Forced subduction initiation recorded in the sole and crust of the Semail Ophiolite of Oman

Subduction zones are unique to Earth and fundamental in its evolution, yet we still know little about the causes and mechanisms of their initiation. Numerical models show that far-field forcing may cause subduction initiation at weak pre-existing structures, while inferences from modern subduction zones suggest initiation through spontaneous lithospheric gravitational collapse. For both endmembers, the timing of subduction inception corresponds...