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Geologists Map Birth Of New Ocean
A giant underground reservoir of molten rock has been discovered under the deserts of Ethiopia by British geologists, The (London) Sunday Times reported.
Geologists Map Birth Of New Ocean
HERE Sunday, 02 Oct 2011, 1:32 PM CDT
They targeted the Afar region in the Horn of Africa after a recent surge in volcanic activity and earthquakes plus the appearance of giant cracks in the rocky surface. Tectonic plates in the area are pulling apart and gradually creating a new ocean.
Now, the scientists have mapped the colossal underground lake of magma that lies up to 20 miles (32km) below the earth’s surface.
“We estimate that there is 3,000 cubic kilometers of molten rock under Afar — enough to cover all of London … with around a kilometer of rock,” said Kathy Whaler, professor of geophysics at Edinburgh University.
The reservoir is under such pressure that it has forced tongues of molten rock up towards the surface, producing eruptions and earthquakes.
In 2005, a 25-foot (7.6m) wide tongue of lava spread 40 miles (64km) under Afar in 10 days and solidified, and many more followed.
