Present-day kinematics of the East African Rift

摘要: The East African Rift (EAR) is a type locale for investigating the processes that drive continental rifting and breakup. current kinematics of this ~5000 km long divergent plate boundary between Nubia Somalia plates starting to be unraveled thanks recent augmentation space geodetic data in Africa. Here we use new set combining episodic GPS measurements with continuous on Nubian, Somalian, Antarctic plates, together earthquake slip vector directions geologic indicators along Southwest Indian Ridge update present-day EAR. We geological seismological determine main rift faults solve rigid block rotations while accounting elastic strain accumulation locked active faults. find are best fit model includes three microplates embedded within EAR, (Victoria, Rovuma, Lwandle), consistent previous findings but slower extension rates. vectors provide information velocities helps significantly reduce uncertainties angular velocity estimates. also 3.16 Myr MORVEL average spreading rates systematically faster than prediction from alone. This likely indicates outward displacement SWIR larger default value used motion model.