SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CYPRUS
AND THE EVOLUTION OF NEOTETHYS
by Paul Williams
Mamonia lithologies created on Triassic Neotethyan ocean floor and adjacent
continental margin;
Jurassic to Late Cretaceous convergence of African and Eurasian plates initiates
northerly directed oblique subduction in southern Neotethys, with downgoing
African Plate oceanic crust;
Young subduction zone develops a fore-arc extensional basin, probably triggered
by slab descent dynamics and roll-back; extensional forces develop on the
overriding plate, leading to initiation of supra-subduction zone spreading
magmatism, in the Turonian;
New Turonian oceanic crust develops in Neotethys southern ocean basin, and
creation of the Cyprus (and others) ophiolitic crust in a fore-arc setting;
Late Cretaceous collision of easterly continuation of subduction zone with
Arabian promontory initiates emplacement of Hatay and Baer Bassit ophiolites,
but Cyprus area free of collision zone;
Collision induces anticlockwise rotation in Cyprus area, spreading terminates,
oceanic crust fragments and detaches to form the Cyprus microplate, which begins
to rotate;
As rotation proceeds in the Late Cretaceous, fragmented Mamonia lithologies
tectonically interleaved with the ophiolitic crust, and become part of the
Cyprus microplate;
After 90 degree rotation, plate stabilises in the Eocene and continues to
receive pelagic sedimentation, still at abyssal depth;
Continuing subduction eventually brings another fragment of continental crust
into the downward zone, but it becomes partly underthrust or underplated beneath
the Cyprus microplate in the Late Tertiary, initiating episodic uplift of the
ophiolitic crust to sea level;
In the Quaternary, another large continental fragment, possibly the leading edge
of the Eratosthenes seamount, arrives at the subduction zone;
Apart from initiating another phase of uplift, fluids introduced from the
downgoing continental slab permeate the overlying ophiolite, and hydrate the
mantle sequence;
Subsequent serpentinite diapirism causes massive uplift of the Troodos core, and
it rises to its present day elevation;
Uplift not restricted to the ophiolite, the whole of Aphrodite’s island rises
from the sea to become land, and Cyprus is born.
Late Cretaceous and Tertiary Stage/Epoch Ages (approx)