Deep, resonating pulses and heartbeats are being revealed beneath East Africa, ripping the continent apart.

This unusual phenomenon is attributed to a rhythmic surge in melting mantle rocks that rise and fall beneath the Earth’s surface, as explained by recent research. Natural Earth Science. These forces are so intense that they’ve been capable of splitting Africa for millions of years, resulting in the formation of new oceans.

These geological pulses were identified in the AFAR triangle, the region where three tectonic plates (the African, Somali, and Arabian plates) converge beneath Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti. This area, known as a structural triple junction, is one of the rare locations on Earth where the crust is simultaneously pulled in three different directions.

As the plates shift, significant fissures, known as lifts, form. Here, the Earth’s crust thins until it eventually fractures. It is within these gaps that the discovery was made.

“We discovered that the mantle underneath was not stationary but rather uniformly dynamic,” said Dr. Emma Watts, a geologist at Swansea University who led the research.

To delve further, the research team gathered volcanic rock samples from the area and examined their chemical composition. What emerged was a type of “geological barcode,” showcasing a consistent pattern of chemical traits, which indicates that magma plumes have ascended over millions of years.

At times, some barcodes were broader than others, hinting that the clefts channel pulse magma.

“The chemical patterns indicate that the plume behaves like a heartbeat,” stated Professor Tom Gernon, who also contributed to the study from the University of Southampton.

He elaborated that these pulses function differently based on the Earth’s crustal structure. Magma pulses can travel more freely, akin to the way blood flows through arteries along the Red Sea.

“Our findings reveal a close link between the evolution of deep mantle upwellings and the movement of the plates above,” said Derek Keir, co-author of the research at the University of Southampton.

“This significantly influences our understanding of surface volcanism, seismic activity, and continental fission.”

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