Scientists Warn: A New Ocean Could Soon Split Africa in Two!

A plume of molten rock beneath eastern Africa is slowly splitting the continent apart. This discovery suggests we might be witnessing the early stages of a new ocean forming.

Researchers from Swansea University, led by Emma Watts, have found that the Afar region of Ethiopia is affected by a plume of hot mantle that rises and falls rhythmically. This periodic pulsing, described as almost “a beating heart,” is linked closely to the movements of tectonic plates. Watts explains, “The mantle beneath Afar is not just uniform; it has a pulse that influences the Earth’s surface.”

The Afar region is special because it is where three tectonic rift systems meet—the Red Sea Rift, the Gulf of Aden Rift, and the Main Ethiopian Rift. Over millions of years, as these tectonic plates pull apart, the crust stretches and thins, ultimately breaking and paving the way for a new ocean basin to form.

To learn more about what’s happening underground, researchers collected over 100 volcanic rock samples. They combined this fieldwork with existing geophysical data and advanced statistical modeling. Their analysis unveiled an asymmetric plume that displays repeating chemical patterns, or “geological barcodes.” Tom Gernon, a co-author from the University of Southampton, likens the efficiency of these pulses to blood flowing through a narrow artery.

Derek Keir, also a co-author from Southampton, highlights another key point: “The evolution of deep mantle upwellings is closely tied to the motion of the plates above.” This connection gives new insights into surface volcanism, earthquake activity, and the continent’s breaking process.

A recent report by the U.S. Geological Survey estimates that the East African Rift is moving at an average rate of about 6 to 7 millimeters per year. This supports the idea that significant geological changes are happening right now.

The study sheds light on a complex interaction between the Earth’s interior and surface. It opens doors to understanding not just local geology but also global tectonic processes.

This research was published in Nature Geoscience on June 25, and it challenges our understanding of continental dynamics in exciting ways.

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