Early continental breakup boundary and migration of the Afar triple junction, Ethiopia

Bulletin of the Geological Society of America

Volumn 115, Issue 9, 2003, Pages 1053-1067

  Tesfaye, Samson ^a   Harding, David J ^b   Kusky, Timothy M ^a  

^a Dept of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering   (United States)

^b NASA GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER   (United States)

Author keywords

Africa; Remote sensing; Rift; Structural geology; Tectonics; Triple junction

Indexed keywords

ACCOMMODATION ZONES;

KINEMATICS; LANDFORMS; STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY;

GEOMORPHOLOGY;

CONTINENTAL BREAKUP; PLATE MOTION; REMOTE SENSING; RIFTING; TECTONIC SETTING; TRIPLE JUNCTION;

ETHIOPIA;

EID: 0141959845     PISSN: 00167606     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1130/B25149.1     Document Type: Article

References (100)

1. Abbate, E., Passerini, P., and Zan, L., 1995, Strike-slip faults in a rift area: A transect in the Afar Triangle, east Africa: Tectonophysics, v. 241, p. 67-97.
2. Aki, K., and Richards, P.G., 1980, Quantitative seismology: theory and methods: San Francisco, W.H. Freeman, v. 1, 932p.
3. Alemu A., 1992, The gravity field and crustal structure of the Main Ethiopian Rift [Ph.D. thesis]: Sweden, Royal Institute of Technology, 126 p.
4. Almond, D.C., 1986, Geologic evolution of the Afro-Arabian dome: Tectonophysics, v. 131, p. 301-332.
5. Ayele, A., ard Kulhanek, O., 1997. Spatial and temporal variations of seismicity in the Horn of Africa from 1960 to 1993: Geophysics Journal International, v. 130, p. 805-819.
6. Barberi, F., and Santacroce, R., 1980, The Afar stratoid series and the magmatic evolution of East African rift system: Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France, v. 22, p. 891-899.
7. Barberi, F., and Varet, J., 1977, Volcanism of Afar: Small-scale plate tectonics implications: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 88, p. 1251-1266.
8. Barberi, F., Ferrara, G., Santacroce, R., and Varet, J., 1975, Structural evolution of the Afar triple junction, in Pilger, A., and Rosler, A., eds., Afar Depression of Ethiopia: Stuttgart, Germany, Schweizerbart, Scientific Report 14, p. 38-54.
9. Berckhemer, H., Baier, B., Bartelsen, H., Behle, A., Burckhardt, H., Gebrande, H., Makris, J., Menzel, J., Miller, H., and Vees, R., 1975, Deep seismic soundings in the Afar region and on the highlands of Ethiopia, in Pilger, A., and Rosler, A., eds., Afar Depression of Ethiopia Stuttgart, Germany, Schweizerbart, Scientific Report 14, p. 89-107.
10. Berhe, S., compiler, 1985, Geological map of Dire Dawa Sheet (NC37-12): Ethiopian Institute of Geological Surveys, scale 1:250,000.
11. Berhe, S., 1986, Geologic and geochronologic constraints on the evolution of the Red Sea-Gulf of Aden and Afar Depression: Journal of African Earth Sciencess, v. 5, p. 101-117.
12. Beydoun, Z.R., 1989, The hydrocarbon prospects of the Red Sea-Gulf of Aden: A review: Journal of Petroleum Geology, v. 12, p. 125-144.
13. Bilham, R., Bendick, R., Larson, K., Mohr, P., Braun, J., Tesfaye, S., and Asfaw, L., 1999, Secular and tidal strain across the Main Ethiopian Rift: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 26, p. 278-2792.
14. Black, R., Morton, H., and Varet, J., 1972, New data on Afar tectonics: Nature, v. 240, p. 170-173.
15. Boccaletti, M., Bonini, M., Mazzuoli, R., Abebe, B., Piccardi, L., and Tortorici, L., 1998, Quaternary oblique extensional tectonics in the Ethiopian Rift (Horn of Africa): Tectonophysics, v. 287, p. 97-116.
16. Boccaletti, M., Mazzuoli, R., Bonini, M., Trua, T. and Abebe, B., 1999, Plio-Quaternary volcanotectonic activity in the northern sector of the Main Ethiopian Rift: Relationships with oblique rifting: Journal of African Earth Sciences, v. 29, p. 679-698.
17. Bosworth, W., 1985, Geometry of propagating continental rifts: Nature, v. 316, p. 625-627.
