Great Rift Valley, Ethiopia

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Crocodile and pelicans in Lake Chamo, a Rift Valley lake in the Ethiopian rift

The Great Rift Valley of

Great Rift Valley" that ran from Mozambique to Syria
.

Description

The Great Rift Valley lies between the Ethiopian Plateau to the north and the Somalia Plateau to the south.

Somali plates began to separate during the Miocene Period along the East African rift system. Rift initiation was asynchronous along the Ethiopian rift valley: deformation began around 18 million years ago at the south end, around 11 million years ago close to the Afar depression and probably around 6-8 million years ago in the central sector.[2] The rift is extending in an ESE-WNW direction at about 5–7 millimetres (0.20–0.28 inches) annually.[3]

The Ethiopian rift valley is about 80 kilometres (50 mi) wide and bordered on both margins by large, discontinuous

mid ocean ridge spreading centers.[3][6][7]

Ethiopian Rift Valley lakes

Central lakes

The Ethiopia Rift Valley lakes are the northernmost of the African Rift Valley Lakes. The Ethiopian Rift Valley lakes occupy the floor of the rift valley between the two highlands. Most of the Ethiopian Rift Valley lakes do not have an outlet, and most are

limnological studies undertaken of these lakes until recently.[8]

The major ones are

  • Lake Abaya (1,162 km2 (449 sq mi), elevation 1,285 m (4,216 ft)), the largest Ethiopian Rift Valley lake
  • Lake Chamo (551 km2 (213 sq mi), elevation 1,235 m (4,052 ft))
  • Lake Zway
    (485 km2 (187 sq mi), elevation 1,636 m (5,367 ft))
  • Lake Shala (329 km2 (127 sq mi), elevation 1,558 m (5,112 ft)), the deepest Ethiopian Rift Valley lake
  • Lake Koka
    (250 km2 (97 sq mi), elevation 1,590 m (5,220 ft))
  • Lake Langano (230 km2 (89 sq mi), elevation 1,585 m (5,200 ft))
  • Lake Abijatta (205 km2 (79 sq mi), elevation 1,573 m (5,161 ft))
  • Lake Awasa
    (129 km2 (50 sq mi), elevation 1,708 m (5,604 ft))

References

  1. ^ Corti G. "The Ethiopian rift valley: geography and morphology". CNR-IGG. Retrieved 2013-08-02.
  2. doi:10.1029/2004TC001680
    .
  3. ^ a b Corti G. "Continental rift evolution: from rift initiation to incipient breakup in the Main Ethiopian Rift, East Africa". Earth-Science Reviews. 96: 1–53.
  4. hdl:2158/1077238
    .
  5. doi:10.1029/2010TC002833
    .
  6. ^ School of Earth and Environment. "Geology of the Main Ethiopian Rift". University of Leeds. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
  7. ^ Ebinger CJ, Casey M. "Continental breakup in magmatic provinces: An Ethiopian example". Geology. 29 (6): 527–530.
  8. ^ Hynes, H.B.N. (2002). "Preface". In Tudorancea, C.; Taylor, W. D. (eds.). Ethiopian Rift Valley Lakes. Leiden: Backhuys. Retrieved 2008-03-16 – via www.euronet.nl.

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