Emplacement of ophiolite in Papua New Guinea

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Abstract
Summary: The major ophiolite complexes of Papua New Guinea lie on the northeastern margin of the Australian craton and are flanked, externally, by Palaeogene volcanic arcs. The ophiolites are segments of oceanic lithosphere which occupied the forearc zone prior to arc-continent collision. In the case of the easternmost ophiolite, the Papuan ultramafic belt, there is evidence that emplacement was preceded by development of a secondary rupture in the down-going plate, at some distance from the subduction zone, and was followed by extension, buoyant emergence, and reversed movement of the ophiolite. The westernmost ophiolite (April ultramafics) has more complex structure and probably developed as a series of thrust sheets in a subduction system; the thrust sheets were subjected to renewed deformation and thrusting by continued convergence after arc-continent collision.