Mantle Pulses Splitting African Continent, Study Finds

Scientists have found that rhythmic pulses of molten rock from a deep mantle plume beneath Ethiopia's Afar region are driving the gradual splitting of the African continent. These mantle pulses, acting like a 'heartbeat,' are channeled by rifting tectonic plates and are gradually causing Africa to divide along a major tectonic junction. The process is proceeding at a rate of 5–16 mm per year and is expected to take millions of years, ultimately creating a new ocean and coastline for East Africa. Chemical analysis of volcanic rocks revealed that the Afar plume is unusual because it penetrates continental, not oceanic, crust. The study, a collaboration among multiple international institutions, offers new insights into the interaction between Earth's deep interior and surface tectonics. The findings were published in Nature Geoscience.