, T., Nicolas, A., Coleman, R.G. (eds) Ophiolite Genesis and Evolution of the Oceanic Lithosphere. Petrology and Structural Geology, vol 5. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3358-6_39
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3358-6_39
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-5484-3
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-3358-6
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive