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Rift at Afar, Ethiopia Will Become an Ocean
November 30, 2009 | University of Rochester

“In 2005, a 35-mile-long rift broke open in Ethiopia. At the time, some geologists believed the rift was the beginning of a new ocean as two parts of the African continent pulled apart, but the claim was controversial. Now, scientists from several countries have confirmed that the volcanic processes at work beneath the Ethiopian rift are nearly identical to those at the bottom of the world’s oceans.” From the University of Rochester press release.

Related: East Africa’s Great Rift Valley



Aerial view looking down the rift valley bounded by tall, near-vertical fault scarps.
Image by University of Rochester.


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Hobart King

Geological Society of America


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