New Ocean Forming In Ethiopia by Magdalena Rosova

Researchers suppose that a 35 mile long rift in the desert in Ethiopia will become a new ocean in future. The crack is 20 feet wide and opened in more than four years ago. Even that time some geologist thought a new ocean is being created. But their view was found controversial and the rift had not been studied properly. A new study involves scientist and experts from many nations and their conclusions are reported in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. In the report the scientists suggest that the process of creating the rift is very similar or even almost the same as processes at the bottom of oceans. That indicates a sea in the region's future. The same rift ! activity scientists observe in the Red Sea, where the rift is slowly parting the sea. The researchers used seismic data from 2005 to reconstruct the event which shows how the rift tore along the entire length in just days. Four years ago a volcano Dabbahu, which is at the northern end of the rift, erupted and consequently magma pushued up throught the rift area and began tearing the rift in both directions. In a statment the researchers explained that seafloor ridges are created by a similar intrusion of magma into a rift. But they have never seen such a huge length of the ridge to break open at once. The main aim of the research was to find out wheather what is happening in Ethiopia is the same as what is happening at the bottom of the oceans where it is very difficult to go, said Cindy Ebinger, a professor of earth and environmental sciences at the University of Rochester and a co-author of the study. Thanks to international team behind this research, they know that! the answer is yeas and therefore Ethiopia is a unique ocean-r! idge lab oratory for them.

related story (sgx15811): http://news.softpedia.com/news/New-Ocean-Forming-In-Ethiopia...

by Magdalena Rosova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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