The initiation of segmented buoyancy-driven melting during continental breakup

Ryan J. Gallacher; Derek Keir; Nicholas Harmon; Graham Stuart; Sylvie Leroy; James O. S. Hammond; J-Michael Kendall; Atalay Ayele; Berhe Goitom; Ghebrebrhan Ogubazghi; Abdulhakim Ahmed

doi:10.1038/ncomms13110

Nature Communications (Oct 2016)

The initiation of segmented buoyancy-driven melting during continental breakup

Ryan J. Gallacher,
Derek Keir,
Nicholas Harmon,
Graham Stuart,
Sylvie Leroy,
James O. S. Hammond,
J-Michael Kendall,
Atalay Ayele,
Berhe Goitom,
Ghebrebrhan Ogubazghi,
Abdulhakim Ahmed

Affiliations

Ryan J. Gallacher: Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton
Derek Keir: Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton
Nicholas Harmon: Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton
Graham Stuart: School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds
Sylvie Leroy: Sorbonne Universités, UPMC - ISTEP - CNRS UMR7193
James O. S. Hammond: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London
J-Michael Kendall: School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol
Atalay Ayele: Institute of Geophysics, Space and Astronomy, Addis Ababa University
Berhe Goitom: School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol
Ghebrebrhan Ogubazghi: Eritrea Institute of Technology
Abdulhakim Ahmed: Sorbonne Universités, UPMC - ISTEP - CNRS UMR7193

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13110
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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Our understanding of melt production during early continental breakup remains poorly constrained. Using the Afar triple junction as an example, Gallacher et al. generate a 3D velocity model suggesting that melt production is highest during early continental breakup due to localised thinning of the crust.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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