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Flow in the Mantle Beneath Eritrea and Yemen: Evidence From Seismic Anisotropy

Description: 

To investigate the role of magmatism and mantle flow in continental breakup, we analyse mantle anisotropy beneath Eritrea and Yemen, regions on either side of the Red Sea Rift ;near the Afar Triple Junction. We use teleseismic data recorded on temporary regional arrays to calculate SKS shear-wave splitting parameters at six seismic stations in Eritrea and 71 seismic stations in Yemen. Our results show moderately high delay times (1.18 -- 1.85 s) and fast polarisation directions oriented NE-SW to NNE-SSW in Eritrea. We observe little backazimuthal variation in the splitting parameters, providing confidence that there is a single layer of anisotropy beneath the stations. This single layer of anisotropy is attributed to asthenospheric flow oriented NE-SW, channelled from the Main Ethiopian Rift through Afar to the Red Sea. We interpret this flow as originating from the superplume beneath Africa. Our results support the hypothesis that the latter stages of continental breakup in Eritrea involve magma-assisted rifting.

Session: Anisotropy Across Scales - II

Type: Oral

Date: 5/3/2024

Presentation Time: 10:30 AM (local time)

Presenting Author: Miriam

Student Presenter: Yes

Invited Presentation: 

Authors