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A Geologic Safari of the East African Rift and the Newark Basin: Why these areas are more alike than you know

Margaret H. Benoit

The College of New Jersey

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East Africa RiftLocation of a continentalRift that began spreadingApproximately 20 millionYears ago

USGShttp://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html

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Currently, the East African Rift is considered a young continental rift zone

USGShttp://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html

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If rifting continues, seafloor spreading will occur

USGShttp://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html

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Major fault structures in East Africa

Map fromAshley et al., 2004

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The Rift Valley

http://www.fas.org/irp/imint/docs/rst/Sect3/originals/Fig3_2.gifhttp://zedaway.com/photos/tanzania/riftvalley.jpg

Photo of rift escarpmentIn TanzaniaCross section of rift graben structure

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Faults in East Africa

Photo of Derek Kier taken by Julie Rowland, University of Aucklandhttp://homepages.see.leeds.ac.uk/%7Eeartjw/dabbahu/fig10_thumb.jpg

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More Ethiopian Faults

Photo by Cindy Ebinger, U. of Rochesterhttp://www.see.leeds.ac.uk/afar/afar_images_web/fig6_thumbw.jpg

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East Africa Seismicity

Figure by Andy Nyblade, Penn State

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Volcanoes in East Africa

Here is a Map showingHistorically activeVolcanoes in East Africa

USGS: http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/East_Africa.html

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Volcanoes in Ethiopia

Google Earth image

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/volcanism/ethiopia/ethvolc.jpg

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Erta Ale - most active volcano in rift

http://www.volcano.si.edu/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3212/2455969983_967a23a8a1_o.jpg

Other volcanoes

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False color images of topographic

measurements taken by the Space Shuttle of

volcanoes in Eritrea and Ethiopia

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA04953.jpg

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Lava at Erte Ale

Courtesy of Guy de Saint-Cyr, Aventure et Volcans.http://www.volcano.si.edu/volcanoes/region02/red_sea/ertaale/2612_08s.jpg

Tom Pfeiffer, Volcano Discovery

http://www.volcano.si.edu/volcanoes/region02/red_sea/ertaale/3306_17s.jpg

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Fissure Eruptions

Photo Elizabeth Baker, Royal Holloway, University of Londonhttp://www.see.leeds.ac.uk/afar/afar_images_web/fig4_thumbw.jpg

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Fissures in Ethiopia

Photo by Anthony Philpottshttp://www.volcano.si.edu/volcanoes/region02/red_sea/dabbahu/3009_04s.jpg

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Dike in Kenya

http://geology.com/articles/east-africa-rift/hells-gate-dike-400.jpg

Photo by Alex Guth, Michigan Tech.

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Rift Valley Lakes

SeaWiFS Project, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Centerhttp://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.php?id=757

From Ashley et al., 2004

The rift valley is home to manylakes

Next: GeoMapApp Activity

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Explore feature within East Africa Rift using GeoMapApp and available geologic data

Move to geomapapp.doc