The composition of back-arc basin lower crust and upper mantle in the Mariana Trough: A first report

Abstract The Mariana Trough is an active back-arc basin, with the rift propagating northward ahead of spreading. The northern part of the Trough is now rifting, with extension accommodated by combined stretching and igneous intrusion. Deep structural graben are found in a region of low heat flow, and we interpret these to manifest a low-angle normal fault system that defines the extension axis between 19°45' and 21°10'N. A single dredge haul from the deepest (∼5.5 km deep) of these graben recovered a heterogeneous suite of volcanic and plutonic crustal rocks and upper mantle peridotites, providing the first report of the deeper levels of back-arc basin lithosphere. Several lines of evidence indicate that these rocks are similar to typical back-arc basin lithosphere and are not fragments of rifted older arc lithosphere. Hornblende yielded an ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age of 1.8 ± 0.6 Ma, which is interpreted to approximate the time of crust formation. Harzburgite spinels have moderate Cr# (<40) and coexisting compositions of clinopyroxene (CPX) and plagioclase (PLAB) fall in the field of mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) gabbros. Crustal rocks include felsic rocks (70-80% SiO₂) and plutonic rocks that are rich in amphibole. Chemical compositions of crustal rocks show little evidence for a 'subduction component', and radiogenic isotopic compositions correspond to that expected for back-arc basin crust of the Mariana Trough. These data indicate that mechanical extension in this part of the Mariana Trough involves lithosphere that originally formed magmatically. These unique exposures of back-arc basin lithosphere call for careful study using ROVs and manned submersibles, and consideration as an ocean drilling program (ODP) drilling site.     

Segmentation of the southern Mariana back-arc spreading center

SeaBeam multibeam bathymetry obtained during cruise SO-69 of research vessel (R/V) Sonne defines the segmentation and structure of ∼ 300 km of the Mariana back-arc spreading center south of the Pagan fracture zone at 17°33'N. Eight ridge segments, ranging from 14 to 64 km in length, are displaced as much as 2.7–14.5 km by both right- (predominantly) and left-lateral offsets and transform faults. An axial ridge commonly occupies the middle portion of the rift valley and rises from 200 to 700 m above the adjacent sea floor, in places shoaling to a water depth of 3200 m. An exception is the 60-km-long segment between 16°58' and 17°33'N where single peaks only a few tens of meters high punctuate the rift axis. Photographic evidence and rock samples reveal the presence of mostly pillow lavas outcropping on the axial ridges or peaks whereas the deeper parts of the rift valley floor (max. depth 4900 m) are heavily to totally sedimented. Abundant talus ramps along fault scarps testify to ongoing disruption of the crust. Lozenge-shaped collapse structures are covered by layers of sediment up to tens of centimeters thick on the rift valley floor. The presence of discrete volcanic ridges in the southern Mariana back-arc spreading region suggests that emplacement of oceanic crust at this slow spreading center occurs by `multi-site' injection of magma. Along-axis variations in length, crestal depth, and size of the axial ridges can be best explained by different stages in the cyclicity of magma supply along-axis.     

Seismic stratigraphy and structural characteristics of back-arc rifts on the Izu-Ogasawara Arc

Abstract Seven back-arc rifts are recognized in the Izu-Ogasawara Arc, namely, the Hachijo, the Aogashima, the Myojin, the Sumisu, the Torishima, the Sofu and the Nishinoshima Rifts from north to south. The acoustic stratigraphy is divided into three units (Units A, B and C) based on the seismic reflection profiles crossing the rifts. The structure of the rifts systematically changes from a half-graben type to a full graben type in the back-arc rifts from the Hachijo Rift to the Torishima Rift. The Hachijo and the Aogashima Rifts have a structure of half-graben, and the Myojin Rift has both structural characteristics of a half-graben and a full graben. The Sumisu and the Torishima Rifts are an asymmetric full graben. The Sofu and the Nishinoshima Rifts have different structural characteristics from the remaining rifts, from the Hachijo Rift to the Torishima Rift. The boundary faults in the back-arc rifts from the Hachijo to the Torishima Rifts cut to Unit B. Unit B correlates with volcaniclastic sediments during pre-rift volcanism between 4 and 2 Ma. The pre-rift volcanism was probably widespread on the northern Izu-Ogasawara Arc as is the present arc volcanism. These factors suggest that the beginning of rifting is dated at some time after 2 Ma. The developing process of the rift consists of three stages; (i) a sag stage in the crust at the location of the large offset boundary fault; (ii) a stage of half-graben formation; (iii) a stage of full graben formation. The offset of the boundary faults becomes larger from the Hachijo Rift to the Torishima Rift and the east-west width of the rifts also widens to the south. This is presumably because the Hachijo Rift is an earlier rifting stage than the Sumisu and the Torishima Rifts. The more primitive structure in the rifting stage from the Torishima Rift to the Hachijo Rift is probably caused by the propagation of rifting from south to north. The structural difference between the rifts in the northern part and the Sofu and the Nishinoshima Rifts seems to be due to structural differences in the crust between the northern and the southern parts from the tectonic gap.     

