“Africa is splitting apart faster than we thought, forming a new ocean,” said a researcher involved in the study. New findings reveal that the split between the Nubian Plate and the Somali Plate is progressing rapidly, especially within the East African Rift System.
The rifting process has reached a “critical threshold.” The Turkana Rift Zone plays a crucial role in understanding these geological changes. The Earth’s crust in the center of the rift is only about 13 kilometers thick, while it exceeds 35 kilometers thick along its edges.
This rifting began approximately four million years ago. The current phase is known as necking, which indicates that oceanization will likely follow soon. The Afar Depression has already begun showing signs of ocean formation.
The rifting will take several million years to complete, which is relatively quick in geological terms. This ongoing process provides scientists with a rare opportunity to observe how a new ocean forms.
The Turkana Rift Zone also contains fossils of early hominins. However, researchers suggest that these findings may not be as significant for understanding human evolution as previously believed. The movement of tectonic plates continues to shape our planet’s surface.
The current arrangement of Earth’s continents may seem permanent, but in reality, they are in constant motion. This research highlights the dynamic nature of geological processes affecting Africa today.