2006-07-21 02:25:28 · 7 answers · asked by Chaudhry 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Geography
Yes, the Great Rift Basin and the Red Sea Rift of northeastern Africa have been active lately and have made the news. BBC reported a rifting episode that took place last year that suggests there is a rapid increase in the rifting of this basin. It has been rifting for about 30 million years, and parts of it are already below sea level. The most recent rifting has taken place with an orientation parallel to the Red Sea, suggesting it is part of the Red Sea rift zone.
The Awash River in Ethiopia drains through this basin and does not reach the sea, but instead sinks into the ground near its terminus and may continue underground to the Red Sea as an aquifer.
BBC has a better map in the latest July 19, 2006 article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/5191384.stm
and
http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/news/science/red-sea-parting-create-new-ocean-$445287.htm
In geologic time, this may be short-lived. Predictions based on current plate movement suggest that the Red Sea and the Mediterranean will close in the next 50 million years, pushing Africa up against Europe and Asia.
Here is a future plate tectonic map:
http://www.scotese.com/future.htm
2006-07-22 15:35:47 · answer #1 · answered by carbonates 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
its just like when the rest of the seas were made. it was just one big sea with one big landmass and then the tectonic plates moved enough that water flowed in between them and then further they moved apart, the bigger the new oceans and stuff.
here is a link to a picture where those plates are,
http://worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopage/tectonic.gif
they move along each other, which is what causes the earthquakes and stuff. where two of them are moving apart is where a new ocean could evenually be formed (millions of years tho probably).
it will also be why souther california is slowly moving north and will eventually be in northern california.
2006-07-21 11:56:25 · answer #2 · answered by mickey g 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually it is all about the Arabian Sea which is said to become so large in the time to come that it will become an Ocean. it is all happening because of Continent being drifting
2006-07-21 09:58:42 · answer #3 · answered by Jatta 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4512244.stm
It's a place in eastern Africa where the land is tearing apart. Eventually, it will widen enough that water will rush in and it will be a new ocean. That is a million years in the future, though.
2006-07-21 09:38:58 · answer #4 · answered by mathematician 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yahoo answer ocean
2006-07-22 02:34:02 · answer #5 · answered by corrona 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its not on our planet.its taking place on the planet mars.
2006-07-22 07:41:24 · answer #6 · answered by xrider143 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i donno!
2006-07-21 09:30:56 · answer #7 · answered by sandy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