18. Burek, P.J., 1970, Paleomagnetic evidence for a counter-clockwise rotation of the Danakil horst: Eos (Transactions, American Geophysical Union), v. 51, p. 271.
19. Burke, K., and Dewey, J.F., 1973, Plume-generated triple junctions: Key indicators in applying plate tectonics to old rocks: Journal of Geology, v. 81, p. 406-433.
20. Chocran, J.R., 1981, The Gulf of Aden: Structure and evolution of young ocean basin and continental margin: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 86, p. 263-288.
21. Chorowicz, J., Collet, B., Bonavia, F., and Korme, T., 1999, Left-lateral strike-slip tectonics and gravity induced individualisation of wide continental blocks in the western Afar margin: Eclogae Geologicae, Helvetiae, s. 92, p. 149-158.
22. Christiansen, T.B., Schaefer, H.-U., and Schonfeld, M., 1975, Geology of southern and central Afar, Ethiopia, in Pilger, A., and Rosler, A., eds., Afar Depression of Ethiopia: Stuttgart, Germany, Schweizerbart, Scientific Report 14, p. 259-277.
23. Chu, D., and Gordon, R.G., 1998, Current plate motions across the Red Sea: Geophysical Journal International, v. 135, p. 313-328.
24. Chu, D., and Gordon, R.G., 1999, Evidence of motions between Nubia and Somalia along the southwest Indian ridge: Nature, v. 398, p. 64-67.
25. CNR-CNRS (Afar team), 1973, Geology of northern Afar (Ethiopia): Revue de Géographic Physique et de Géologie Dynamique, v. XV, p. 443-490.
26. Collet, B., Taud, H., Parrot, J.F., Bonavia, F., and Chorowicz, J., 2000, A new kinematic approach for the Danakil block using a digital elevation model representation: Tectonophysics, v. 316, p. 343-357.
27. Courtillot, V., Galdeano, A., and Moeul, J.L. Le, 1980, Propagation of new accretiong plate boundary: A discussion of new aeromagnetic data in the Gulf of Tadjurah and Southern Afar: Earth and Planetary Sciences Letters, v. 47, p. 144-160.
28. Courtillot, V., Armijo, R., and Tapponnier, P., 1987, Kinematics of the Sinai triple junction and a two phase model of Arabia-Africa rifting, in Coward, M.P., Dewey, J.F., and Hancock, P.L., eds., Continental extensional tectonics: Geological Society of America Special Paper 28, p. 559-573.
29. Davison, I., Al-Kadasi, M., Al-Khirbash, S., Al-Subbary, A.K., Baker, J., Blakey, S., Bosence, D., Dart, C., Heaton, R., McClay, K., Menzies, M., Nichols, G., Owen, L., and Yelland, A., 1994, Geological evolution of the southeastern Red Sea Rift margin. Republic of Yemen: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 106, p. 1474-1493.
30. Dixon, T.H., Ivins, E.R., and Franklin, B.J., 1989, Topographic and volcanic asymmetry around the Red Sea: Constraints on rift models: Tectonics, v. 8, p. 1193-1493.
31. Ebinger, C.J., 1989a, Geometric and kinematic development of border faults and accommodation zones, Kivu-Rusizi rift, Africa: Tectonics, v. 8, p. 117-133.
32. Ebinger, C.J., 1989b, Tectonic development of the western branch of the East African rift system: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 101, p. 885-903.
33. Ebinger, C.J., and Casey, M., 2001, Continental breakup in magmatic province: An Ethiopian example: Geology, v. 29, p. 527-530.
34. Ebinger, C.J., and Hayward, N., 1996, Soft plates and hot spots: Views from Afar: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 101, p. 21,858-21,876.
35. Ebinger, C.J., Yemane, T., WoldeGabriel, G., Aronson, J.L., and Walter, R.C., 1993, Late Eocene-Recent volcanism and faulting in the southern main Ethiopian rift: Geological Society [London] Journal, v. 150, p. 99-108.
36. EIGS, 1987, Geothermal reconnaissance study of selected sites of the Ethiopian Rift System (Geological report): Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Ethiopian Institute of Geological Surveys.
37. Foster, A.N., and Jackson, J.A., 1998, Source parameters of large African earthquakes: Implications for crustal rheology and regional kinematics: Geophysical Journal International, v. 134, p. 422-448.
38. Ghebreab, W., Carter, A., Hurford, A.J., and Talbot, C.J., 2002, Constraints for timing of extensional tectonics in the western margin of the Red Sea in Eritrea: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 200, p. 107-119.
