Tesfaye Kidane

Wayne State University | WSU · Environmental Science and Geology

The Afar Triangle in northern Ethiopia is one of the harshest, most remote environments on Earth. This tectonically active area contains a record of continents breaking apart; episodes of seas flooding the continent; and the remains of coral reefs, microbial mats, and other saltwater deposits as seas periodically desiccated into brine pools and dry...

Large evaporite deposits, reaching several hundreds of metres of thickness, occur in many basins of our planet but remain poorly understood due to the absence of modern analogues. The origin of ancient evaporites and their highly variable sedimentation rates are often debated and ambiguous. The Danakil rift basin in northern Afar (Ethiopia) feature...

Rifts and rifted margins form when continents break apart and shape the continent-to-ocean transition on much of our planet. The sedimentary basins that result from continental rifting host unique sedimentary archives of palaeo-environmental and palaeo-climatic change required to understand complex natural processes. Rifts and rifted margins are ke...

The structure, composition, and evolution of oceanic plateaus are poorly understood and strongly debated. Here, we compared the magmatic history and crustal structure of Afar with the Greenland−Iceland−Faroe Ridge and other oceanic plateaus. Key similarities indicate that Central Afar represents the early stage of development of a specific type of...

The Afar Depression is a unique place on Earth where active rift processes can be directly observed. It is believed to be close to continental breakup. The Afar hotspot has a strong influence on the geology of the Depression. Despite the strong geological interest in the region, difficult field access slowed scientific discoveries. During the last...

Plain Language Summary The Ethiopia‐Yemen Flood Basalts are thought to be the expression of a mantle plume erupting millions of km³ of basaltic lava in a geologically short period (1–3 million years [Myr]). Titanium concentrations in the flood basalts are zoned and named HT2, HT1, and LT basalts (from high to low Ti). The eruption timing and rate o...

Fibrous aragonite crusts occur in two consecutive Pleistocene successions in the Danakil Depression (Afar, Ethiopia). Lateral transitions between pristine and altered fibrous aragonite crusts document changes in texture associated with diagenesis. Crusts formed as essentially abiotic seafloor precipitates at the transition from marine to evaporitic...

The Ethiopia-Yemen flood basalts are spatially zoned with progressively lower TiO2 lavas from near the Afar depression toward the margins. The timing and rate of emplacement of low TiO2 (LT) lavas are poorly known compared with the ultra-high TiO2 (HT2) lavas. We measured two high-precision 40Ar/39Ar ages of 29.63 ± 0.14 and 30.02 ± 0.22 Ma (2σ) fr...

This dataset contains a geological map of the Afar Depression (1:1’000’000), including all the associated data. This database is an additional complement to the paper ‘Rime, V., Foubert, A., Ruch, J. & Kidane, T. (submitted), Tectonostratigraphic evolution and significance of the Afar Depression’. Full dataset available here: https://doi.org/10.5...

This dataset contains a geological map of the southern Red Sea & western Gulf of Aden region (1:3’100’000), including all the associated data. This database is an additional complement to the paper ‘Rime, V., Foubert, A., Ruch, J., & Kidane, T. (in prep.) Tectonostratigraphic evolution and significance of the Afar Depression’. Full dataset availa...

The detection of geothermal anomalies using Thermal Infrared (TIR) remote sensing data is challenging because of how sensor specifications (such as the infrared wavelength used for the measurement, spectral dependence of the emissivity, angle at which the measurement is made, state of the surface and height of the sensor above the surface) and phys...

One-hundred-seventy oriented paleomagnetic core samples from 23 sites were collected from volcanic lava flows belonging to the Nazareth Group (1.7–1.9 Ma) and the Wonji group (≤0.3 Ma) along the Gedemsa magmatic segment (MS) in the, Main Ethiopian Rift (MER). Samples were subjected to progressive thermal (Th) and Alternating Field (AF) demagnetizat...

The Earth's core is constantly and efficiently cooled by mantle convection. The heat flux transferred from the core to the mantle through the core-mantle boundary (CMB) is critical for understanding the dynamics of solid Earth. Although it is difficult to estimate the CMB heat flux, its history could be reconstructed from geomagnetic reversal frequ...

Lake Afdera is a hypersaline endorheic lake situated at 112 m below sea-level in the Danakil Depression. The Danakil Depression is located in the northern part of the Ethiopian Afar and features an advanced stage of continental rifting. The remoteness and inhospitable environment explain the limited scientific research and knowledge about this lake...

