Volcanism of Afar: Small-scale plate tectonics implications

Abstract

Research Article| September 01, 1977 Volcanism of Afar: Small-scale plate tectonics implications FRANCO BARBERI; FRANCO BARBERI 1Istituto di Mineralogia e Petrografia, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar JACQUES VARET JACQUES VARET 2Département des Sciences de la Terre, Université de Paris XI, 91 Orsay, Paris, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1977) 88 (9): 1251–1266. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1977)88<1251:VOASPT>2.0.CO;2 Article history first online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation FRANCO BARBERI, JACQUES VARET; Volcanism of Afar: Small-scale plate tectonics implications. GSA Bulletin 1977;; 88 (9): 1251–1266. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1977)88<1251:VOASPT>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Structures analogous to oceanic spreading ridges, transform faults, and “leaky” fracture zones have been identified in Afar. They were formed during the past 3 to 4 m.y. and permit identification of the present plate boundaries within Afar and determination of the amount of spreading in this interval. At least two microplates are required in the zone of the junction of the African, Arabian, and Somalian plates. Variations of the spreading rate along single ridges or from one ridge to another, ridge jumping, migration of spreading with time, and counterclockwise rotation of the microplates are inferred by comparing volcanological, chronological, and geochemical data with aeromagnetic data. Deformation affects both accreting and transform plate boundaries within zones similar in width to the microplates, whose interiors are also systematically affected by regional faulting and locally by volcanism and transverse faulting. This indicates that although plate tectonics can explain most of the Afar features it fails when applied at such a small scale. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.