Scientists have discovered a hidden force beneath Africa that could tear the continent apart and create a new ocean millions of years from now. A team of researchers at the University of Southampton found evidence of rhythmic surges of molten mantle rock rising from deep under the Afar region in Ethiopia.
The discovery is significant as it supports the theory that the plume, or hot upwelling of mantle, helped extend the Earth’s crust and influence the movement of tectonic plates. The team collected over 130 volcanic rock samples and used advanced statistical modeling to identify a single, asymmetric plume under Afar with distinct chemical signatures.
According to study co-author Emma Watts, the pulses from the mantle resemble geological barcodes, which reveal more about the plume’s activities. The patterns suggest that the plume is pulsing like a heartbeat, traveling more efficiently and regularly in faster-spreading rifts.
The discovery has profound implications for understanding surface volcanism, earthquake activity, and continental breakup. Lead author Emma Watts hopes that future research will build on this study’s multidisciplinary approach, combining geochemistry, geophysics, and mathematical modeling to better understand the Earth’s systems.
The team’s findings also suggest that deep mantle upwellings can flow beneath tectonic plates, focusing volcanic activity where the plate is thinnest. This could lead to a new ocean being formed millions of years from now, as the tectonic plates continue to pull apart and stretch over time.
Source: https://www.courthousenews.com/heartbeat-pulses-under-africa-will-create-an-ocean