Bela oceanic lithosphere assemblage and its relation to the Reunion hotspot

The Bela ophiolite of Pakistan contains a complete ophiolite-accretionary w edge-trench sequence emplaced onto the Indian continental margin during the northward drift of India-Seychelles over the active Reunion hotspot, A str ucturally higher ophiolite overlies an accretionary prism, which is thrust over a foreland basin. Shear-sense determinations in peridotite mylonites i n the ophiolite footwall and imbrication structures in the underlying accre tionary wedge indicate an ESE emplacement. Sedimentary rocks in the accreti onary wedge indicate Aptian-Albian pillow lavas, initially deep water condi tions, and increasing influence from the continent until the Maastrichtian, The ophiolite emplacement was predated and accompanied by Fe-tholeiitic an d alkaline magmatism related to the Reunion hotspot and continuous incorpor ation of trench sediments into the accretionary wedge. Ar-39/Ar-40 dating s hows that the ophiolite formed around 70 Ma. Intraoceanic subduction initia ted between 70 and 65 Ma, obduction onto the Indian passive margin occurred during the formation of the Deccan traps at approximate to 66 Ma, and fina l thrusting onto the continental margin ended in the early Eocene (approxim ate to 50 Ma). The ophiolite emplacement: occurred during the counterclockw ise separation of Madagascar and India-Seychelles which caused shortening a nd consumption of oceanic lithosphere between the African-Arabian and the I ndian-Seychelles plates.