Red Sea Rift
Encyclopedia
The Red Sea Rift is a spreading center between two tectonic plates, the African Plate
and the Arabian Plate
. It extends down the length of the Red Sea
, stretching from the southern end of the Dead Sea Transform
to a triple junction
with the Aden Ridge
and the East African Rift
(the Afar Triple Junction
) in the Afar Depression
of eastern Africa
.
The rift zone includes the island of Jabal al-Tair, formed by the basaltic stratovolcano of the same name, located northwest of the Bab al-Mandab passage at the mouth of the Red Sea
, about half way between Yemen
and Eritrea
. The volcano erupted on 30 September 2007, after 124 years of dormancy.
The axial deep of the rift was the location of the first known hot hydrothermal brines
discovered on the sea floor. Workers from 1949 through the 1960s confirmed the presence of hot, 60 °C, saline brines and associated metalliferous muds. The hot solutions were emanating from an active subseafloor rift.
African Plate
The African Plate is a tectonic plate which includes the continent of Africa, as well as oceanic crust which lies between the continent and various surrounding ocean ridges.-Boundaries:...
and the Arabian Plate
Arabian Plate
The Arabian Plate is one of three tectonic plates which have been moving northward over millions of years and colliding with the Eurasian Plate...
. It extends down the length of the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
, stretching from the southern end of the Dead Sea Transform
Dead Sea Transform
The Dead Sea Transform fault system, also sometimes referred to as the Dead Sea Rift, is a geologic fault which runs from the Maras Triple Junction to the northern end of the Red Sea Rift...
to a triple junction
Triple junction
A triple junction is the point where the boundaries of three tectonic plates meet. At the triple junction a boundary will be one of 3 types - a ridge, trench or transform fault - and triple junctions can be described according to the types of plate margin that meet at them...
with the Aden Ridge
Aden Ridge
The Aden Ridge is a divergent tectonic plate boundary which runs offshore in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean along the southeastern coastline of the Arabian Peninsula. It extends eastward from the Afar Triple Junction to a junction with the Owen Fracture Zone, and separates the Arabian Plate...
and the East African Rift
East African Rift
The East African Rift is an active continental rift zone in eastern Africa that appears to be a developing divergent tectonic plate boundary. It is part of the larger Great Rift Valley. The rift is a narrow zone in which the African Plate is in the process of splitting into two new tectonic plates...
(the Afar Triple Junction
Afar Triple Junction
The Afar Triple Junction is a junction of three tectonic rifts centered in the Afar Depression, informally known as the Afar Triangle, of northeastern Africa. Here, the Red Sea Rift meets the Aden Ridge and the East African Rift...
) in the Afar Depression
Afar Depression
The Afar Triangle is a geological depression that is caused by the Afar Triple Junction which is part of the Great Rift Valley. It overlaps Eritrea, Djibouti and the entire Afar Region of Ethiopia. The Afar Triangle includes the Danakil Depression and the lowest point in Africa, Lake Asal...
of eastern Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
.
The rift zone includes the island of Jabal al-Tair, formed by the basaltic stratovolcano of the same name, located northwest of the Bab al-Mandab passage at the mouth of the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
, about half way between Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
and Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
. The volcano erupted on 30 September 2007, after 124 years of dormancy.
The axial deep of the rift was the location of the first known hot hydrothermal brines
Hydrothermal vent
A hydrothermal vent is a fissure in a planet's surface from which geothermally heated water issues. Hydrothermal vents are commonly found near volcanically active places, areas where tectonic plates are moving apart, ocean basins, and hotspots. Hydrothermal vents exist because the earth is both...
discovered on the sea floor. Workers from 1949 through the 1960s confirmed the presence of hot, 60 °C, saline brines and associated metalliferous muds. The hot solutions were emanating from an active subseafloor rift.