Researchers Discover Rhythmic Mantle Pulses Beneath Africa

A statistician from Lancaster University is part of a team of researchers that has found evidence of rhythmic surges of molten mantle rock rising from deep within the Earth beneath Africa. These pulses are gradually tearing the continent apart and forming a new ocean. The findings, published in Nature Geoscience, reveal that the Afar region in Ethiopia is underlain by a plume of hot mantle that pulses upward like a beating heart.

The team's discovery shows how the upward flow of hot material from the deep mantle is strongly influenced by the tectonic plates that ride above it. Over millions of years, as tectonic plates are pulled apart at rift zones like Afar, they stretch and thin until they rupture, marking the birth of a new ocean basin.

Lead author Dr Emma Watts stated, \"We found that the mantle beneath Afar is not uniform or stationary - it pulses, and these pulses carry distinct chemical signatures. These ascending pulses of partially molten mantle are channelled by the rifting plates above. That's important for how we think about the interaction between Earth's interior and its surface.\"

The project involved experts from 10 institutions, including Lancaster University, the University of Southampton, Swansea University, and others. The Afar region is a unique place where three tectonic rifts converge: the Main Ethiopian Rift, the Red Sea Rift, and the Gulf of Aden Rift.

The team collected volcanic rock samples and used advanced statistical modelling to investigate the structure of the crust and mantle beneath the Afar region. Their results show a dynamic and responsive mantle plume beneath Afar, influenced by the tectonic plates above it.

Professor Philip Jonathan from Lancaster University contributed statistical modelling for the study. He stated, \"Our results show that the evolution of deep mantle upwellings is dependent on the nature and motion of the tectonic plates above. We believe our findings can inform current and future thinking on topics such as surface volcanism and continental breakup.\"

According to the source: Mirage News.