was a Japanese

geologist A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid, liquid, and gaseous matter that constitutes Earth and other terrestrial planets, as well as the processes that shape them. Geologists usually study geology, earth science, or geophysics, althou ...

Career

Miyashiro was known for his contributions to

metamorphic Metamorphic rocks arise from the transformation of existing rock to new types of rock in a process called metamorphism. The original rock (protolith) is subjected to temperatures greater than and, often, elevated pressure of or more, causin ...

and

igneous petrology Igneous petrology is the study of igneous rocks—those that are formed from magma. As a branch of geology, igneous petrology is closely related to volcanology, tectonophysics, and petrology in general. The modern study of igneous rocks utilizes a ...

. He also made contributions to the study of tectonics and meteorites. In the 1960s he introduced the concept of

paired metamorphic belts Paired metamorphic belts are sets of parallel linear rock units that display contrasting Metamorphic facies, metamorphic mineral assemblages. These paired belts develop along Convergent boundary, convergent plate boundaries where subduction is acti ...

. In 1973 Miyashiro challenged the common conceptions of

ophiolite An ophiolite is a section of Earth's oceanic crust and the underlying upper mantle that has been uplifted and exposed above sea level and often emplaced onto continental crustal rocks. The Greek word ὄφις, ''ophis'' (''snake'') is found i ...

s and proposed an

island arc Island arcs are long chains of active volcanoes with intense seismic activity found along convergent tectonic plate boundaries. Most island arcs originate on oceanic crust and have resulted from the descent of the lithosphere into the mantle alon ...

origin for the famous

Troodos Ophiolite The Troodos Ophiolite on the island of Cyprus represents a Late Cretaceous spreading axis (mid-ocean ridge) that has since been uplifted due to its positioning on the overriding Anatolian plate at the Cyprus arc and ongoing subduction to the south ...

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...

. This was done arguing that numerous lavas and dykes in the ophiolite had calc-alkaline chemistries.

Personal life and death

Miyashiro was a native of

Okayama Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Okayama Prefecture has a population of 1,906,464 (1 February 2018) and has a geographic area of 7,114 Square kilometre, km2 (2,746 sq mi). Okayama Prefectur ...

. On the evening of 22 July 2008, Miyashiro visited a state park west of Albany, NY and remained there to take sunset pictures while his wife waited by the parking area. Police discovered his body at the base of a cliff on the 24th.

References

2008 deaths Japanese geologists University of Tokyo faculty Columbia University faculty Petrologists Tectonicists People from Okayama Prefecture {{Japan-bio-stub