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Strain accommodation by slow slip and dyking in a youthful continental rift, East Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Eric Calais

    (Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, USA)

  • Nicolas d’Oreye

    (National Museum of Natural History)

  • Julie Albaric

    (Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, Université de Bretagne Occidentale)

  • Anne Deschamps

    (Géosciences Azur, UNS/CNRS)

  • Damien Delvaux

    (Royal Museum for Central Africa)

  • Jacques Déverchère

    (Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, Université de Bretagne Occidentale)

  • Cynthia Ebinger

    (University of Rochester, New York, New York 14627, USA)

  • Richard W. Ferdinand

    (University of Dar es Salaam, PO Box 35091, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)

  • François Kervyn

    (Royal Museum for Central Africa)

  • Athanas S. Macheyeki

    (Renard Centre of Marine Geology, Universteit Gent
    Mineral Resources (Madini) Institute, PO Box 903, Dodoma, Tanzania)

  • Anneleen Oyen

    (National Museum of Natural History
    Delft University of Technology)

  • Julie Perrot

    (Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, Université de Bretagne Occidentale)

  • Elifuraha Saria

    (Ardhi University, PO Box 35176, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)

  • Benoît Smets

    (Royal Museum for Central Africa)

  • D. Sarah Stamps

    (Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, USA)

  • Christelle Wauthier

    (Royal Museum for Central Africa
    University of Liège)

Abstract

The Great Rift Valley: a dividing continent Africa's Great Rift Valley is geologically active: gradually the continent is being split in two. In July and August 2007 one of the discrete rifting events contributing to this continental break-up was recorded in the form of a seismic crisis in the Lake Natron area, Tanzania. This provided an opportunity to examine the respective roles of faulting and magmatism in the rifting process. Data from the local seismic network, GPS stations and the Envisat satellite reveal that initial ground deformation was due to aseismic slip on a fault on the eastern side of the rift, and then to the emplacement of magma into the crust. This points to strain accommodation by magma intrusion as a major factor — in addition to slow slip along normal faults — during the early stages of continental rifting.

Suggested Citation

  • Eric Calais & Nicolas d’Oreye & Julie Albaric & Anne Deschamps & Damien Delvaux & Jacques Déverchère & Cynthia Ebinger & Richard W. Ferdinand & François Kervyn & Athanas S. Macheyeki & Anneleen Oyen &, 2008. "Strain accommodation by slow slip and dyking in a youthful continental rift, East Africa," Nature, Nature, vol. 456(7223), pages 783-787, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:456:y:2008:i:7223:d:10.1038_nature07478
    DOI: 10.1038/nature07478
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