Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
A. Nutz, T. Ragon, M. Schuster
Summary: Studying the role of magmatism, crustal deformation, and fault evolution in rift systems is crucial for understanding the stretching phase of continental drift. This study provides detailed observations and seismic reflection data on the northern Turkana Depression, highlighting the different stages of rift initiation, development, and termination, as well as their relationship with geological structures.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
C. S. Ogden, I. D. Bastow, C. Ebinger, A. Ayele, R. Kounoudis, M. Musila, R. Bendick, N. Mariita, G. Kianji, T. O. Rooney, G. Sullivan, B. Kibret
Summary: Receiver function analysis reveals that the crust beneath the Turkana Depression is thin and lacks lower crustal intrusion and melt. This suggests that modern faulting and plate stretching dominate the tectonic activity in the region, rather than magma intrusion. These observations provide important insights into the tectonic evolution and crustal deformation mechanism of the East African Rift.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Nick Schofield, Richard Newton, Scott Thackrey, Douglas Watson, David Jolley, Chris Morley
Summary: This paper investigates the Cenozoic stratigraphy and volcano-tectonic relationship of volcanic sequences within the Northern Kenya Rift, integrating seismic reflection data with new well lithological and biostratigraphic data. The study reveals that the site of the Turkana Fault in the Plio-Pleistocene age served as a focus of Middle Miocene volcanism, approximately 5 million years prior to fault movement. The research highlights how combining subsurface and outcrop information can enhance understanding of magmatic history within rift basins.
JOURNAL OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Francis J. Sousa, Stephen E. Cox, Sidney R. Hemming, E. Troy Rasbury, Elena Steponaitis, Kevin Hatton, Mae Saslaw, Gregory Henkes, Patricia Princehouse, Natasha S. Vitek, Isaiah Nengo
Summary: New field observations and geochronology have revealed that the Topernawi Formation in the Ekitale Basin of northern Turkana Depression in Kenya is the oldest dated syn-rift sedimentary unit from the Oligocene.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
R. Kounoudis, I. D. Bastow, C. J. Ebinger, F. Darbyshire, C. S. Ogden, M. Musila, F. Ugo, A. Ayele, G. Sullivan, R. Bendick, N. Mariita, G. Kianji
Summary: The Turkana Depression is a region that separates the Ethiopian and East African plateaus and is characterized by east-west oriented rift and separation. This study used seismic data to create a detailed velocity model of the crust and upper mantle in the region, revealing the presence of thick Mesozoic sedimentary basins in the Turkana Depression and higher wave speeds in the lithospheric mantle compared to the Main Ethiopian Rift and Ethiopian Plateau.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
A. Boyce, R. Kounoudis, I. D. Bastow, S. Cottaar, C. J. Ebinger, C. S. Ogden
Summary: Ethiopia's Cenozoic flood basalt magmatism, uplift, and rifting have been attributed to mantle plumes. However, the movement of the African plate has shifted the mantle beneath it, leading to a lack of knowledge regarding the mantle structure below the northern Tanzania craton and Turkana Depression. Using new seismograph data, a tomographic model is developed to map the mantle structure and reveal the presence of a previously unrecognized mantle plume tail. The thinning lithospheric structure and sub-lithospheric slow wavespeeds in the Turkana Depression suggest that the present-day low elevation is due to crustal thinning.
GEOCHEMISTRY GEOPHYSICS GEOSYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Tahiry A. Rajaonarison, D. Sarah Stamps, John Naliboff
Summary: Studies suggest that the present-day extension of the East African Rift is primarily driven by lithospheric buoyancy forces, while intrarift deformation may result from viscous coupling to horizontal asthenospheric flow.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Callum Munday, Sebastian Engelstaedter, Gilbert Ouma, Geoffrey Ogutu, Daniel Olago, Dennis Ong'ech, Thomas Lees, Bonface Wanguba, Rose Nkatha, Clinton Ogalo, Roba Ali Galgalo, Abdi Jillo Dokata, Erick Kirui, Robert Hope, Richard Washington
Summary: The Turkana low-level jet is an important component of the African climate system, and modern technologies have provided clarity on the strength and role of the jet.
BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jiawang Ge, Yanlei Dong, Mingxuan Tan, Hehe Chen, Lianpu Sun, Shunli Li, Xiaoming Zhao
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between fault activities and sequence stratigraphic architectures in multi-phase rift basins using seismic data from the Zhu-3 Depression in the Pearl River Mouth Basin, China, providing insights into tectono-stratigraphic signatures in multiphase rifts. Three composite sequences (CS1-3) defined by major unconformities in the Paleogene successions of the Zhu-3 Depression are interpreted, with each one further subdivided into two or three third-order sequences. The analysis reveals two episodic rift phases and their impact on basin configurations and fault displacement.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Felicie Korostelev, Yang Lu, Fabrizio Magrini, Lapo Boschi, Sylvie Leroy, William Vetel
Summary: This study maps the entire East African Rift System (EARS) using a global surface-wave velocity model in order to understand the underlying mantle structure and its relationship with the Mozambique Channel. By analyzing seismic data from the African continent, the researchers obtain dispersion curves and phase-velocity maps, revealing the discontinuous nature of magmatic activity along the EARS and low-velocity anomalies beneath certain volcanic islands and seamounts. The presence of a low-velocity anomaly in the Mozambique Channel suggests the existence of an important magmatic system.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SOLID EARTH
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Tahiry A. Rajaonarison, D. Sarah Stamps, John Naliboff, Andrew Nyblade, Emmanuel A. Njinju
Summary: Geodynamicists use high-resolution 3D thermomechanical models to investigate the forces driving continental rifting in the East African Rift. They find that the anomalous surface deformation and seismic anisotropy in the rift are primarily driven by northward mantle flow associated with the African Superplume.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SOLID EARTH
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Laurent Michon, Vincent Famin, Xavier Quidelleur
Summary: Through studying the East African Rift System, we have found a complex spatial and temporal relationship between rift and magmatic activity, leading to the identification of two distinct regimes of volcanism in the rift system.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2022)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Juliet Biggs, Atalay Ayele, Tobias P. Fischer, Karen Fontijn, William Hutchison, Emmanuel Kazimoto, Kathy Whaler, Tim J. Wright
Summary: New observations of volcanic and magmatic activity in Africa are reshaping our understanding of continental rifting and highlighting the associated hazards. Despite efforts to shift from crisis response to reducing disaster risks, limited capacity in sub-Saharan Africa hinders effective mitigation of geohazards.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Joanna M. Holmgren, Maximilian J. Werner, Katsuichiro Goda, Manuela Villani, Vitor Silva, Patrick Chindandali, Victoria Stevens
Summary: This article introduces a newly compiled ground motion database for the southern East African rift system, which includes waveform records of 882 earthquakes from 1994 to 2022. It provides essential data for ground motion studies in the region.
EARTHQUAKE SPECTRA
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
N. S. Muravyeva, V. G. Senin, A. Ivanov, B. Belyatsky
Summary: The detailed investigation of leucite basanites from the Visoke and Muhavura volcanoes in the Virunga province revealed that the rocks are likely derived from an enriched mantle source and have been contaminated by deep metamorphic rocks. The isotopic composition suggests a complex origin involving processes such as mantle melting, fractional crystallization, magma mixing, and crustal contamination.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
F. Kolawole, E. A. Atekwana, S. Malloy, D. S. Stamps, R. Grandin, M. G. Abdelsalam, K. Leseane, E. M. Shemang
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2017)
Article
Geography, Physical
Liang Xue, Tadesse Alemu, Nahid D. Gani, Mohamed G. Abdelsalam
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Zelalem Demissie, Kevin Mickus, David Bridges, Mohamed G. Abdelsalam, Estella Atekwana
JOURNAL OF AFRICAN EARTH SCIENCES
(2018)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
F. Kolawole, E. A. Atekwana, D. A. Lao-Davila, M. G. Abdelsalam, P. R. Chindandali, J. Salima, L. Kalindekafe
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Andrew W. Fletcher, Mohamed G. Abdelsalam, Luelseged Emishaw, Estella A. Atekwana, Daniel A. Lao-Davila, Ahmed Ismail
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Jeannot F. Goussi Ngalamo, Mohamed Sobh, Dieudonne Bisso, Mohamed G. Abdelsalam, Estella Atekwana, Georges E. Ekodeck
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
R. L. Evans, J. Elsenbeck, J. Zhu, M. G. Abdelsalam, E. Sarafian, D. Mutamina, F. Chilongola, E. A. Atekwana, A. G. Jones
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Emmanuel A. Njinju, Estella A. Atekwana, D. Sarah Stamps, Mohamed G. Abdelsalam, Eliot A. Atekwana, Kevin L. Mickus, Stewart Fishwick, Folarin Kolawole, Tahiry A. Rajaonarison, Victor N. Nyalugwe
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Victor N. Nyalugwe, Mohamed G. Abdelsalam, Estella A. Atekwana, Andrew Katumwehe, Kevin L. Mickus, Jalf Salima, Emmanuel A. Njinju, Luelseged Emishaw
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SOLID EARTH
(2019)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Victor N. Nyalugwe, Mohamed G. Abdelsalam, Andrew Katumwehe, Kevin L. Mickus, Estella A. Atekwana
JOURNAL OF AFRICAN EARTH SCIENCES
(2020)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
M. Sobh, J. Ebbing, A. H. Mansi, H. -J. Goetze, E. L. Emry, M. G. Abdelsalam
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SOLID EARTH
(2020)