Finite-element modelling of the structure and evolution of the South Kenya Rift, East Africa

Abstract

A finite-element (FE) model was used in this study to investigate the intraplate rifting process in south Kenya, East Africa. The rifting model shows that the important factors influencing the amount of shoulder uplift and rift subsidence include the horizontal deviatoric extensional stresses, the viscosity of the lower crust, and the dimension and density contrast of the low-velocity upper-mantle anomaly. Thus, for instance, a reduced lower-crust viscosity as well as an increased extensional far-field stress favours the subsidence of the rift basin. In turn, for a reduced lower-crust viscosity, the magnitude of the applied extensional stress should be reduced in order to end up with the same topography of the rifted area as can be obtained with a more viscous lower crust combined with a relatively high extensional far-field stress. In addition, it also became obvious that the uplift of the crust-mantle boundary beneath the rift depends predominantly on the size and density contrast of the upper-mantle anomaly. An increased density contrast between the upper-mantle anomaly and normal mantle results in increased buoyancy forces thus producing an increased uplift of the crust-mantle boundary. In turn, in order to avoid too large values for the surface topography, a reduced lower-crust viscosity in the order of η = 10 21 Pa s is required. Models without an upper-mantle low-density anomaly have resulted in crustal thickening beneath the rift and not in crustal thinning. In accordance with the geological field evidence, we have modelled the evolution of the South Kenya Rift in two stages. In the first stage, from 16 to 10 Ma ago, a broad regional uplift of a few hundred metres produced by a relatively small but broad low-density upper-mantle anomaly was accompanied by an insignificant amount of faulting. In the second stage, from 10 Ma ago to the present day, significant faulting accompanied by the buoyancy effects of a larger, low-density, low-velocity upper-mantle anomaly concentrated more beneath the rift itself have quite successfully reproduced the rift subsidence, shoulder topography and crust-mantle boundary uplift observed at the present day.