Rift and plume: a discussion on active and passive  rifting mechanisms in the Afro-Arabian rift  based on synthesis of geophysical data

Issachar, Ran; Haas, Peter; Augustin, Nico; Ebbing, Jörg

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/se-15-807-2024

Articles | Volume 15, issue 7

https://doi.org/10.5194/se-15-807-2024

© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Special issue:

(D)rifting into the future: the relevance of rifts and divergent...

https://doi.org/10.5194/se-15-807-2024

© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 15, issue 7

Research article

|

09 Jul 2024

Research article |

| 09 Jul 2024

Rift and plume: a discussion on active and passive rifting mechanisms in the Afro-Arabian rift based on synthesis of geophysical data

Ran Issachar, Peter Haas, Nico Augustin, and Jörg Ebbing

Data sets

The GEBCO_2019 Grid: a continuous terrain model of the global oceans and land GEBCO Compilation Group https://doi.org/10.5285/c6612cbe-50b3-0cff-e053-6c86abc09f8f

The experimental gravity field model XGM2019e P. Zingerle et al. https://doi.org/10.5880/ICGEM.2019.007

Volcanoes of the World, v. 5.2.0 Global Volcanism Program https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.VOTW5-2024.5.2

New magnetic anomaly map for the Red Sea reveals transtensional structures associated with rotational rifting (https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Transcurrent_Regimes_During_Rotational_Rifting_New_Insights_from_Magnetic_Anomalies_in_the_Red_Sea/147432) R. Issachar et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-09770-0

New global marine gravity model from CryoSat-2 and Jason-1 reveals buried tectonic structure (https://topex.ucsd.edu/grav_outreach/) D. T. Sandwell et al. https://doi.org/10.1126/SCIENCE.1258213

Short summary

In this contribution, we explore the causal relationship between the arrival of the Afar plume and the initiation of the Afro-Arabian rift. We mapped the rift architecture in the triple-junction region using geophysical data and reviewed the available geological data. We interpret a progressive development of the plume–rift system and suggest an interaction between active and passive mechanisms in which the plume provided a push force that changed the kinematics of the associated plates.