Scientists have discovered a new tectonic boundary forming under Zambia, which could result in Africa splitting in two. The discovery was made by studying gases in Zambia's hot springs, which contain helium and carbon isotopes that show the boundary has broken all the way through the Earth's outer layer.
Scientists have discovered a new tectonic boundary forming under Zambia, and it could tear Africa in two. The Kafue Rift is part of the Southwest African Rift System , a 1,500–mile (2,500 km) system of cracks in Earth's crust running from Tanzania to Namibia.
Researchers have revealed that the Earth's crust has cracked apart under the Kafue Rift, and gases in Zambia's hot springs contain helium and carbon isotopes that show the boundary has broken all the way through the Earth's outer layer. This crack allows fluids to escape from the hot, viscous mantle and bubble up to the surface. The Southwest African Rift Zone is too, and may be an early indication of the break–up of sub–Saharan Africa
Tectonic Boundary Africa Splitting Southwest African Rift System East African Rift System Geothermal Power Geological Timescale
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