A Review Of Slr Contributions To Geophysics In Eurasia By Cgs

In the past 30 years the Satellite Laser Ranging(SLR) technique has improved to a large extent, currently achieving a ranging precision down toa few millimeters. Moreover the growth in the size of the international network of SLR stations and therapidly growing constellation of geodetic target satellites make the SLR a well established technique for solidEarth studies and for the related Earth subsystem sciences. The long SLR observation history has become a veryimportant source of data for global and local changes detection and monitoring in many different fields.Tectonic plate motion, crustal deformation, post-glacial rebound and subsidence, Earth rotation, and polarmotion, time variations of the Earth's gravitational field, ocean tides modeling, center of mass of the totalEarth system monitoring, International Terrestrial Reference System (ITRS) maintenance are only themain applications in which the SLR technique plays a significant role. Plate boundary zones in whichdeformation is diffuse are in general geographical areas associated with high seismic and volcanic activity.A principal key to understand the geophysics of a plate boundary process is the detailed knowledge of the3-D kinematics. This work will focus on the relevant results of the Eurasian SLR subnetwork in termsof technological evolution and crustal deformation. A general overview of the Eurasian SLR stationperformance will be presented with particular reference to the state-of-the-art SLR observatory MLRO (Matera LaserRanging Observatory). The current tectonic deformations (velocity and strain-rate field) detectedby the Eurasian network and by the former WEGENER/MEDLAS campaigns will also be discussed.     

国内外前陆盆地油气藏特征分析与初步认识

前陆盆地是世界上不同的含油气盆地原型中油气最富集的一类,石油地质条件优越,具有较大的勘探潜力,本文对比分析了国内外前陆盆地及其周缘造山带之间的的盆山耦合关系及油气藏的控制因素与分布规律,在此基础上形成了对国内外前陆盆地油气藏特征的初步认识,认为国外典型前陆盆地结构较为单一,一般叠置于被动大陆边缘或弧后盆地之上,而中国中西部典型前陆盆地基底结构十分复杂,具有多演化阶段、多成因类型特点,油气的分布主要与褶皱冲断带的发育特征有.     

Small-scale convection under the back-arc occurring in the low viscosity wedge

Water released from subducting slabs through a dehydration reaction may lower the viscosity of the mantle significantly. Thus, we may expect a low viscosity wedge (LVW) above the subducting slabs. The LVW coupled with a large-scale flow induced by the subducting slabs may allow the existence of roll-like small-scale convection whose axis is normal to the strike of the plate boundary. Such a roll structure may explain the origin of along-arc variations of mantle temperature proposed recently in northeast Japan. We study this possibility using both 2D and 3D models with/without pressure- and temperature-dependent viscosity. 2D models without pressure and temperature dependence of viscosity show that, with a reasonable geometry of the LVW and subduction speed, small-scale convection is likely to occur when the viscosity of the LVW is less than 10¹⁹ Pa s. Corresponding 3D model studies reveal that the wavelength of rolls depends on the depth of the LVW. The inclusion of temperature-dependent viscosity requires the existence of further low viscosity in the LVW, since temperature dependence suppresses the instability of the cold thermal boundary layer. Pressure (i.e. depth) dependence coupled with temperature dependence of the viscosity promotes short wavelength instabilities. The model, which shows a relatively moderate viscosity decrease in the LVW (most of the LVW viscosity is 10¹⁸∼10¹⁹ Pa s) and a wavelength of roll ∼80 km, has a rather small activation energy and volume (∼130 kJ/mol and ∼4 cm³/mol) of the viscosity. This small activation energy and volume may be possible, if we regard them as an effective viscosity of non-linear rheology.     

