An oceanic core complex on Cyprus? Unravelling the Limassol Forest ophiolite.

The Troodos ophiolite on Cyprus contains a world-class exposure of a ridge-transform system that developed in a supra-subduction zone setting, making it an ideal location to study the associated tectonic and magmatic processes. On Cyprus, the Arakapas Transform Fault separates the ophiolite into distinct terrains. South of this fault lies the Limassol Forest Complex (LFC), an anomalous domain with stratigraphic and structural contacts that differ markedly from the characteristic Penrose ophiolite stratigraphy.
The LFC was likely formed in an (ultra)slow-spreading environment, dominated by temporally and spatially variable magmatic and amagmatic extension. Evidence of magmatism includes extensive dike intrusions observed throughout the stratigraphy, suggesting a dynamic system with ongoing melt generation and emplacement. The structural contact between the crust and mantle lithologies however indicates episodes of amagmatic tectonic extension, responsible for dismembering the crustal sequence of the LFC, bearing similarities with oceanic core complexes.
To evaluate the resemblance of the LFC to oceanic core complexes, this study focuses on the crust-mantle contact in the northwestern part of the LFC. By integrating high-resolution drone imagery, structural measurements, and detailed geological mapping, we refine our understanding of the stratigraphic contacts, intrusive relationships, and deformation processes. The relative timing of intrusive and tectonic events will help clarify the interactions between magmatic and extensional processes.
The results will be compared to known oceanic core complexes, such as the Monviso ophiolite, active systems along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and active supra-subduction zones, such as the Philippine Sea Plate, to identify similarities in mantle exhumation processes, fault dynamics, and magmatic-tectonic interactions. These findings have implications for the evolution of transform margins, the role of magmatism in slow-spreading systems, and the influence of supra-subduction processes on oceanic lithosphere formation. By highlighting the interaction of tectonic, and magmatic processes, this study places the LFC in the larger context of ridge-transform fault systems.