Earth: Day Zero • Paper 169 of 512
Continental Rift Systems as Geological Records
Continental rift systems preserve evidence of lithospheric extension, crustal modification, and continental reorganization.
Regional Geological Context
Major rift systems occur in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Russia, China, New Mexico, Colorado, and the western United States.
Relevant institutions include Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia; University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado, United States; and Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.
Observation
Rift systems preserve large-scale structural information often extending hundreds to thousands of kilometers.
Constraint Analysis
Because rifts frequently precede continental breakup, they provide important clues regarding earlier continental organization.