39. Gibson, I.L., 1969, The structure and volcanic geology of an axial portion of the Main Ethiopian Rift: Tectonophysics, v. 8, p. 561-565.
40. Gouin, P., 1975, Kara Kore and Serdo epicenters: Relocation and tectonic implications: Bulletin of the Geophysical Observatory, Haile Selassie I University, v. 15, p. 15-25.
41. Gouin, P, 1979, Earthquake history of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa: Ottawa, Ontario, International Development Center, Publication 118E, p. 259.
42. Harding, D.J., Ebinger. C.J., and Heirtzler, J.R., 1990, Lateral displacements on intersecting fault sets of the Afar depression, Ethiopian and Djibouti: Eos (Transactions, American Geophysical Union), v. 71, p. 617.
43. Harvard CMT catalog, http://www.seismology.harvard.edu/~smith/CMT-ISC.html.
44. Hayward, N., and Ebinger, C.J., 1996, Variations in the along-axis segmentation of the Afar Rift System: Tectonics, v. 15, p. 244-257.
45. Hebert, L., and Langston, C.A., 1985, Crustal thickness estimate at AAE (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) and NAI (Nairobi, Kenya) using teleseismic P-wave conversions: Tectonophysics, v. 111, p. 299-327.
46. Hebert, H., Deplus, C., Huchon, P., Khanbari, K., and Audin, L., 2001. Lithospheric structure of the nascent west Gulf of Aden spreading center inferred from gravity data: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 106, p. 26,345-26,365.
47. Hoffman, C., Courtillot, V., Feraud, G., Rochette, P., Yirgu, G., Ketefo, E., and Pik, R., 1997, Timing of the Ethiopian flood basalt event and implications for plume birth and global change: Nature, v. 389, p. 838-841.
48. Holwerda, J.G., and Hutchison, R.W., 1968, Potash bearing evaporites in the Danakil area, Ethiopia: Economic Geology, v. 63, p. 124-150.
49. Huchon, P., Jestin, F., Cantagrel, J.M., Gaulier, J.M., Khirbash, S., and Gafaneh, A., 1991, Extensional deformations in Yemen since Oligocene and the Africa-Arabia-Somalia triple junction: Annales Tectonicae, v. 5, p. 141-163.
50. Hutchison, R.W., and Engels, G.G., 1970, Tectonic significance of regional geology and evaporite lithofacies, in northeastern Ethiopia: Royal Astronomical Society Geophysical Journal, Ser. A, v. 267, p. 313-329.
51. Hutchison, R.W., and Engels, G.G., 1972, Tectonic evolution of the southern Red Sea and its possible significance to older rifted continental margin: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 83, p. 2989-3002.
52. Jestin, F., Huchon, P., and Gaulier, J.M., 1994, The Somalia plate and the East African Rift System: Present-day kinematics: Geophysical Journal International, v. 116, p. 637-654.
53. Juch, D., 1975, Geology of the southeastern escarpment of Ethiopia between 39° and 42° longitude east, in Pilger, A., and Rosler, A., eds., Afar Depression of Ethiopia: Stuttgart, Germany, Schweizerbart, Scientific Report. v. 14, p. 310-316.
54. Juch, D., 1980, Tectonics of the southeastern escarpment of Ethiopia: Atti dei Convegni Lincei, v. 47, p. 408-418.
55. Kazmin, V., compiler, 1972, Geological map of Ethiopia: Geological Survey of Ethiopia, scale 1:2,000,000.
56. Kazmin, V., Seife, M.B., Nicoletti, M., and Petrucciani, C., 1980, Evolution of the northern part of the Ethiopian rift: Atti dei Convegni Lincei, v. 47, p. 275-292.
57. Kebede, F., and Kulhanek, O., 1989, Seismotectonic studies of the East African Rift System north of l2°S to southern Red Sea: Uppsala, Sweden, Seismological Department, Uppsala University Report 1-89, 34 p.
58. Kebede, F., and Kulhanek, O., 1991. Source parameters of selected earthquakes on the central and western margin of Afar: Tectonophysics, v. 170, p. 243-257.
59. Lepine, J.-C., and Hirn, A., 1992, Seismotectonics in the Republic of Djibouti, linking the Afar Depression and the Gulf of Aden: Tectonophysics, v. 209, p. 65-86.
60. Makris, J., and Ginzburg, A., 1987, The Afar Depression: Transition between continental rifting and sea floor spreading: Tectonophysics, v. 141, p. 199-214.
