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Journal Article

Victoria continental microplate dynamics controlled by the lithospheric strength distribution of the East African Rift

Authors
/persons/resource/acglerum

Glerum,  A.
2.5 Geodynamic Modelling, 2.0 Geophysics, Departments, GFZ Publication Database, Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum;
3.1 Inorganic and Isotope Geochemistry, 3.0 Geochemistry, Departments, GFZ Publication Database, Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum;

/persons/resource/brune

Brune,  Sascha
2.5 Geodynamic Modelling, 2.0 Geophysics, Departments, GFZ Publication Database, Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum;

Stamps,  D. Sarah
External Organizations;

Strecker,  M. R.
External Organizations;

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Fulltext (public)

5002330.pdf
(Publisher version), 10MB

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Citation

Glerum, A., Brune, S., Stamps, D. S., Strecker, M. R. (2020): Victoria continental microplate dynamics controlled by the lithospheric strength distribution of the East African Rift. - Nature Communications, 11, 2881.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16176-x


Cite as: https://gfzpublic.gfz-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_5002330
Abstract
The Victoria microplate between the Eastern and Western Branches of the East African Rift System is one of the largest continental microplates on Earth. In striking contrast to its neighboring plates, Victoria rotates counterclockwise with respect to Nubia. The underlying cause of this distinctive rotation has remained elusive so far. Using 3D numerical models, we investigate the role of pre-existing lithospheric heterogeneities in continental microplate rotation. We find that Victoria’s rotation is primarily controlled by the distribution of rheologically stronger zones that transmit the drag of the major plates to the microplate and of the mechanically weaker mobile belts surrounding Victoria that facilitate rotation. Our models reproduce Victoria’s GPS-derived counterclockwise rotation as well as key complexities of the regional tectonic stress field. These results reconcile competing ideas on the opening of the rift system by highlighting differences in orientation of the far-field divergence, local extension, and the minimum horizontal stress.