The Danakil Depression is the northern part of the Afar Triangle or Afar Depression in Ethiopia,[1][2] a geological depression that has resulted from the divergence of three tectonic plates in the Horn of Africa.
Erta Ale erupting within the Danakil DepressionMount Ayalu, the westernmost and older of two volcanoes at the southern end of the Danakil Depression
The Danakil Depression lies at the triple junction of three tectonic plates and has a complex geological history. It has developed as a result of Africa and Asia moving apart, causing rifting and volcanic activity. Erosion, inundation by the sea, the rising and falling of the ground have all played their part in the formation of this depression. Sedimentary rocks such as sandstone and limestone are unconformably overlain by basalt which resulted from extensive lava flows.[3]
IUGS geological heritage siteEdit
In respect of it demonstrating 'the ongoing birth of an ocean witnessed through tectonics and volcanism in an extreme evaporite arid environment', the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) included 'The Danakil Rift depression and its volcanism' in its assemblage of 100 'geological heritage sites' around the world in a listing published in October 2022. The organisation defines an IUGS Geological Heritage Site as 'a key place with geological elements and/or processes of international scientific relevance, used as a reference, and/or with a substantial contribution to the development of geological sciences through history.'[4]
LocationEdit
The Danakil Depression is a plain approximately 200 by 50 km (124 by 31 mi), lying in the north of the Afar Region of Ethiopia, near the border with Eritrea. It is about 125 m (410 ft) below sea level and is bordered to the west by the Ethiopian Plateau and to the east by the Danakil Alps, beyond which is the Red Sea.[5]
The area is often referred to as the cradle of humanity; in 1974 Donald Johanson and his colleagues found the famous Australopithecus afarensis fossil Lucy, which has been dated 3.2 million years old[6] and many other fossils of ancient hominins have been uncovered here, prompting many palaeontologists to propose that this area is where the human species first evolved.
The Danakil Depression is the hottest place on Earth in terms of year-round average temperatures. It is also one of the lowest places on the planet at 100 metres (330 ft) below sea level,[7] and without rain for most of the year. Here, the Awash River dries up in a chain of salt lakes such as Lake Afrera, never reaching the Indian Ocean.[8]
Mount Ayelu is the westernmost and older of the two volcanoes at the southern end of the Danakil Depression. The other active volcano, Erta Ale, is one of several crater lakes of lava bubbling from the Earth's mantle. Additionally, the area contains the Dallol sulfur springs, or hot springs. These wet environments at the Danakil Depression are being investigated to help understand how life might arise on other planets and moons.[2][7] Many microorganisms living here are extremophilic microbes of a major interest to astrobiologists.[2][7] Nonetheless, in October 2019, scientists reported that terrestrial lifeforms, including extreme forms of archaea microorganisms, were not found to exist in the very hot, acidic and salty conditions present in some parts of the Danakil Depression.[9][10]
Hot springsEdit
Among the geological points of interest to tourists are the hydrothermal system of Dallol[11] and the Yellow Lake.[12]
Gaet'ale Pond is a small hypersaline lake located over a tectonic hot spring in the Danakil Depression (Afar, Ethiopia). With a salinity of 43%, Gaet'ale Pond is the saltiest water body on Earth.[13] The pond was created in January 2005 following an earthquake, according to residents of the Ahmed'ela village, which reactivated the hot spring.[14]
^Beyene, Alebachew & Abdelsalam, Mohamed G. (2005). "Tectonics of the Afar Depression: A review and synthesis". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 41 (1–2): 41–59. Bibcode:2005JAfES..41...41B. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2005.03.003.
^ abcdYee, Amy (30 January 2017). "Gazing Into Danakil Depression's Mirror, and Seeing Mars Stare Back". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
^Thomas Schlüter (2008). Geological Atlas of Africa: With Notes on Stratigraphy, Tectonics, Economic Geology, Geohazards, Geosites and Geoscientific Education of Each Country. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 88–89. ISBN978-3-540-76373-4.
^"The First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites" (PDF). IUGS International Commission on Geoheritage. IUGS. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
^J.L. Melvin (1991). Evaporites, Petroleum and Mineral Resources. Elsevier. pp. 44–45. ISBN978-0-08-086964-3.
^Johanson, Donald C.; Blake, Edgar (1996). From Lucy to Language. Simon and Schuster. p. 119. ISBN9780684810232.