Volcanism in the earliest stage of back-arc rifting in the Izu-Bonin arc revealed by laser-heating Ar/Ar dating

The back-arc region of the Izu-Bonin arc has complex bathymetric and structural features, which, due to repeated back-arc rifting and resumption of arc volcanism, have prevented us from understanding the volcano-tectonic history of the arc after 15 Ma. The laser-heating ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating technique combined with high density sampling of volcanic rocks from the back-arc region of this arc successfully revealed the detailed temporal variation of volcanism related to the back-arc rifting. Based on the new ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating results: (1) Back-arc rifting initiated at around 2.8 Ma in the middle part of the Izu-Bonin arc (30°30′N–32°30′N). Volcanism at the earliest stage of rifting is characterized by the basaltic volcanism from north–south-trending fissures and/or lines of vents. (2) Following this earliest stage of volcanism, at ca. 2.5 Ma, compositionally bimodal volcanism occurred and formed small cones in the wide area. This volcanism and rifting continued until about 1 Ma in the region west of the currently active rift zone. (3) After 1 Ma, active volcanism ceased in the area west of the currently active rift zone, and volcanism and rifting were confined to the currently active rift zone. The volcano-tectonic history of the back-arc region of the Izu-Bonin arc is an example of the earliest stage of back-arc rifting in the oceanic island arc. Age data on volcanics clearly indicate that volcanism changed its mode of activity, composition and locus along with a progress of rifting.     

Early hydrocarbon generation of biological lipids in non-marine lacustrine basins—a genetic mechanism of immature oil

Taking both eastern Linqing Depression and North Jiangsu Basin as examples, based on geochemical features of immature oils as well as source inputs of hydrocarbons and macerals, it is revealed that a mixed source input of alga bio-lipids and higher plant waxes is a basic characteristic of source material for immature oils in non-marine brackish-saline lacustrine basins. Project supported by the “85–102” Chinese National Key Science and Technology Project and the National Gas Geochemistry Key Laboratory, Lanzhou Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.     

渤海新构造运动及其对晚期油气成藏的影响

自中新世晚期（大约5.2 Ma B.P.）以来,渤海海域盆地进入裂后构造活动最活跃的新构造运动时期,致使渤海海域沉降沉积中心迁移、玄武岩喷发、地震频繁活动、深大断裂继承性活动和大量晚期断裂的生成．该期构造运动海域强度明显高于相邻陆域,呈现出幕式活动的特征．在新构造运动的影响和控制作用下,渤海海域含油气盆地形成了一批大型浅层背斜圈闭,油气输导体系得到优化,烃源岩晚期快速生烃,油气幕式充注成藏．本文以PL19-3油气藏为例,初步总结了渤海新构造运动控制油气晚期快速动态成藏的模式．     

Deep geodynamics of far field intercontinental back-arc extension: Formation of Cenozoic volcanoes in northeastern China

There are three cases of variation of trench location possible to occur during subduction: trench fixed, trench advancing, and trench retreating. Retreat of trench may lead to back-arc extension. The Pacific plate subducts at low angle beneath the Eurasia plate, tomographic results indicate that the subducted Pacific slab does not penetrate the 670 km discontinuity, instead, it is lying flat above the interface. The flattening occurred about 28 Ma ago. Geodynamic computation suggests: when the frontier of the subducted slab reaches the phase boundary of lower and upper mantle, it may be hindered and turn flat lying above the boundary, facilitates the retreat of trench and back-arc extension. Volcanism in northeastern China is likely a product of such retreat of subduction, far field back-arc extension, and melting due to reduce of pressure while mantle upwelling. Foundation item: National Natural Science Foundation of China (40234042 and 40174027).     

Subduction and back-arc activity at the Hikurangi convergent Margin,New Zealand

The Hikurangi Margin is a region of oblique subduction with northwest-dipping intermediate depth seismicity extending southwest from the Kermadec system to about 42°S. The current episode of subduction is at least 16–20 Ma old. The plate convergence rate varies along the margin from about 60 mm/a at the south end of the Kermadec Trench to about 45 mm/a at 42°S. The age of the Pacific lithosphere adjacent to the Hikurangi Trench is not known.The margin divides at about latitude 39°S into two quite dissimilar parts. The northern part has experienced andesitic volcanism for about 18 Ma, and back-arc extension in the last 4 Ma that has produced a back-arc basin onshore with high heaflow, thin crust and low upper-mantle seismic velocities. The extension appears to have arisen from a seawards migration of the Hikurangi Trench north of 39°S. Here the plate interface is thought to be currently uncoupled, as geodetic data indicate extension of the fore-arc basin, and historic earthquakes have not exceededM _s=7.South of 39°S there is no volcanism and a back-arc basin has been produced by downward flexure of the lithosphere due to strong coupling with the subducting plate. Heatflow in the basin is normal. Evidence for strong coupling comes from historic earthquakes of up to aboutM _s=8 and high rates of uplift on the southeast coast of the North Island.The reason for this division of the margin is not known but may be related to an inferred increase, from northeast to southwest, in the buoyancy of the Pacific lithosphere.     

