Volcanic Eruptions could split Africa in half

[rhoenix]

Volcanic activity may split the African continent in two owing to a recent geological crack in northeastern Ethiopia, researchers said on Tuesday.

The 60-kilometre (35-mile) split in the desolate Afar region, which was the result of two volcanic eruptions in September 2005, has enabled scientists to further examine the earth's tectonic movements, said a report published in the Geophysical Research Letters.

"The significance of the finding is that a huge magnetic deformation can happen within a few days like in oceans," Atalay Arefe, an Ethiopia-based university professor who was part of the study, told AFP in an interview.

Researchers say faults and fissures, which normally occur deep down on the ocean floor, are the main processes by which continents gradually break off from each other.

They cite Africa, which underwent a similar phase when it split from America millions of years ago.

"Normally, such phenomena happens beneath the ocean, which is inaccessible, expensive and very difficult to make experiments. But in Afar, it's quite a natural laboratory for us to carry those out," Atalay explained.

Atalay, who was part of an international group of scientists who have been undertaking studies since the eruptions, said the event indicated what was likely to happen in the mainland.

"The ocean's formation is happening slowly, likely to take a few million years. It will stretch from the Afar depression (straddling Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti) down to Mozambique," he said.

The Afar region, known for its salt mines and active volcanoes, is one of the lowest and hottest places on the planet.

Well, this is a trip. This Earth is most certainly not staying still.

[frigidmagi]

And Yellowstone could kill the majority of us on this board. Surprise!

[Hadrianvs]

How fortunate that I live in the West Coast. Sure, I'm closer to Yellowstone than the East Coasters, but the prevailing winds are away from my position.

[rhoenix]

How fortunate that I live in the West Coast. Sure, I'm closer to Yellowstone than the East Coasters, but the prevailing winds are away from my position.

As do I, but I think its fascinating to know that the continents are still very much in motion, despite being on a much longer timescale than we live in.

[LadyTevar]

Isn't Afar part of the Great Rift Valley? I thought that'd been splitting Africa in two since before the first hominiods.

[Mayabird]

Isn't Afar part of the Great Rift Valley? I thought that'd been splitting Africa in two since before the first hominiods.

Yep. I was about to say that myself.

And Yellowstone's a bit different, being a hotspot and not a rift zone where the plates are coming apart.