‘Pulsing, like a heartbeat’: Rhythmic mantle plume rising beneath Ethiopia is creating a new ocean
According to a new study.
The pulsed plume of the hot mantle under Ethiopia, driven by Plates tectonicsSlowly separates the region and forms a new ocean near the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, the researchers reported on June 25 in the review Nature geoscience.
“We found that the evolution of the increases in the deep mantle is intimately linked to the movement of the above plates”, ” Derek KeirAn earth scientist at the University of Southampton and the University of Florence, said in a statement. “This has deep implications on how we interpret surface volcanism, the activity of earthquakes and the continental break process.”
The panache of the mantle lies in the Afar region of Ethiopia, at the intersection of three tectonic plates. All the rockets between these plates are different ages, and they change at different rates; Some are training new oceans, while others separate the crust under Africa. But the structure and movement of the plume, as well as the forces which lead these movements, are not well understood.
To study the structure of the crust and the mantle plume below, scientists have studied chemical compositions of more than 130 samples of volcanic rocks in the AFAR region. These samples have provided information on the depth and composition of the melted rock below the surface. The team also used IT models to determine how the region could react to different types of mantle plumes and to respect these responses to existing geological data.
A single mantle plume is under the three rockets, according to the researchers, but its chemical composition is not uniform. In addition, the molten rock increases towards the high rhythmically, leaving behind distinct chemical signatures.
“Chemical radiation suggests that pulsating plume, like a heart rate,” Tom GernonA land scientist said at the University of Southampton, in the press release. “These impulses seem to behave differently depending on the thickness of the plate, and at what speed it separates. In faster rifts like the Red Sea, pulses travel more effectively and regularly as an impulse through a narrow artery.”
The variable spacing between the scratches in different rifts suggests that the mantle plume reacts differently depending on the tectonic plates above. In places where the lithosphere – the crust and the upper mantle – is thicker, the flow of the coat is hampered and the scratches is more condensed. Under a thinner lithosphere, the stripes are more spread out.
The results could help scientists understand volcanic activity on the surface. “The work shows that deep mantle tops can flow under the base of the tectonic plates and help concentrate volcanic activity where the tectonic plate is the thinnest,” Keir said in the press release.
Future work in the Afar region could involve studying the mantle flow rate under the different plates, added Keir.
