Holocene extension direction along the Main Ethiopian Rift, East Africa

Assessment of the extension direction and its spatial and temporal variations is critical for evaluating a rifting process. The extension direction in the East African Rift System is a matter of debate and the NE-SW-trending Ethiopian portion is one of the most controversial areas, for which several extension directions have been proposed. Field analysis was performed along the axis of the Main Ethiopian Rift (MER), aiming at recognizing the opening direction of the NNE-SSW-trending Holocene extension fractures. The matching of pairs of asperities along the sides of these fractures allowed evaluation of the horizontal displacement and, thus, the extension direction. The collected data reveal a consistent Holocene extension direction, with a mean value of N52degreesW +/- 20degrees. This NW-SE direction is constant along the MER, despite the similar to15degrees variations observed in its trend and the NNE-SSW trend of the extension fractures, oblique to the NE-SW trend of the MER.