A note on the contributions of Akiho Miyashiro

Akiho Miyashiro has contributed greatly to the advancement of several major fields of earth science since the middle of the 20th century. His most important work is the proposal of ‘metamorphic facies series’ with three different baric types and ‘paired metamorphic belts’ in the circum-Pacific zones (subduction zones); the former greatly advanced metamorphic petrology and the latter contributed to the progress of plate tectonics. He also made significant work on abyssal tholeiites and island arc volcanic rocks. Based on the chemical compositions of associated volcanic rocks, he pointed out that some ophiolites were formed in island arcs. He also worked on meteorites and proposed an interesting idea on the possible origin of chondrites and planets.