We present high-resolution palaeomagnetic and rock magnetic results from 92 successive volcanic units on a 2 km tall Lima Limo (LL) section of the Oligocene Ethiopian flood basalts (OEFB). A total of 85 well-defined flow-mean characteristic remanent magnetization directions representing seven stable magnetic polarity zones with six transitional/exc...

We conducted a geomagnetic paleointensity study of lava flows at ∼30 Ma distributed in the Lima‐Limo section of the Afro‐Arabian Large Igneous Province. The Tsunakawa‐Shaw method, which has built‐in low‐temperature demagnetization and double heating procedures, was applied to 120 specimens from 45 lava flows, successfully obtaining paleointensities...

We combine numerical modeling of lithospheric extension with analysis of seismic moment release and earthquake b‐value in order to elucidate the mechanism for deep crustal seismicity and seismic swarms in the Main Ethiopian Rift (MER). We run 2D numerical simulations of lithospheric deformation calibrated by appropriate rheology and extensional his...

We investigate thermo-mechanical properties of the crust in the northern Main Ethiopian Rift (MER) by analyzing the interrelationships between the depth distribution of seismicity, geothermal gradient, composition, and crustal strength, We use both hypocentral depth as well as moment magnitudes of ∼2000 well constrained earthquakes from the EAGLE c...

Despite the high geothermal potential of the Main Ethiopian Rift (MER), risks associated with the industry and the difficulty of identifying possible targets using ground surveys alone continue to impede the development of geothermal power diligence in Ethiopia. In this paper, we investigate the geothermal potential of the Tulu Moye prospect area i...

Pleistocene fibrous aragonite fabrics, including crusts and spherules, occur in the Danakil Depression (Afar, Ethiopia) following the deposition of two distinctive Middle and Late Pleistocene coralgal reef units and pre‐dating the precipitation of evaporites. Crusts on top of the oldest reef units (Marine Isotope Stage 7) cover and fill cavities wi...

Twenty-six paleomagnetic sites in basalt and trachyte flows and ignimbrite deposits sampled in the Dofan magmatic segment, Main Ethiopian Rift (MER). From each site, 6 to 8 core samples were collected. The samples were then cut into 200 standard specimens and their Natural Remanent Magnetization (NRM) directions were measured using a JR6A spinner m...

Abstract We evaluate the frictional strength of seismogenic faults in the Main Ethiopian Rift (MER) by inverting the available, well-constrained earthquake focal mechanisms. The regional stress field is given by −119.6◦/77.2◦, 6.2◦/7.6◦, 97.5◦/10.2◦ for trend/plunge of σ1, σ2 and σ3, respectively agrees well with previous fault kinematic and focal...

Lava flows of the Gombe Group basalt cover the base of the Omo-Turkana rift in southwestern Ethiopia and northern Kenya. Paleomagnetic study results on these basalts are integrated with previous geochronologic data to better constrain the timing of volcanism and rifting in the area. A total of 80 drilled core samples were collected from nine sites....

International Conference on Geomagnetism, Paleomagnetism and Rock magnetism

In this paper we combine kinematic reconstruction and seismic strain rate analysis to understand the along-strike variation in strain accommodation in the Ethiopian Rift (ER) evolution. The reconstruction poles close the southern and central ER at 19 and 15 Myr, respectively whereas there is 34 14 km overlap in the northern ER at 11 Myr. Using Kost...

Glaciogenic sediments of Palaeozoic age and Metasedimets of the Tambien Group of the Arabian Nubian Shield both in Northern Ethiopia have been sampled for palemagnetic investigations. The results from both are respectively presented. The Glacial sediments; although there was no doubt about the glacial origin of these rocks, there has been a debate...

Despite there is large geothermal potential along Ethiopian Rift Valley (ERV), the risky nature of the industry was impeding development of the geothermal power diligence in the country besides the difficulty of identifying all possible geothermal target location using ground survey. Thus, in this research, we studied a geothermal site investigatio...

Abstract Twenty-six paleomagnetic sites were sampled from basalt, trachyte and ignimbrite flows of the Dofan magmatic segment, Northern Main Ethiopian Rift. The samples were then cut in to 200 standard and their Natural Remanent Magnetization (NRM) directions were measured using the JR6A Spinner Magnetometer, of Addis Ababa University. Twin specime...

A major rifting episode began in the Afar region of northern Ethiopia in September 2005. Over a 10-day period, c. 2.5 km3 of magma were intruded into the upper crust along a 60 km-long dyke separating the Arabian and Nubian plates. There was an intense seismic swarm and a small rhyolitic eruption; extension of up to 10 m occurred across the rift se...

