Geologists from Columbia University have reached the conclusion that Africa might split into two separate landmasses sooner than previously estimated. While the continent’s complete separation will still require several million years, the fresh findings suggest the process has reached a critical juncture. The outcomes of this research were featured in the journal Nature Communications.
The focus is on the East African Rift System, the location where the African Plate is presently undergoing a gradual division into two parts: the Somali Plate in the east and the Nubian Plate in the west. In scientific terms, this divergence of tectonic plates is termed rifting, or riftogenesis. Scientists anticipate that, eventually, a new ocean is destined to form right where this split is occurring.
The researchers specifically examined the Turkana Rift area, situated across parts of Ethiopia and Kenya. Upon analyzing seismic data, they determined that the Earth’s crust there is thinner than initial expectations suggested. Its depth measures approximately 13 kilometers at the rift’s center, expanding to over 35 kilometers near the edges.
This specific measurement is regarded as a crucial indicator. If the crustal thickness drops to 15 kilometers, a phenomenon known as necking occurs, after which continental breakup becomes virtually inevitable. The scientists assert that this particular region has already surpassed that threshold and is currently in a more advanced state of fragmentation than previously assumed.
As the crust continues to thin, magma from deep within the Earth will ascend, leading to the formation of new oceanic crust. In the subsequent phase, the waters of the Indian Ocean are expected to flow into these developing depressions, resulting in the birth of a new oceanic basin. Analogous transformations are currently observable in the northeastern section of the continent, specifically in the Afar Depression region.
Even with declarations of a “rapid” split, experts are referring to geological timescales; thus, in practical terms, the entire event will still span millions of years. However, when compared to prior projections, the evolution of this rift appears to be accelerating.
Furthermore, the experts highlighted an upside to the vigorous geological activity in Eastern Africa. These processes aid in preserving ancient fossils within the earth, including vestiges of early human ancestors.
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