Discover the Heartbeat of the Earth: How Ethiopia’s Pulsing Mantle Plume is Creating a New Ocean

New research reveals that molten rock is rising under eastern Africa, specifically beneath Ethiopia. This pulsing plume is part of a process driven by plate tectonics, slowly creating a new ocean near the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.

Derek Keir, an Earth scientist from the University of Southampton, stated, “The evolution of deep mantle upwellings is linked to the movement of the plates above. This affects how we interpret volcanism and earthquakes and the breaking apart of continents.”

The mantle plume resides in Ethiopia’s Afar region, where three tectonic plates meet. Each rift between these plates has a unique age and moves at different rates. Some are forming new oceans, while others are pulling apart the African crust. However, scientists are still trying to fully understand the plume’s structure and its movements.

To get a clearer picture, researchers analyzed over 130 volcanic rock samples from the Afar area. These samples shed light on the depth and composition of the molten rock beneath. They also ran computer models to see how the region might react to various mantle plume scenarios.

Interestingly, the mantle plume isn’t uniform. It has distinct chemical signatures that suggest it pulses like a heartbeat. Tom Gernon, another Earth scientist at the University of Southampton, noted that these pulses behave differently depending on how thick the tectonic plates are and how quickly they are pulling apart. In faster-spreading areas, like the Red Sea, the pulses move more efficiently, akin to blood through a narrow artery.

The varying spacing between chemical stripes across different rifts indicates that the mantle plume’s behavior changes with the thickness of the tectonic plates above. Thicker lithospheres slow the flow, resulting in closer stripes, while thinner regions allow for more spread-out stripes.

This research could help scientists better understand volcanic activity. Keir remarked, “Deep mantle upwellings can flow beneath tectonic plates, focusing volcanic activity where the plate is thinnest.” Looking ahead, studies in the Afar region might explore the rate of mantle flow beneath these plates.

Understanding these processes is crucial for predicting geological events. Earthquakes and eruptions can have significant impacts on local populations and ecosystems. Historical data shows that the East African Rift has been a site of deadly volcanic eruptions and earthquakes in the past, reaffirming the urgency in studying its dynamics (source: US Geological Survey).

As our knowledge grows, so does the potential for better safety measures and interventions, which could ultimately save lives in the face of natural disasters.

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