Geologists have reported a split that has begun on the African continent

A gradual divergence of breeds was noticed on the African continent. The researchers claim that modern observation methods have made it possible to notice processes that were noticed back in the 1960s. This was reported by the Journal of African Earth Sciences (JoAES).

A magnetic aerial survey of the Afar region, which is located on the territory of modern Ethiopia and Eritrea, was conducted in 1968 to study tectonics. The old data has been digitized, processed and integrated with information received from the neighboring areas of the Red Sea and the western Gulf of Aden.

However, the information has not received sufficient attention, although scientists consider it to be an important resource for studying the tectonic structure. At the same time, the new data allowed for a better understanding of how the continent shifts and splits apart during rifting, the gradual rupture of the lithospheric plate.

It is noted that magnetic anomalies in the southern Afar may be associated with a Miocene magmatic rupture aligned with the Gulf of Aden, but now hidden under younger magmatism and rifts. Transverse magnetic anomalies oriented along the fault are also present in the East African Rift and the Red Sea, but their origin remains unclear.

According to the publication, a new split is currently forming between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. At the same time, it is argued that in millions of years, modern East Africa will become the site of a new ocean, and the continent itself will be divided into two parts.

Geologists emphasize that at the moment the detected process does not pose a threat. However, it can subsequently lead to major changes in the context of the geography of the Earth.

What awaits Kamchatka: the epicenters of strong earthquakes on the peninsula in the future are named

Strong tremors can cause landslides, avalanches, and damage to infrastructure.

Earlier, on November 1, Science Advances magazine reported the discovery of signs of the destruction of the Explorer tectonic plate in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. It was clarified that large-scale geological changes are taking place in the area of the northern part of the ocean. According to the publication, one of the plates began to split under the influence of accumulated stresses.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.