Red Sea Region Parting in Massive Split

National Geographic ^ | 7-19-2006 | Stefan Lovgren

[Citizen Zed]

In a new study, scientists have determined that a recent tear in Earth's continental crust near the sea is the largest single rip seen since satellite monitoring began.

For the past 30 million years the Arabian tectonic plate has been moving away from the African (Nubian) plate at the Red Sea.

But the rift, in which Earth's crust is being stretched and thinned, is not happening smoothly.

Most of the time the plates are stuck together. But in September of last year they split apart along a 37-mile (60-kilometer) section in Afar, Ethiopia (Ethiopia map), near the southern end of the Red Sea.

The scientist's observations may help to explain how Earth's plates split apart and how new crust forms.

The study suggests that the splitting is due to the injection of underground magma (molten rock) into the rift rather than earthquakes happening on tectonic faults.

"It is clear that the rise of molten rock through the plate is enabling the breakup of Africa and Arabia," said Tim Wright, an earth and environmental scientist at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom.

[Mike Darancette]

So when the spreading fills with water will ocean levels drop?

[ViLaLuz]

While in the Horn of Africa, a favorite geological attraction was known as the Crack of Djibouti.

[rdl6989]

Well you know the Red Sea was parted once before...