SYDNEY:Volcanic activity could split Africa

Expert say; Volcanic activity may split the African continent in two by creating a new ocean.This is due to a recent geological crack which has appeared in northeastern Ethiopia.

A paper published this week in Geophysical Research Letters said The 60-kilometre split in the desolate Afar region – the result of two volcanic eruptions in September 2005 – has enabled scientists to further examine the Earth’s tectonic movements, said .

Atalay Ayele a professor at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia said “The significance of the finding is that a huge magnetic deformation can happen within a few days, like in [the] oceans,”.

Ayele explained “Normally, such phenomena happens beneath the ocean, which is inaccessible, expensive and very difficult to make experiments. But in Afar, it’s quite a natural laboratory for us to carry those out,” .

Cindy Ebinger at the University of Rochester in New York, USA “The whole point of this study is to learn whether what’s happening in Ethiopia is like what’s happening at the bottom of the ocean, where it’s almost impossible for us to go,”.

The main processes by which continents gradually break off from each other are Faults and fissures, which normally occur deep down on the ocean floor, Millions of years ago Africa underwent a similar phase when it split from America .

The event indicated what was likely to happen to the continent in the future.said the team, who have been undertaking studies since the eruptions.

Ken Macdonald, from the Department of Earth Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara commented “This work is a breakthrough in our understanding of continental rifting leading to the creation of new ocean basins,”

He added “For the first time they demonstrate that activity on one rift segment can trigger a major episode of magma injection and associated deformation on a neighbouring segment. Careful study… will continue to provide extraordinary opportunities for learning about continental rifts and mid-ocean ridges,” .

The Afar region, is one of the lowest and hottest places on the planet,known for its salt mines and active volcanoes.