Deep geodynamics of far field interconti- nental back-arc extension: Formation of Cenozoic volcanoes in northeastern China

Introduction Northeastem China has the most strong Cenozoic volcanism in China (Liu, 1999), where dis-tributes more than 500 Cenozoic volcanoes, including sleeping volcanoes of Tianchi Lake (Celes-tial Pond) of Changbai Mountain, and Wudalianchi (Five linked Lakes) (LIU, 1999). Vo lcano ofTianchi Lake of Changbai Mountain consists of basaltic rocks of shield-forming stage andtrachytes and pantellerites in cone-forming stage. It is suggested by study of REE, incompatibleelements a…     

K–Ar ages from seamount chains in the back-arc region of the Izu–Ogasawara arc

The Izu–Ogasawara arc contains, from east to west, a volcanic front, a back-arc extensional zone (back-arc knolls zone), and a series of across-arc seamount chains that cross the extensional zone in an east-northeast and west-southwest direction and extend into the Shikoku Basin. K–Ar ages of dredged volcanic rocks from these across-arc seamount chains and extension-related edifices in the back-arc region of the Izu–Ogasawara arc were measured to constrain the volcanic and tectonic history of the arc since the termination of spreading in the Shikoku Basin. K–Ar ages range between 12.5 and 1 Ma. Andesitic to dacitic rocks of 12.5–2.9 Ma occur mainly on the western part of the chains. The western part of the chains are the locus of volcanism behind the front which erupted mainly calc-alkaline andesitic lavas. The youngest rocks (< 2.8 Ma), characterized by cpx-ol basalt, occur along the western margin of the back-arc knolls zone. Basaltic rocks of 12.5–2.9 Ma have relatively high concentrations of Na₂O (> 2.0 wt%), Zr (> 50 p.p.m.) and Y (> 20 p.p.m.) and low CaO (< 12 wt%). On the other hand, basalts of 2.8–1 Ma have lower Na₂O (< 1.8 wt%), Zr (< 50 p.p.m.) and Y (< 20 p.p.m.), but significantly higher CaO (> 12 wt%). The age inferred for the initiation of back-arc rifting (∼ 2.35–2.9 Ma: Taylor 1992 ) behind the current volcanic arc coincides with the time that basalt chemistry changed drastically (eruption of the low-Na₂O and high-CaO basalt). This implies that post-2.8 Ma volcanism in the back-arc knolls zone is associated with rifting. Similarly, the change in chemical composition might be explained by a different type of source mantle following rift initiation. Volcanism in the western seamounts ceased after the onset of rifting at ∼ 2.8 Ma.     

Raman characteristics of hydrocarbon and hydrocarbon inclusions

The Raman spectrograms of hydrocarbon standard samples show that: (1) the Raman spectrogram of normal paraffin has very strong peaks of methyl and methylene (from 2700 cm-1 to 2970 cm-1); (2) branch methyl has the particular peak of 748 cm-1±; (3) six cyclic has the particular peak of 804 cm-1±; (4) phenyl has two particular peaks of 988 cm-1± and 3058 cm-1± and the 988 cm-1± peak is stronger than the 3058 cm-1± peak; and (5) hexene has three alkenyl spectrum peaks of 1294 cm-1±, 1635 cm-1± and 2996 cm-1±, with the 1635 cm-1± peak being the strongest, showing that the number of carbon in hy-drocarbon does not affect its Raman spectrogram, and the hydrocarbon molecular structure and base groups affect its Raman spectrogram, the same hydrocarbons (such as normal paraffin) have the same Raman spectrogram; the types (such as CH4, C2H6, C3H8) and the content of hydrocarbon in oil inclu-sions are not estimated by their characteristic Raman peaks. According to the Raman spectrograms of hydrocarbon compositions, the Raman spectrogram of hydrocarbon inclusion can be divided into five types: saturated hydrocarbon Raman spectrogram, fluoresce Raman spectrogram, saturated hydro-carbon bitumen Raman spectrogram, bitumen Raman spectrogram, and ethane Raman spectrogram. And according to the characteristics of Raman spectrogram, hydrocarbon inclusions can be divided into five types: saturated hydrocarbon inclusion, less saturated hydrocarbon (oil or gas) inclusion, saturated hydrocarbon bitumen inclusion, bitumen inclusion, and methane water inclusion.     