^ abc"Hydrothermal Systems Show Spectrum of Extreme Life on Earth". Europlanet. Astrobiology Web. 26 April 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
^"Africa's Danakil Desert – National Geographic Magazine". Ngm.nationalgeographic.com. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
^Belita, Jodie; et al. (28 October 2019). "Hyperdiverse archaea near life limits at the polyextreme geothermal Dallol area". Nature Ecology and Evolution. 3 (11): 1552–1561. doi:10.1038/s41559-019-1005-0. PMC6837875. PMID 31666740.
^Andrews, Robin George (1 November 2019). "They Didn't Find Life in a Hopeless Place - In some of the world's saltiest, most acidic bodies of superheated water, even the most extreme forms of archaea couldn't survive". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
^Kotopoulou, Electra; Huertas, Antonio Delgado; García-Ruiz, Juan Manuel; Dominguez-Vera, Jose M.; Lopez-Garcia, Jose Maria; Guerra-Tschuschke, Isabel; Rull, Fernando (6 December 2018). "A poly-extreme hydrothermal system controlled by iron: the case of Dallol at the Afar Triangle". ACS Earth and Space Chemistry. 3 (1): 90–99. doi:10.1021/acsearthspacechem.8b00141. PMC6380227. PMID 30801049.
^"Yellow lake is located in the Danakil Depression". Independent Travellers. independent-travellers.com. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
^Perez, Eduardo; Chebude, Yonas (April 2017). "Chemical Analysis of Gaet'ale, a Hypersaline Pond in Danakil Depression (Ethiopia): New Record for the Most Saline Water Body on Earth". Aquatic Geochemistry. 23 (2): 109–117. doi:10.1007/s10498-017-9312-z. S2CID 132715553.
^Master, Sharad (2016). "Gaet'ale - a reactivated thermal spring and potential tourist hazard in the Asale salt flats, Danakil Depression, Ethiopia". Journal of Applied Volcanology. 5: 1–9. doi:10.1186/s13617-015-0042-x.
External linksEdit
Danakil Depression – video clip from BBC Planet Earth
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Danakil Depression.
danakil, depression, northern, part, afar, triangle, afar, depression, ethiopia, geological, depression, that, resulted, from, divergence, three, tectonic, plates, horn, africa, erta, erupting, within, mount, ayalu, westernmost, older, volcanoes, southern, con. The Danakil Depression is the northern part of the Afar Triangle or Afar Depression in Ethiopia 1 2 a geological depression that has resulted from the divergence of three tectonic plates in the Horn of Africa Erta Ale erupting within the Danakil DepressionMount Ayalu the westernmost and older of two volcanoes at the southern end of the Danakil Depression Contents 1 Geology 1 1 IUGS geological heritage site 2 Location 3 Features 3 1 Hot springs 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksGeology EditThe Danakil Depression lies at the triple junction of three tectonic plates and has a complex geological history It has developed as a result of Africa and Asia moving apart causing rifting and volcanic activity Erosion inundation by the sea the rising and falling of the ground have all played their part in the formation of this depression Sedimentary rocks such as sandstone and limestone are unconformably overlain by basalt which resulted from extensive lava flows 3 IUGS geological heritage site Edit In respect of it demonstrating the ongoing birth of an ocean witnessed through tectonics and volcanism in an extreme evaporite arid environment the International Union of Geological Sciences IUGS included The Danakil Rift depression and its volcanism in its assemblage of 100 geological heritage sites around the world in a listing published in October 2022 The organisation defines an IUGS Geological Heritage Site as a key place with geological elements and or processes of international scientific relevance used as a reference and or with a substantial contribution to the development of geological sciences through history 4 Location EditThe Danakil Depression is a plain approximately 200 by 50 km 124 by 31 mi lying in the north of the Afar Region of Ethiopia near the border with Eritrea It is about 125 m 410 ft below sea level and is bordered to the west by the Ethiopian Plateau and to the east by the Danakil Alps beyond which is the Red Sea 5 The area is often referred to as the cradle of humanity in 1974 Donald Johanson and his colleagues found the famous Australopithecus afarensis fossil Lucy which has been dated 3 2 million years old 6 and many other fossils of ancient hominins have been uncovered here prompting many palaeontologists to propose that this area is where the human species first evolved Features Edit nbsp The hot springs in Danakil Depression offer