African plateThe African plate, also known as the Nubian plate, is a major tectonic plate that includes most of the continent of Africa (except for its easternmost part) and the adjacent oceanic crust to the west and south. It also includes a narrow strip of Western Asia along the , including much of Israel, Palestine and Lebanon.
East African RiftThe East African Rift (EAR) or East African Rift System (EARS) is an active continental rift zone in East Africa. The EAR began developing around the onset of the Miocene, 22–25 million years ago. It is considered to be part of a larger system, formerly known as the Great Rift Valley, that extends north to Asia Minor, also known as Anatolia.
RiftIn geology, a rift is a linear zone where the lithosphere is being pulled apart and is an example of extensional tectonics. Typical rift features are a central linear downfaulted depression, called a graben, or more commonly a half-graben with normal faulting and rift-flank uplifts mainly on one side. Where rifts remain above sea level they form a rift valley, which may be filled by water forming a rift lake.
Dead Sea TransformThe Dead Sea Transform (DST) fault system, also sometimes referred to as the Dead Sea Rift, is a series of faults that run for about 1,000 km from the Marash triple junction (a junction with the East Anatolian Fault in southeastern Turkey) to the northern end of the Red Sea Rift (just offshore of the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula). The fault system forms the transform boundary between the African plate to the west and the Arabian plate to the east.
Arabian plateThe Arabian plate, also known as Circum-Arabian tectonic plate is a minor tectonic plate in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres. It is one of the three continental plates (along with the African and Indian plates) that have been moving northward in geological history and colliding with the Eurasian plate.
Mid-ocean ridgeA mid-ocean ridge (MOR) is a seafloor mountain system formed by plate tectonics. It typically has a depth of about 2,600 meters (8,500 ft) and rises about 2,000 meters (6,600 ft) above the deepest portion of an ocean basin. This feature is where seafloor spreading takes place along a divergent plate boundary. The rate of seafloor spreading determines the morphology of the crest of the mid-ocean ridge and its width in an ocean basin.
Plate tectonicsMovement of Earth's lithosphereMap of Earth's 16 principal tectonic platesConvergent: Collision zone Subduction zoneDivergent: Extension zone Spreading centreTransform: Dextral transform Sinistral transformPlate tectonics (from Latin tectonicus, from Ancient Greek τεκτονικός (tektonikós) 'pertaining to building') is the scientific theory that Earth's lithosphere comprises a number of large tectonic plates, which have been slowly moving since 3–4 billion years ago.
Afar triple junctionThe Afar triple junction is a triple junction located along a divergent plate boundary dividing the Nubian, Somali, and Arabian plates. This area is considered a present-day example of continental rifting leading to seafloor spreading and producing an oceanic basin. Here, the Red Sea Rift meets the Aden Ridge and the East African Rift. The latter extends a total of 6,500 kilometers (4,000 mi) from the Afar Triangle to Mozambique.
Aden RidgeThe Aden Ridge is a part of an active oblique rift system located in the Gulf of Aden, between Somalia and the Arabian Peninsula to the north. The rift system marks the divergent boundary between the Somali and Arabiantectonic plates, extending from the Owen transform fault in the Arabian Sea to the Afar triple junction or Afar Plume beneath the Gulf of Tadjoura in Djibouti.
Divergent boundaryIn plate tectonics, a divergent boundary or divergent plate boundary (also known as a constructive boundary or an extensional boundary) is a linear feature that exists between two tectonic plates that are moving away from each other. Divergent boundaries within continents initially produce rifts, which eventually become rift valleys. Most active divergent plate boundaries occur between oceanic plates and exist as mid-oceanic ridges.
Afar TriangleThe Afar Triangle (also called the Afar Depression) is a geological depression caused by the Afar triple junction, which is part of the Great Rift Valley in East Africa. The region has disclosed fossil specimens of the earliest hominins; that is, the earliest of the human clade. As a result, the Depression is thought by some paleontologists to be the cradle of human evolution. The Depression borders Eritrea, Djibouti, and the entire Afar Region of Ethiopia.
Horn of AfricaPeninsula and geopolitical regionThe Horn of Africa (HOA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region located in the easternmost part of mainland Africa. It is the fourth largest peninsula in the world and is composed of Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and the partially recognised state of Somaliland. Although not common, some broader geopolitical definitions include parts or all of Kenya and Sudan.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.