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Afar Triple Junction

All articles tagged with #afar triple junction

East Africa’s Slow Rift Points to a Future Ocean, Scientists Say
discoveries1 month ago

East Africa’s Slow Rift Points to a Future Ocean, Scientists Say

GPS-based analysis shows Nubia and Somalia are slowly pulling apart along the East African Rift, with the Afar region experiencing the fastest opening (up to about 6.9 mm/year). This slow continental breakup signals the early formation of a new ocean basin over millions of years, potentially reshaping Africa’s coastlines and tectonic framework.

East Africa's Rift Is Splitting the Continent, Potentially Creating a New Ocean
science6 months ago

East Africa's Rift Is Splitting the Continent, Potentially Creating a New Ocean

New measurements show the East African Rift widening faster than models predicted, thinning crust and forming early oceanic crust as the Nubian, Somali, and Arabian plates diverge at Afar. If this continues, Africa could split into two and a new ocean basin may form in 5–10 million years, with significant seismic, infrastructure, and geothermal implications for the region.