A discussion on the structure and evolution of the Red Sea and the nature of the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Ethiopia rift junction - Magnetic anomalies in the Red Sea

Abstract

Marine magnetic profiles over the Red Sea between 18° N and 25° N latitudes confirm previous hypotheses that strongly magnetic rocks underlie the axial trough. The symmetrical nature of the anomalies and their close correspondence to seafloor spreading magnetic models support a rifting origin for the trough. The dominant magnetic anomaly trends strike about N 35° W in the northern and southern parts of the trough. In the central region between 20° and 22° N the trend direction is about N 60° E. Geometrical considerations of possible spreading mechanisms suggest that the true separation direction of Africa away from Arabia near 21° N latitude is in either a N 10° E or N 60° E direction. The separation rates then are 3.2 cm a -1 and 2.0 cm a -1 , respectively.