Accelerated rifting in response to regional climate change in the East African Rift System.

ABSTRACT: Continental rifting is influenced by interactions between tectonic, magmatic, and surface processes, with the latter strongly dependent on regional climate. We test the role of regional climate variability on rift system behavior, by investigating fault slip rate changes in the South Turkana Basin (Lake Turkana Rift, northern Kenya) at the end of the African Humid Period. Throw rates on 27 faults examined during the African Humid Period (9,631-5,333 yr BP) and post-African Humid Period (5,333 yr BP-present) exhibit a mean 0.17 ± 0.08 mm/yr increase during the drier, post-African Humid Period. Numerical simulations reveal Coulomb stress changes from two loading sources that may explain these changes: (1) reduced vertical loading from a 100-150 m lake level drop, and (2) increased magmatic l

SUBMITTER: Muirhead JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12603047 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature