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Rift valleys of the world.
| Content Provider | CiteSeerX |
|---|---|
| Author | Vaughn, Eric Grosvenor, Andrew |
| Abstract | Forces that are currently at work in the Great African Rift Valley today are the same as those that in the past have created divergent boundaries like the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and also shaped many of the worlds features, including our own Connecticut Valley. The process can be summarized as an expansion instigated by a hot spot that causes the earth above it to spread apart, creating new crust and causing the crust in the middle to drop into a low valley, eventually falling under sea level and becoming a new source of oceanic crust. Rift valleys have existed for millions of years, and have completely reshaped the way that the earth exists today. Rift valleys are the beginning of a new divergent boundary in the earth's crust. Their growth is initiated by hotspots that rise through the earth's mantle, and if allowed to develop fully can create entire oceans as is the case with the divergent boundary at the mid-Atlantic ridge. One of the most fascinating geological structures in the world today is Africa's Great Rift Valley, which extends south from Jordan to Beira (some 6400 km). The Great Rift Valley allows an opportunity to see the forces that shape divergent boundaries at work and to observe a potential new ocean in the making. Although the Great Rift Valley is one of the few active rift valleys in the World, there is evidence of more that have existed in the past, including our own Connecticut Valley. Another good example in the United States is |
| File Format | |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | New Divergent Boundary Divergent Boundary Good Example Oceanic Crust Potential New Ocean Sea Level Active Rift Valley Entire Ocean New Source World Today Mid-atlantic Ridge Great Rift Valley Low Valley United State Rift Valley Fascinating Geological Structure Hot Spot New Crust World Feature Connecticut Valley Great African Rift Valley Today |
| Content Type | Text |
