Lava accretion system around mid-ocean ridges: Volcanic stratigraphy in the Wadi Fizh area, northern Oman ophiolite

Detailed lithological study combined with geochemical variations of lavas reveals the across-axis accretionary process at Wadi Fizh in the northern Oman ophiolite. The >900 m thick V1 sequence is divided into the lower V1 (LV1), middle V1 (MV1) and upper V1 (UV1) sequence by 0.4 m and 0.8 m thick umbers at 410 mab (meters above the base of the extrusive rocks) and 670 mab, respectively. The lowest part of the LV1 (LV1a) consists of lobate sheet and pillow lava flows extruded on the relatively flat ridge crest. Elongate pillows at 230 mab are flows draping downslope from the ridge crest and characterize the lithofacies on the ridge flank. Just above a jasper layer at 270 mab, 130 m thick evolved lavas were transported from the crest and emplaced on the ridge flank (LV1b). Off-axial accretionary processes recorded in the MV1 resulted in alternating flows of less evolved, depleted lava and evolved lava, suggesting that the MV1 off-axial lava sequence comprises flows emanated from both on-and off-axis source vents. The less evolved and depleted UV1 flows suggest independent sources distinct from the axial lavas. The Lasail Unit is regarded as a subunit of the V1 because it is comparable to the UV1 in the geological, petrological, and geochemical characteristics. The broad compositional range of the V1 sequence endorses a view that the Wadi Fizh area corresponds to a segment end of the Oman paleospreading system accompanied by off-axis volcanism as in segment boundaries of the present East Pacific Rise.