Category: Oman

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Oman SZI Events

Oman subduction zone initiation

Schematic tectonic reconstruction of the Oman SZI event (modified from van Hinsbergen et al., 2019a,b). Shown are the new subduction zone (pink line), other active subduction zones (solid purple lines), and transform faults (red dashed lines).
Schematic tectonic reconstruction of the Oman SZI event (modified from van Hinsbergen et al., 2019a,b). Shown are the new subduction zone (pink line), other active subduction zones (solid purple lines), and transform faults (red dashed lines).

The Oman subduction zone, part of the Western Neotethyan subduction system, originated around 104 Ma, likely along a fracture zone. Its formation involved the subduction of the ‘Anadolu plate’ beneath the Africa-Arabia continental plate, resulting in significant geological features like the Semail ophiolite by 70 Ma.