Study launched into Rift Valley split

Africa’s largest-ever scientific study of how the continent is gradually splitting apart was unveiled on Thursday. Experts from around the world have gathered in Addis Ababa for the international project which will reveal how Africa is breaking up along the East African Rift Valley. The scientists say that the volcanic Rift Valley, which stretches 3,500 km, could eventually break off and form a new ocean like the Red Sea. But, they add, by the time the continent does break up humans are unlikely to still inhabit the planet – with a break taking place in millions of years' time. Each year the East African Rift, which varies between 30 and 2000 km in width, grows by four mm - or four km in a million years. British scientist Professor Peter Maguire said the work will pave the way for future studies and put Ethiopia at the forefront of scientific research. “This is the first stage in the break-up of a continent,” he said. “In time, if it did split, it could develop into something enormously wide.” Prof Maguire, one of the leading scientists on the project, said that America and Africa were once joined and that the Atlantic Ocean was born from an almost identical rift. But now, he said, the Ethiopian Rift was “unique” in that it was the only place on earth where a continental split was taking place where molten rock bubbles to the surface. The Ethiopian Rift Valley has long been the focus of scientific interest. The four million year old fossilised remains, known as Lucy, were found there. The two-year project, which is called Operation EAGLE, is a joint collaboration between 70 Ethiopian, European and American scientists. Preparations for the GBP 500,000 project were launched in 2001 but this final EAGLE stage will reveal how the continent is breaking apart. The plan is to drill holes along two 400 km-long lines running down the Rift Valley from Afar in northeast Ethiopia. Some 19 seismic charges will be planted and detonated with 1,000 highly tuned instruments picking up the details from depths of almost 100 km. The systems work by recording the seismic waves which are caused by the tiny explosions. Each wave caused by the explosion will “read” the types of rock under the earth’s surface. The preliminary results will be available in July. Prof Maguire, from Leicester University, added that the current drought had sparked concerns among the scientists who have contributed their own funds to help victims.