Tracing the Neovolcanic zone along the sediment-covered regions of the Red Sea Rift

Abstract The Red Sea Rift is an ultra-slow spreading rift filled with Miocene salt and younger sediments. While volcanic features can be observed in exposed areas in the southern Red Sea Rift, evidence of volcanism in the sediment-blanketed regions in the central and northern Red Sea Rift has been l...

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Main Authors: Jonas Preine, Nico Augustin, Neil C. Mitchell, Froukje M. van der Zwan, Annne-C Wölfl, Martin Schade, Yousif A. Izzeldin, Mudather A. M. Osman, Christian Hübscher
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-02-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-89332-2
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author Jonas Preine
Nico Augustin
Neil C. Mitchell
Froukje M. van der Zwan
Annne-C Wölfl
Martin Schade
Yousif A. Izzeldin
Mudather A. M. Osman
Christian Hübscher
author_facet Jonas Preine
Nico Augustin
Neil C. Mitchell
Froukje M. van der Zwan
Annne-C Wölfl
Martin Schade
Yousif A. Izzeldin
Mudather A. M. Osman
Christian Hübscher
author_sort Jonas Preine
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The Red Sea Rift is an ultra-slow spreading rift filled with Miocene salt and younger sediments. While volcanic features can be observed in exposed areas in the southern Red Sea Rift, evidence of volcanism in the sediment-blanketed regions in the central and northern Red Sea Rift has been lacking, leaving open whether the mid-ocean rift axis continues beneath them. Here, we present new multichannel seismic and high-resolution bathymetric data of these blanketed regions. Our data reveals multiple instances where oceanic crust can be traced beneath the evaporite cover, forming volcanic edifices protruding through the sediment cover. We identify abundant circular depressions in the sediment cover as volcanic craters, which formed by deep-sea explosive volcanism or caldera collapses. The common occurrence of volcanic features in the sediment-covered regions supports the continuous formation of oceanic crust along large parts of the Red Sea Rift.
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spelling doaj-art-b2956ecaf8bf42c0ba0e7158a41e1fda2025-08-20T02:43:15ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-02-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-89332-2Tracing the Neovolcanic zone along the sediment-covered regions of the Red Sea RiftJonas Preine0Nico Augustin1Neil C. Mitchell2Froukje M. van der Zwan3Annne-C Wölfl4Martin Schade5Yousif A. Izzeldin6Mudather A. M. Osman7Christian Hübscher8Institute of Geophysics, University of HamburgGEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research KielDepartment of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of ManchesterKing Abdullah University for Science and Technology KAUSTGEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research KielUniversity of KielAwasconrcInstitute of Marine Research, Red Sea UniversityInstitute of Geophysics, University of HamburgAbstract The Red Sea Rift is an ultra-slow spreading rift filled with Miocene salt and younger sediments. While volcanic features can be observed in exposed areas in the southern Red Sea Rift, evidence of volcanism in the sediment-blanketed regions in the central and northern Red Sea Rift has been lacking, leaving open whether the mid-ocean rift axis continues beneath them. Here, we present new multichannel seismic and high-resolution bathymetric data of these blanketed regions. Our data reveals multiple instances where oceanic crust can be traced beneath the evaporite cover, forming volcanic edifices protruding through the sediment cover. We identify abundant circular depressions in the sediment cover as volcanic craters, which formed by deep-sea explosive volcanism or caldera collapses. The common occurrence of volcanic features in the sediment-covered regions supports the continuous formation of oceanic crust along large parts of the Red Sea Rift.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-89332-2Red SeaSubmarine volcanismReflection seismicMid-ocean ridgesBathymetry
spellingShingle Jonas Preine
Nico Augustin
Neil C. Mitchell
Froukje M. van der Zwan
Annne-C Wölfl
Martin Schade
Yousif A. Izzeldin
Mudather A. M. Osman
Christian Hübscher
Tracing the Neovolcanic zone along the sediment-covered regions of the Red Sea Rift
Scientific Reports
Red Sea
Submarine volcanism
Reflection seismic
Mid-ocean ridges
Bathymetry
title Tracing the Neovolcanic zone along the sediment-covered regions of the Red Sea Rift
title_full Tracing the Neovolcanic zone along the sediment-covered regions of the Red Sea Rift
title_fullStr Tracing the Neovolcanic zone along the sediment-covered regions of the Red Sea Rift
title_full_unstemmed Tracing the Neovolcanic zone along the sediment-covered regions of the Red Sea Rift
title_short Tracing the Neovolcanic zone along the sediment-covered regions of the Red Sea Rift
title_sort tracing the neovolcanic zone along the sediment covered regions of the red sea rift
topic Red Sea
Submarine volcanism
Reflection seismic
Mid-ocean ridges
Bathymetry
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-89332-2
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