Role of mantle flow in Nubia-Somalia plate divergence

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Role of mantle flow in Nubia-Somalia plate divergence. / Stamps, D. S.; Iaffaldano, Giampiero; Calais, E.

In: Geophysical Research Letters (Online), Vol. 42, No. 2, 28.01.2015, p. 290-296.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Stamps, DS, Iaffaldano, G & Calais, E 2015, 'Role of mantle flow in Nubia-Somalia plate divergence', Geophysical Research Letters (Online), vol. 42, no. 2, pp. 290-296. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL062515

APA

Stamps, D. S., Iaffaldano, G., & Calais, E. (2015). Role of mantle flow in Nubia-Somalia plate divergence. Geophysical Research Letters (Online), 42(2), 290-296. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL062515

Vancouver

Stamps DS, Iaffaldano G, Calais E. Role of mantle flow in Nubia-Somalia plate divergence. Geophysical Research Letters (Online). 2015 Jan 28;42(2):290-296. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL062515

Author

Stamps, D. S. ; Iaffaldano, Giampiero ; Calais, E. / Role of mantle flow in Nubia-Somalia plate divergence. In: Geophysical Research Letters (Online). 2015 ; Vol. 42, No. 2. pp. 290-296.

Bibtex

@article{8d3d596500b348a49c945e0689b14fc6,
title = "Role of mantle flow in Nubia-Somalia plate divergence",
abstract = "Present-day continental extension along the East African Rift System (EARS) has often been attributed to diverging sublithospheric mantle flow associated with the African Superplume. This implies a degree of viscous coupling between mantle and lithosphere that remains poorly constrained. Recent advances in estimating present-day opening rates along the EARS from geodesy offer an opportunity to address this issue with geodynamic modeling of the mantle-lithosphere system. Here we use numerical models of the global mantle-plates coupled system to test the role of present-day mantle flow in Nubia-Somalia plate divergence across the EARS. The scenario yielding the best fit to geodetic observations is one where torques associated with gradients of gravitational potential energy stored in the African highlands are resisted by weak continental faults and mantle basal drag. These results suggest that shear tractions from diverging mantle flow play a minor role in present-day Nubia-Somalia divergence.",
keywords = "East African Rift System, geodynamics, numerical modeling, continental rifting, tectonic forces",
author = "Stamps, {D. S.} and Giampiero Iaffaldano and E. Calais",
year = "2015",
month = jan,
day = "28",
doi = "10.1002/2014GL062515",
language = "English",
volume = "42",
pages = "290--296",
journal = "Geophysical Research Letters (Online)",
issn = "1944-8007",
publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",
number = "2",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Role of mantle flow in Nubia-Somalia plate divergence

AU - Stamps, D. S.

AU - Iaffaldano, Giampiero

AU - Calais, E.

PY - 2015/1/28

Y1 - 2015/1/28

N2 - Present-day continental extension along the East African Rift System (EARS) has often been attributed to diverging sublithospheric mantle flow associated with the African Superplume. This implies a degree of viscous coupling between mantle and lithosphere that remains poorly constrained. Recent advances in estimating present-day opening rates along the EARS from geodesy offer an opportunity to address this issue with geodynamic modeling of the mantle-lithosphere system. Here we use numerical models of the global mantle-plates coupled system to test the role of present-day mantle flow in Nubia-Somalia plate divergence across the EARS. The scenario yielding the best fit to geodetic observations is one where torques associated with gradients of gravitational potential energy stored in the African highlands are resisted by weak continental faults and mantle basal drag. These results suggest that shear tractions from diverging mantle flow play a minor role in present-day Nubia-Somalia divergence.

AB - Present-day continental extension along the East African Rift System (EARS) has often been attributed to diverging sublithospheric mantle flow associated with the African Superplume. This implies a degree of viscous coupling between mantle and lithosphere that remains poorly constrained. Recent advances in estimating present-day opening rates along the EARS from geodesy offer an opportunity to address this issue with geodynamic modeling of the mantle-lithosphere system. Here we use numerical models of the global mantle-plates coupled system to test the role of present-day mantle flow in Nubia-Somalia plate divergence across the EARS. The scenario yielding the best fit to geodetic observations is one where torques associated with gradients of gravitational potential energy stored in the African highlands are resisted by weak continental faults and mantle basal drag. These results suggest that shear tractions from diverging mantle flow play a minor role in present-day Nubia-Somalia divergence.

KW - East African Rift System

KW - geodynamics

KW - numerical modeling

KW - continental rifting

KW - tectonic forces

U2 - 10.1002/2014GL062515

DO - 10.1002/2014GL062515

M3 - Journal article

VL - 42

SP - 290

EP - 296

JO - Geophysical Research Letters (Online)

JF - Geophysical Research Letters (Online)

SN - 1944-8007

IS - 2

ER -

ID: 138732072