61. Makris, J., Menzel, H., Zimmermann, J., and Gouin, P., 1975, Gravity field and coastal structure of north Ethiopia, in Pilger, A., and Rosler, A., eds., Afar Depression of Ethiopia: Stuttgart, Germany, Schweizerbart, Scientific Report 14, p. 135-144.
62. Manighetti, I., Tapponnier, P., Courtillot, V., Gruszow, S., and Gillot, P.-Y., 1997, Propagation of rifting along the Arabia Somalia plate boundary; The Gulf of Aden and Tadjoura: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 102, p. 2681-2710.
63. Manighetti, I., Tapponnier, P., Gillot, P.Y., Jacques, E., Courtillot, V., Armijo, R., Ruegg, J.C., and King, G., 1998, Propagation of rifting along the Arabia-Somalia plate boundary: Into Afar: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 103, p. 4947-4974.
64. Manighetti, I., Tapponnier, P., Courtillot, V., Gallet, Y., Jacques, E., and Gillot, P.Y., 2001, Strain transfer between disconnected, propagating rifts in Afar: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 106, p. 13,613-13,665.
65. McKenzie, D.P., and Morgan, W.J., 1969, Evolution of triple junctions: Nature, v. 224, p. 125-133.
66. Menzies,. M., Baker, J., Bosence, D., Dart, C., Davison, I., Hurford, A., Al'Kadasi, M., McClay, K., Nichols, G., Al'Subbary, A., and Yelland, A., 1992. The timing of magmatism, uplift and crustal extension: Preliminary observation from Yemen, in Storey, B.C., Alabaster, T., and Pankhurst, R.J., eds., Magmatism and the causes of continental break-up: Geological Society of America Special Paper 68, p. 293-304.
67. Meyer, W., Pilger, A., Rosler, A., and Stets, J., 1975, Tectonic evolution of the northern part of the Main Ethiopian Rift in southern Ethiopia, in Pilger, A., and Rosler, A., eds., Afar Depression of Ethiopia: Stuttgart, Germany, Schweizerbart, Scientific Report 14, p. 352-362.
68. Mohr, P., 1967a, The Ethiopian Rift System: Bulletin of the Geophysical Observatory, Haile Selassie I University, v. 11, p. 1-65.
69. Mohr, P., 1967b. Major volcano-tectonic lineament in the Ethiopian Rift System: Nature, v. 213, p. 664-665.
70. Mohr, P., 1968, Transcurrent faulting in the Ethiopian Rift System: Nature, v. 218, p. 938-941.
71. Mohr, P., 1972, Surface structure and plate tectonics of Afar: Tectonophysics, v. 15, p. 3-18.
72. Mohr, P., 1973, Crustal deformation rate and evolution of the Ethiopian Rift, in Tarling, D.H., and Runcorn, S.K., eds., Implications of continental drift to earth sciences: London, Academic Press. p. 767-776.
73. Mohr, P., 1974a. Mapping of the major structures of the African Rift System: Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory Special Report 361, 70 p.
74. Mohr, P., 1974b, Structural elements of the Afar margins: Data from ERTS-I imagery: Bulletin of the Geophysical Observatory, Haile Selassie I University, v. 15, p. 83-89.
75. Mohr, P. 1978. Afar: Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, v. 6, p. 145-72.
76. Mohr, P., and Rogers, A.S., 1966, Gravity traverses in Ethiopia: Bulletin of the Geophysical Observatory, Haile Selassie I University, v. 9, p. 7-58.
77. Mohr, P., and Woods, 1976, Volcano spacings and lithospheric attenuation in the eastern rift of Africa: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, p. 126-144.
78. Mohr, P., Girnius, A., and Rolff, J., 1978, Present-day strain rates at the northern end of the Ethiopian Rift: Tectonophysics, v. 44, p. 141-160.
79. Morley, C.K., Nelson, R.A., Patton, T.L., and Munn, S.G., 1990, Transfer zone, in the East African Rift System and their relevance to hydrocarbon exploration in rifts: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 74, p. 1234-1253.
80. Nelson, R.A., Patto, T.L., and Morley, C.K., 1992, Rift segment interaction and its relation to hydrocarbon exploration in continental rift systems: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 76, p. 1153-1169.
