A geological phenomenon is going on within the coronary heart of East Africa that would eternally alter the Earth’s map.
A new ocean is within the means of forming, a consequence of tectonic actions which are splitting the African continent. This occasion, which may occur within the subsequent 5 to 10 million years, will mark the creation of a sixth ocean, an unprecedented geological occasion in our planet’s current historical past.
Could Earth get one other ocean?
Currently, Earth is generally coated by water, with 5 recognised oceans: the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and Southern Oceans. However, scientists predict that a sixth ocean may emerge as a result of separation of the Somali Plate from the Nubian Plate in a area generally known as the Great Rift Valley, which stretches from Ethiopia to Mozambique.
This geological course of, pushed by the Earth’s inside forces, is as a result of divergence of tectonic plates which are splitting the African continent. In some areas, similar to Ethiopia and Kenya, cracks and fissures have already shaped on the Earth’s floor, indicating that the separation is underway.
As the plates proceed to maneuver, it’s anticipated that the Horn of Africa will break free from the remainder of the continent, permitting the Indian Ocean to flood the realm and type a brand new physique of water.
A Geologically Active Region
The Great Rift Valley is one of essentially the most geologically lively areas on this planet. Here, the Earth’s crust is stretching, facilitating the formation of fissures and the sinking of land blocks. Additionally, this area is thought for its intense volcanic and seismic exercise, which evidences the fixed motion of tectonic plates. Volcanoes like Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Nyiragongo, together with frequent earthquakes, are clear indicators that the Earth is in fixed flux.
This sort of continental separation shouldn’t be unprecedented in geological historical past. An analogous phenomenon occurred when the Mariana Trench shaped because of the collision between the Pacific Plate and the Philippine Plate. Although the creation of a sixth ocean is a long-term course of, scientists guarantee that this occasion will change the configuration of the continents as we all know them.
Other Tectonic Changes on the Horizon
However, the creation of latest oceans shouldn’t be the one geological phenomenon that would alter the Earth’s geography. In reality, some consultants recommend that India can be experiencing tectonic division that would result in the separation of this continent sooner or later, ensuing within the formation of a brand new continent. This phenomenon can be anticipated to happen inside tens of millions of years, comparatively not that a lot time, as tectonic plates proceed their inexorable motion.
The formation of a sixth ocean, and the tectonic shifts that lie forward, are proof that Earth is a dynamic, ever-evolving planet. Although these occasions occurred over tens of millions of years, they remind us that the planet is ‘alive’, and that within the distant future, Earth will likely be a really completely different place than we all know it right this moment.
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Original article written by Mario Sáez, translated with the help of AI and edited by Joe Brennan.
