Stress dynamics associated with the Nyasa / Malawi rift: Implication for the present-day East African Rift System dynamics
The Nyasa/Malawi rift (NMR), known for its poor magma and notable seismic activity, has sparked a debate regarding its stress kinematics. It is on one hand viewed as a transform fault, while on other hand as a rift structure characterized by normal faulting. In order to address this controversy, we...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023066021 |
| _version_ | 1797669924675518464 |
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| author | Athanas S. Macheyeki Hassan Mdala |
| author_facet | Athanas S. Macheyeki Hassan Mdala |
| author_sort | Athanas S. Macheyeki |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Nyasa/Malawi rift (NMR), known for its poor magma and notable seismic activity, has sparked a debate regarding its stress kinematics. It is on one hand viewed as a transform fault, while on other hand as a rift structure characterized by normal faulting. In order to address this controversy, we conducted paleostress analysis that involved collecting fault slip data along the central to southern region of the rift. We integrated our findings with published kinematic data on focal mechanisms in the rift. Our results reveal that the central part of the rift experiences radial or sub-radial extension, while the southern half is subject to oblique NNE-SSW transtensive tectonic forces. The minimum horizontal principal stress axis aligns with an orientation of 020°. As we move further south, the extension direction changes by approximately 25°, resulting in a predominantly north-south opening with a minimum horizontal stress axis direction of 175° (Shmin = 175°). The degree of structural penetration and intensity of faulting indicate that the north-south opening is more significant and pronounced in the southern region compared to the northern region. Additionally, we observed that faults dipping to the east and trending NW-SE exhibit sinistral (left-lateral) movement, while faults dipping to the southwestern side display dextral (right-lateral) movement. This suggests that, regionally, the NMR primarily experiences a normal faulting regime, albeit with a significant strike-slip component, which accounts for the oblique kinematics observed. The tectonic regimes identified through our fault slip data encompass the crust and upper mantle, spanning a lithospheric scale. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T20:52:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b82bd965bc8f474797b71a466eb96312 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T20:52:03Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-b82bd965bc8f474797b71a466eb963122023-10-01T05:59:27ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402023-09-0199e19394Stress dynamics associated with the Nyasa / Malawi rift: Implication for the present-day East African Rift System dynamicsAthanas S. Macheyeki0Hassan Mdala1Department of Geology, College of Earth Sciences and Engineering, the University of Dodoma, Tanzania; Earth Sciences Institute of Shinyanga, P. O. Box 1016, Shinyanga, Tanzania; Corresponding author. Department of Geology, College of Earth Sciences and Engineering, the University of Dodoma, Tanzania.Geological Survey Department of Malawi, Regional Office North, Pvt Bag 9, Mzuzu, MalawiThe Nyasa/Malawi rift (NMR), known for its poor magma and notable seismic activity, has sparked a debate regarding its stress kinematics. It is on one hand viewed as a transform fault, while on other hand as a rift structure characterized by normal faulting. In order to address this controversy, we conducted paleostress analysis that involved collecting fault slip data along the central to southern region of the rift. We integrated our findings with published kinematic data on focal mechanisms in the rift. Our results reveal that the central part of the rift experiences radial or sub-radial extension, while the southern half is subject to oblique NNE-SSW transtensive tectonic forces. The minimum horizontal principal stress axis aligns with an orientation of 020°. As we move further south, the extension direction changes by approximately 25°, resulting in a predominantly north-south opening with a minimum horizontal stress axis direction of 175° (Shmin = 175°). The degree of structural penetration and intensity of faulting indicate that the north-south opening is more significant and pronounced in the southern region compared to the northern region. Additionally, we observed that faults dipping to the east and trending NW-SE exhibit sinistral (left-lateral) movement, while faults dipping to the southwestern side display dextral (right-lateral) movement. This suggests that, regionally, the NMR primarily experiences a normal faulting regime, albeit with a significant strike-slip component, which accounts for the oblique kinematics observed. The tectonic regimes identified through our fault slip data encompass the crust and upper mantle, spanning a lithospheric scale.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023066021NyasaMalawi riftEast African rift systemStress dynamicsOblique transtensive riftingRadial extension |
| spellingShingle | Athanas S. Macheyeki Hassan Mdala Stress dynamics associated with the Nyasa / Malawi rift: Implication for the present-day East African Rift System dynamics Heliyon Nyasa Malawi rift East African rift system Stress dynamics Oblique transtensive rifting Radial extension |
| title | Stress dynamics associated with the Nyasa / Malawi rift: Implication for the present-day East African Rift System dynamics |
| title_full | Stress dynamics associated with the Nyasa / Malawi rift: Implication for the present-day East African Rift System dynamics |
| title_fullStr | Stress dynamics associated with the Nyasa / Malawi rift: Implication for the present-day East African Rift System dynamics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stress dynamics associated with the Nyasa / Malawi rift: Implication for the present-day East African Rift System dynamics |
| title_short | Stress dynamics associated with the Nyasa / Malawi rift: Implication for the present-day East African Rift System dynamics |
| title_sort | stress dynamics associated with the nyasa malawi rift implication for the present day east african rift system dynamics |
| topic | Nyasa Malawi rift East African rift system Stress dynamics Oblique transtensive rifting Radial extension |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023066021 |
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