The Earth’s shell in the Afar territory is already extremely slender, to the point where sections of the terrain are situated lower than the ocean surface; the moment the valley descends sufficiently, ocean waters will surge in, establishing a fresh oceanic cavity.
A new ocean may appear on Earth / © Pixabay
New investigations indicate that Africa is gradually breaking apart along a massive fracture. This occurrence will ultimately bring about the creation of a novel sea between the two emerging landmasses in a span of numerous millennia.
This information is presented within the Newsweek publication.
Tectonic Fissure: Operational Mechanics
The divide is manifesting along the East African Rift (EAR). It is in this area that the Somali tectonic plate (eastern Africa) is detaching from the larger Nubian plate that encompasses the remainder of the continent.
The advancement unfolds at an extraordinarily languid pace, with the plates shifting merely a few millimeters annually. Be that as it may, the most captivating aspect of the unfolding is situated in the northern expanse, specifically within the Afar region of Ethiopia. This is where the “triple junction” is found, denoting the intersection of three tectonic breaches: the Ethiopian, Red Sea, and Gulf of Aden rifts.
Timeline for the anticipated ocean?
The Earth’s layer in the Afar zone has already attenuated to such an extent that segments of the topography lie beneath the level of the sea. Researchers elucidate that when the valley dips sufficiently, seawater will gush inwards, giving rise to a new marine expanse.
“The expansion rate is highest in the northern portion, so we can expect to observe the formation of new oceans initially in that region,” notes Sarah Stamps, a geophysicist at Virginia Tech.
Insights from Recent Studies?
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Magnetic Statistics: A revised examination of records originating in the 1960s, as detailed in the Journal of African Earth Sciences, posits that Africa and Arabia were the initial entities to split. Subsequently, the African rift ensued, influenced by a “superplume” – a rising flow of heated magma.
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Earth's Cadence: A study featured in Nature Geoscience puts forth the notion that the tearing phenomenon is powered by rhythmic surges of molten rock originating from the Earth’s depths. Geologists denote these impulses as Earth's “heartbeat.”
Despite the fact that the complete separation of the continents will span tens of millions of years, the repercussions of the rift are presently discernible in the form of seismic and volcanic occurrences, which bear upon the existence of the regional inhabitants.
Intriguing Fact: The East African Rift spans a distance exceeding 3,500 kilometers, extending from the Red Sea to Mozambique.
Earlier, we covered the subject of how scientists unveiled the enigma of a massive underwater gorge within the Atlantic.
Source: tsn.ua