a research opportunity for studying extremophile microbes 2 The Danakil Depression is the hottest place on Earth in terms of year round average temperatures It is also one of the lowest places on the planet at 100 metres 330 ft below sea level 7 and without rain for most of the year Here the Awash River dries up in a chain of salt lakes such as Lake Afrera never reaching the Indian Ocean 8 Mount Ayelu is the westernmost and older of the two volcanoes at the southern end of the Danakil Depression The other active volcano Erta Ale is one of several crater lakes of lava bubbling from the Earth s mantle Additionally the area contains the Dallol sulfur springs or hot springs These wet environments at the Danakil Depression are being investigated to help understand how life might arise on other planets and moons 2 7 Many microorganisms living here are extremophilic microbes of a major interest to astrobiologists 2 7 Nonetheless in October 2019 scientists reported that terrestrial lifeforms including extreme forms of archaea microorganisms were not found to exist in the very hot acidic and salty conditions present in some parts of the Danakil Depression 9 10 Hot springs Edit Among the geological points of interest to tourists are the hydrothermal system of Dallol 11 and the Yellow Lake 12 Further information Gaet ale Pond Gaet ale Pond is a small hypersaline lake located over a tectonic hot spring in the Danakil Depression Afar Ethiopia With a salinity of 43 Gaet ale Pond is the saltiest water body on Earth 13 The pond was created in January 2005 following an earthquake according to residents of the Ahmed ela village which reactivated the hot spring 14 See also EditAfar Triangle Danakil DesertReferences Edit Beyene Alebachew amp Abdelsalam Mohamed G 2005 Tectonics of the Afar Depression A review and synthesis Journal of African Earth Sciences 41 1 2 41 59 Bibcode 2005JAfES 41 41B doi 10 1016 j jafrearsci 2005 03 003 a b c d Yee Amy 30 January 2017 Gazing Into Danakil Depression s Mirror and Seeing Mars Stare Back The New York Times Retrieved 31 January 2017 Thomas Schluter 2008 Geological Atlas of Africa With Notes on Stratigraphy Tectonics Economic Geology Geohazards Geosites and Geoscientific Education of Each Country Springer Science amp Business Media pp 88 89 ISBN 978 3 540 76373 4 The First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites PDF IUGS International Commission on Geoheritage IUGS Retrieved 13 November 2022 J L Melvin 1991 Evaporites Petroleum and Mineral Resources Elsevier pp 44 45 ISBN 978 0 08 086964 3 Johanson Donald C Blake Edgar 1996 From Lucy to Language Simon and Schuster p 119 ISBN 9780684810232 a b c Hydrothermal Systems Show Spectrum of Extreme Life on Earth Europlanet Astrobiology Web 26 April 2016 Retrieved 1 May 2016 Africa s Danakil Desert National Geographic Magazine Ngm nationalgeographic com Retrieved 10 December 2013 Belita Jodie et al 28 October 2019 Hyperdiverse archaea near life limits at the polyextreme geothermal Dallol area Nature Ecology and Evolution 3 11 1552 1561 doi 10 1038 s41559 019 1005 0 PMC 6837875 PMID 31666740 Andrews Robin George 1 November 2019 They Didn t Find Life in a Hopeless Place In some of the world s saltiest most acidic bodies of superheated water even the most extreme forms of archaea couldn t survive The New York Times Retrieved 4 November 2019 Kotopoulou Electra Huertas Antonio Delgado Garcia Ruiz Juan Manuel Dominguez Vera Jose M Lopez Garcia Jose Maria Guerra Tschuschke Isabel Rull Fernando 6 December 2018 A poly extreme hydrothermal system controlled by iron the case of Dallol at the Afar Triangle ACS Earth and Space Chemistry 3 1 90 99 doi 10 1021 acsearthspacechem 8b00141 PMC 6380227 PMID 30801049 Yellow lake is located in the Danakil Depression Independent Travellers independent travellers com Retrieved 13 June 2017 Perez Eduardo Chebude Yonas April 2017 Chemical Analysis of Gaet ale a Hypersaline Pond in Danakil Depression Ethiopia New Record for the Most Saline Water Body on Earth Aquatic Geochemistry 23 2 109 117 doi 10 1007 s10498 017 9312 z S2CID 132715553 Master Sharad 2016 Gaet ale a reactivated thermal spring and potential tourist hazard in the Asale salt flats Danakil Depression Ethiopia Journal of Applied Volcanology 5 1 9 doi 10 1186 s13617 015 0042 x External links EditDanakil Depression video clip from BBC Planet Earth nbsp Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Danakil Depression 14 14 30 N 40 18 00 E 14 2417 N 40 3 E 14 2417 40 3 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Danakil Depression amp oldid 1172861793, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