Structure of the back-arc spreading basins and the fluid regime in the mantle

Seismic, geothermal, petrological and other data collected during the joint Soviet-Chinese-Japanese Project “Geotraverse: Pacific-China plain” are highly contradictory concerning their information on back-arc basins. The routine interpretation of the geothermal data leads, e.g. to the conclusion that the temperatures at depth are much higher than can be derived from other data. The discrepancies can be resolved by the back-arc spreading basins origin because of secondary mantle bulk or fluid convection. The inversion of the sign of the seismic velocity anomalies in the Pacific region at a depth of about 300 km can also be explained if active deep fluid regime is proposed. A new geotherm below the Mariana back-arc basin is proposed, and the velocity of the ascending mantle flow is estimated for this region.     

Enriched back-arc basin basalts from the northern Mariana Trough: implications for the magmatic evolution of back-arc basins

The composition of basalts erupted at the earliest stages in the evolution of a back-arc basin permit unique insights into the composition and structure of the sub-arc mantle. We report major and trace element chemical data and O-, Sr-, Nd-, and Pb- isotopic analyses for basalts recovered from four dredge hauls and one ALVIN dive in the northern Mariana Trough near 22°N. The petrography and major element chemistry of these basalts (MTB-22) are similar to tholeiites from the widest part of the Trough, near 18°N (MTB-18), except that MTB-22 have slightly more K₂O and slightly less TiO₂. The trace element data exhibit a very strong arc signature in MTB-22, including elevated K, Rb, Sr, Ba, and LREE contents; relatively lowK/Ba and highBa/La andSr/Nd. The Sr- and Nd- isotopic data plot in a field displaced from that of MTB-18 towards Mariana arc lavas, and the Pb-isotopic composition of MTB-22 is indistinguishable from Mariana arc lavas and much more homogeneous than MTB-18. Mixing of 50–90% Mariana arc component with a MORB component is hypothesized. We cannot determine whether this resulted from physical mixing of arc mantle and MORB mantle, or whether the arc component is introduced by metasomatism of MORB-like mantle by fluids released from the subducted lithosphere. The strong arc signature in back-arc melts from the Mariana Trough at 22°N, where the back-arc basin is narrow, supports general models for back-arc basin evolution whereby early back-arc basin basalts have a strong arc component which diminishes in importance relative to MORB as the back-arc basin widens.     

北欧气旋风暴与欧亚大陆的震动

全球地震台网（GSN）及中国地震台网（CENC）的地震观测数据分析表明：由北大西洋、北冰洋等海域进入北欧的强冷涡气旋（北欧风暴）能引发与其过程相关联的震动,其中由挪威海登陆斯堪的纳维亚半岛的强气旋风暴引发的震动波,几乎可以被整个欧亚大陆的地震仪观测到,该震动主要包含两个信号：一个主频为0.15~0.25 Hz（周期约4~7 s）;而另一个是主频为0.08~0.12 Hz（周期8~12 s）的面波信号,它们分别来自不同的产生机理.不同海域和地区的风暴引发的震动信号存在差异,与气旋运动路径经过的地形地貌特征有关,气旋经过的浅海区域、海水深度、登陆地点的地形以及气旋的结构、观测点相对气旋的分布等因素决定了气旋在运动中激发有独特的震动信号.地震观测可以监测气旋在时间和空间的发展变化过程,有助于探索气旋运动过程中与地球表面的相互作用对气旋的影响.

