Uncovering the forces shaping Africa's new continental future
Scientists have identified the cause behind the breakup of one of the largest continents on Earth, which could eventually lead to the formation of a new continent.
Key information
- East African Rift System: a significant focus of researchers' studies.
- Superplume: a deep thermal anomaly beneath Africa.
- New continent: possible formation over millions of years.
Scientists from the University of Glasgow have discovered why one of the largest continents on Earth is beginning to fragment. There has long been debate about the formation of the East African Rift System (EARS), which extends over 1,200 miles through Africa's Great Lakes.
As reported by ladbible.com, the rift traverses Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and Malawi, lying between the Somali tectonic plate and the Nubian plate. According to scientists, these plates are systematically diverging at an average speed of about 0.5 centimetres per year. Researchers have managed to uncover the underlying cause of this phenomenon.
Through chemical analysis of volcanic gases, researchers identified a massive body of material deep beneath the Earth's surface. The deep thermal anomaly may cause magma to rise, leading to volcanic activity and earthquakes in Africa and neighbouring regions, as well as the progressive movement of tectonic plates away from each other.
"Our research suggests that a giant hot blob of rock from the core-mantle boundary is present beneath East Africa, it is driving the plates apart and propping up the Africa continent so it hundreds of metres higher than normal," said Professor Fin Stuart, the project leader, quoted by ladbible.com.
What does this mean for the future?
Scientists predict that tectonic separation, which could take one to five million years, may ultimately result in the formation of a new continent.
"In the human life scale, you won't be seeing many changes. You'll be feeling earthquakes, you'll be seeing volcanoes erupt, but you won't see the ocean intrude in our lifetimes," said Professor Ken Macdonald from the University of California.
Although these changes are nearly imperceptible on a human scale, they could lead to increased volcanic and seismic activity in the region. This discovery provides a better understanding of the geological processes shaping our planet.
Biying Chen from the University of Edinburgh, the lead author of the publication, confirmed that gases extracted from their geothermal wells have offered valuable new insights into the Earth's deep interior. The expert added that this will help to enhance our understanding of not only the geological forces shaping East Africa, but also the fundamental processes driving the evolution of our planet's surface over millions of years.