S U M M A R Y Palaeointensity variation is investigated for an inferred time period spanning from 2.34 to 1.96 Ma. Twenty-nine consecutive lava flows are sampled along cliffs 350 m high generated by normal faulting on the Dobi section of Afar depression, Ethiopia. Magnetostratigraphy and K–Ar measurements indicate a lava sequence of R–N–R–N geomagn...

Palaeomagnetic investigations were carried out on tilted Jessoma sandstones in the Aı¨shaAı¨sha block. The average natural remanent magnetization intensity was 0.026A m 21 with good behaviour on demagnetization both by thermal and alternating fields. The normalized magnetization intensity decay curves indicated that fine-grained, Ti-poor titanomagn...

A look at the sedimentary record in northern Ethiopia tells the story of oceans past—and maybe future.

Plates move relative to the mantle because some torques are acting on them. The shear in the low-velocity zone (LVZ) at the base of the lithosphere is the expression of these torques. The decoupling is allowed by the low viscosity in the LVZ, which is likely few orders of magnitudes lower than previously estimated. The viscosity value in the LVZ co...

Plates move relative to the mantle because some torques are acting on them. The shear in the low-velocity zone (LVZ) at the base of the lithosphere is the expression of these torques. The decoupling is allowed by the low viscosity in the LVZ, which is likely few orders of magnitudes lower than previously estimated. The viscosity value in the LVZ co...

The Réunion event is one of the earliest recognized periods of normal polarity within the reversed Matuyama chron. Named for the site at which it was first discovered on Réunion Island, it has since purportedly been found globally in both volcanic rocks and sediments, and thus has become a key chronostratigraphic marker. However, geochronologic res...

One hundred fourteen oriented palaeomagnetic core samples were collected from 13 palaeomagnetic sites on subhorizontal to tilted glacial sediments at five localities of Northern Ethiopia. Combined alternating field (AF) and stepwise thermal demagnetization techniques were successfully applied to resolve the complete directional spectrum. A viscous...

Thirty-four cooling units from the Pleistocene extrusive volcanic rocks exposed in regions bordered by the active Red Sea magmatic segments, in the northwestern central Afar Depression, were sampled for paleomagnetic study. Six to 12 samples were collected from each paleomagnetic site. Samples were demagnetized using Alternating Field (AF) and Ther...

In this study, we draw on a unique combination of well-resolved fault-slip data and earthquake focal mechanisms to constrain spatial variations in style of faulting in the obliquely extending Main Ethiopian Rift, East Africa. These data show that both boundary and internal faults – oblique and orthogonal to the plate divergence (PD) respectively –...

Outcrops of the Cretaceous Upper sandstone formation some 375km to the East of Addis Ababa on the motor Highway to Harar was paleomagnetically investigated. About seventy core samples were collected at various stratigraphic levels from 250–300 meters thick sedimentary formation. After standard sample preparations in the laboratory the resulting spe...

In August 1989, an earthquake sequence including ten events with 6.3 >= M >= 5. 5 in the first two days produced widespread ground deformation in the Dobi graben of central Afar. Numerous surface breaks with complex geometry, including fresh scarplets with vertical throws up to 30 cm high and open fissures up to 30 cm wide, were observed. Coseismic...

We sampled twenty-four cooling units for magnetostratigraphic study from a 110m thick Early Pleistocene volcanic section near Kereyou Lodge in the Main Ethiopian Rift. Seven samples were used from each site for analysis of remanent magnetization using thermal and alternating field demagnetization techniques. The Natural Remanent Magnetization (NRM)...

Continental break up, the formation of new oceans still holds many unanswered questions. The continental rift of Afar, Ethiopia is the only place on Earth today where the final stages of continental rupture and the beginning of seafloor spreading are occurring above sea level. In September 2005 a new rifting episode started at the Dabbahu segment w...

Rift zones are the most common magmatic environment on Earth. However opportunities to observe active rifting are rare, and consequently the volcanological characteristics of rift systems are not well understood. An ongoing phase of magmatic rifting along a section of the Red Sea system in Afar, Ethiopia, presents an exceptional opportunity to cons...

Ocean Drilling Program Leg 194 was carried out in the Marion Plateau, located to the northeast of Australia. Drilling penetrated few metres of altered olivine basalt flows, underlying the sediments. Shipboard paleomagnetic investigations on these basalts resulted in well-defined paleomagnetic directions. The directions from the archive-half long-co...