     

A new model of back-arc spreading in the Parece Vela Basin, northwest Pacific margin

Abstract Swath bathymetric data, single-channel seismic reflection profiles, magnetic and gravity anomalies in the northern part of the Parece Vela (West Mariana) Basin were obtained by comprehensive surveys conducted by the Hydrographic Department of Japan. The central zone of the Parece Vela Basin is characterized by the north-south trending chain of depressions in a right-stepping en echelon alignment. The morphology of these depressions is diamond shaped and bordered by steep escarpments of 1000-1500 m relative height. These fault escarpments extend northeastward and southwestward from the depressions into the surrounding basin floor and then gradually fade out. These escarpments have an S-shaped trend, and their geometry seems to be symmetric about the depressions. Minor ridges and troughs trending orthogonal to these escarpments are recognized. It is concluded that these depressions and escarpments are the topographic expression of extinct spreading axes and S-shaped transform faults, respectively. The age of the central depressions seems to be young, although details of tectonic processes forming them remains unsolved. The western province of the basin floor and basement is extremely rugged and characterized by minor ridges and troughs trending in a north-south direction. Although magnetic anomalies of the basin are very weak, magnetic lineations trending parallel to the topographic trend are recognizable in the central and western parts of the basin. Based on updated geomorpholog-ical features and magnetic anomalies revealed by the present survey, together with the previously published data including drilling results, it is proposed that the evolution of Parece Vela Basin took place in four stages of opening and tectonic activity: rifting, east-west spreading, northeast-southwest spreading with counter-clockwise rotation of spreading axes, and post-spreading deformation and volcanism. This proposed spreading model of the Parece Vela Basin is similar to that of the adjacent Shikoku Basin. The spreading axes of both basins were segmented and gradually rotated counter-clockwise in a later phase of the basin evolution, after the cessation of relatively uniform spreading nearly in an east-west direction.     

欧亚大陆及西太平洋边缘海瑞利面波层析成像研究

利用亚洲、欧洲及西太平洋边缘海地区台网114个数字地震台,搜集了40°W~180°E,40°S~80°N范围内近万个地震事件,并从中挑选出1982~2006年间震级在5.0~7.0之间、震源深度小于100km的1800余个事件。经过筛选,共得到周期在8~200s之间10450余条质量较高的瑞利面波频散曲线,这些面波所通过的大圆路径很好地覆盖了欧亚大陆及西太平洋。本文首先对原始记录进行预处理,测定面波频散曲线,包括截取Rayleigh面波,进行频率时域分析等,以得到实际频散数据。然后对研究区域进行网格划分,反演网格点附近的纯路径频散曲线。即采用网格化纯路径频散反演方法得到各块的纯频散数据。最后由得到的每块纯频散数据作为观测数据,并利用LSQR、SVD等广义线性反演方法,对每一块的纯频散曲线进行反演求取该单元的S波速度随深度的分布。     

Petrochemical evidence for off-ridge magmatism in a back-arc setting from the Yakuno ophiolite, Japan

Abstract The Permian ophiolite emplaced in the Yakuno area, Kyoto Prefecture, consists of metavolcanic sequences, metagabbro and a troctolitic intrusion. The metavolcanics are associated with thick mudstone through a contact that shows the flowage of lava over unconsolidated mud layers on the sea floor. The metavolcanics and metagabbro have rare earth element (REE) patterns that are similar to enriched (E)‐ and transitional (T)‐types ([La/Yb]_N = 0.77–11.2) of mid‐oceanic ridge basalts (MORB), whereas their Nb/La ratios (0.40–1.20) are as low as those of back‐arc basin basalts (BABB). Cr‐spinels in the metavolcanic rocks have Cr? of 40–73 and an Fe³⁺? of 9–24, numbers which are comparable to the values of BABB. These lines of evidence suggest that the Yakuno ophiolite originated more likely from an early stage back‐arc basin rather than from an oceanic plateau, as has been suggested by some researchers. The troctolitic body that intrudes as a 0.5‐km long lens in the metagabbro is composed of troctolite, olivine gabbro and microgabbro. The troctolite is marked by an olivine–plagioclase crystallization sequence, different from the commonly observed olivine–clinopyroxene sequence in other mafic/ultramafic cumulates of the Yakuno ophiolite. The microgabbro, with a composition close to that of the parental magma of the troctolite, is depleted in light REE ([La/Yb]_N = 0.18–0.55) so that it has an REE pattern that mimics normal (N)‐type MORB. The interstitial clinopyroxene of the troctolite has highly variable TiO₂ contents (0.2–1.4 wt%), which is interpreted to result from postcumulus crystallization of heterogeneous intercumulus melts. The troctolitic intrusion may represent a late stage intrusion that formed in an off‐ridge environment during sea floor spreading of the back‐arc basin. The geochemical variation observed in the Yakuno ophiolite, ranging from N‐ to E‐MORB affinities, reflects the changes in both mantle source compositions and processes involved in magma generation during the evolution of the back‐arc basin.