Unraveling the Mystery: Scientists Discover Cause of Earth's Largest Continental Rift's Unusual Deformation

Scientists have used 3D thermomechanical modeling to uncover that the African Superplume, a massive mantle upwelling, is responsible for the unusual rift-parallel deformations observed in the East African Rift System. This adds complexity to the debate on the primary forces driving the rifting, suggesting a combination of lithospheric buoyancy forces and mantle traction forces. The research findings provide new insights into the processes involved in continental rifting and may help scientists better understand the breaking of continents.