81. Renne, P.R., WoldeGabriel, G., Hart, W.K., Heiken, G., and White, T.D., 1999, Chronostratigraphy of the Miocene-Pliocene Sagantole Formation, Middle Awash Valley, Afar Rift, Ethiopia: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 111, p. 869-885.
82. Roger, S., Pik, R., Dautria, J.M., Coulon, C., Yirgu, G., Ayalew, D., and Legros, P., 1997, Rifting actif ou passif en Ethiopie? Elements de réponse apportes par l'étude des xenolites peridotitiques de la region du lac Tana: Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences, Sér. II. Sciences de la Terre et des Planetes, v. 324, p. 1009-1016.
83. Rosendahl, B.R., Reynolds, D.J., Lorber, P.M., Burgess, C.F., McGill, J., Scott, D., Lambiase, J.J., and Derksen, S.J., 1986, Structural expression of rifting: Lessons from Lake Tanganyika, Africa, in Foastick, L.E., et al., eds., Sedimentation in the African rifts: Geological Society [London] Special Publication 25. p. 29-43.
84. Rowland, J., and Sibson, R., 2001, Extensional fault kinematics within the Taupo volcanic zone, New Zealand: Soft-linked segmentation of a continental rift system: New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, v. 44, p. 271-284.
85. Savoyat, E., Shiferaw, A., and Balcha, T., 1989, Petroleum exploration in the Ethiopian Red Sea: Journal of Petroleum Geology, v. 12, p. 187-204.
86. Schilling, J.-G., 1973, Afar mantle plume: Rare earth evidence: Nature, v. 242, p. 2-5.
87. Schilling, J.-G., 1992, Nd-Sr-Pb isotopic variations along the Gulf of Aden: Evidence for Afar mantle plume-continental lithosphere interaction: Journal of Geophysical Research. v. 97, p. 10,927-10,966.
88. Schult, A., 1974. Paleomagnetism of Tertiary volcanic rocks from the Ethiopian Southern Plateau and the Danakil block: Journal of Geophysics. v. 40, p. 203-212.
89. Searle, R.C., and Gouin, P., 1972, A gravity survey of the central part of the Ethiopian Rift Valley: Tectonophysics, v. 15, p. 41-52.
90. Şengör, A.M.C., 2001, Elevation as an indicator of mantle-plume activity, in Ernst, R.E., and Buchan, K.L., eds., Mantle plumes: Their identification through time: Geological Society of America Special Paper 353, p. 183-225.
91. Shoudofsky, G.N., 1985, Source mechanisms and focal depths of east African earthquakes using Rayleigh wave inversion Bud body-wave modeling: Royal Astronomical Society Geophysical Journal, v. 83, p. 563-614.
92. Sigmundsson, F., 1992. Tectonic implications of the 1989 Afar earthquake sequence: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 19, p. 877-880.
93. Souriot and Brun, 1992, Faulting and block rotation in the Afar Triangle: Geology, v. 20, p. 911-914.
94. Tadewos, C., Hart, W.K., Aronson, J.L., and Walter, R.C., 1998, New age constraints on the timing of the volcanism and tectonism in the northern Main Ethiopian Rift-southern Afar transition zone (Ethiopia): Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 80, p. 267-280.
95. Tazieff, H., Varet, J., Barberri, F., and Giglia, G., 1972, Tectonic significance of the Afar (or Danakil) Depression: Nature, v. 235, p. 144-147.
96. Tesfaye, S., 1999, The Afar Rift: The western Afar passive margin, relay and accommodation zones, and migration of the triple junction [Ph.D. thesis]: Boulder, University of Colorado, 157 p.
97. 39Ar chronostratigraphy of pre- and syn-rift bimodal flood volcanism in Ethiopia and Yemen: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 198, p. 289-306,
98. Varet, J., and Gasse, F., 1978, Geology of central and southern Afar (Ethiopia and Djibouti Republic): Paris, Editions du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Report, 124 p., and map, scale 1:500,000.
99. White, R., and McKenzie, D., 1989, Magmatism at rift zones: The generation of volcanic continental margins and flood basalts: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 94, p. 7685-7729.
100. WoldeGabriel, G., Aronson, J., and Walter, R., 1990, Geology, geochronology, and rift basin development in the central sector of the Main Ethiopian Rift: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 102, p. 439-458.