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Letter OGeology glossary

Ophiolite

Ophiolites are sections of the Earth’s oceanic crust and upper mantle that have been uplifted and exposed above sea level, typically as a result of tectonic processes such as obduction. These rock complexes provide valuable insights into the composition and structure of the oceanic crust, as well as the processes of seafloor spreading and subduction.

Rocky hillside beside calm water (ophiolite rocks)
Fig. 1 Rocky hillside beside calm water (ophiolite rocks)

Source Moores, E. M., & Vine, F. J. (1971). “The Troodos Massif, Cyprus, and Other Ophiolites as Oceanic Crust: Evaluation and Implications.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, 268(1192), 443-466.

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