A massive plume deep beneath Africa is pulling the continent apart
Researchers have discovered that the African Superplume, a massive upwelling of hot mantle material, is causing unusual tectonic deformation in the East African Rift System. By using 3D thermomechanical models, scientists identified that this deep-earth activity is pulling the continent apart in directions previously thought to be anomalous.
Why it matters
Understanding the mechanics of continental rifting provides essential insights into how Earth's crust evolves and the forces that shape our planet's geography.
Computer models are helping scientists explain a puzzling pattern of deformation beneath the East African Rift System. The results point to the African Superplume, a vast upwelling of hot mantle material deep inside Earth, as the source of unusual motion that runs parallel to the rift as well as a matching pattern in the way seismic waves travel through the rocks below.
Continental rifting happens when Earth's rigid outer shell begins to stretch and thin. That outer shell, called the lithosphere, includes the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle.
As the lithosphere is pulled apart, it can behave differently depending on how quickly and where the stress is applied. Near the surface, rocks can fracture, producing faults and earthquakes. Deeper down, hotter material can deform more gradually.
Geophysicist D. Sarah Stamps compares those different behaviors to Silly Putty.
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