Aden Ridge
Encyclopedia
The Aden Ridge is a divergent tectonic plate boundary which runs offshore in the Gulf of Aden
and Indian Ocean
along the southeastern coastline of the Arabian Peninsula
. It extends eastward from the Afar Triple Junction
to a junction with the Owen Fracture Zone
, and separates the Arabian Plate
from the Somalia subplate
of the African Plate
. The eastern segments of the Aden Ridge are also called the Sheba Ridge.
The area in which the three plates (African, Arabian, and Indo-Australian
) come together is often referred to as the Aden-Owen-Carlsberg Triple Junction, although, unlike other triple junctions, the actual intersection of the three plate boundaries occurs where the Sheba segment of the Aden Ridge meets the Owen Fracture Zone, a point which is offset by the transform section of the Owen Fracture Zone from the northern end of the Carlsberg Ridge
.
Gulf of Aden
The Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which is about 20 miles wide....
and Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
along the southeastern coastline of the Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
. It extends eastward from the Afar Triple Junction
Afar Triple Junction
The Afar Triple Junction is a junction of three tectonic rifts centered in the Afar Depression, informally known as the Afar Triangle, of northeastern Africa. Here, the Red Sea Rift meets the Aden Ridge and the East African Rift...
to a junction with the Owen Fracture Zone
Owen Fracture Zone
The Owen Fracture Zone is a transform fault which runs along the eastern boundary of the Arabian Plate, separating it from the Indo-Australian Plate for most of its length, and from the African Plate for a much shorter distance...
, and separates the Arabian Plate
Arabian Plate
The Arabian Plate is one of three tectonic plates which have been moving northward over millions of years and colliding with the Eurasian Plate...
from the Somalia subplate
Somali Plate
The Somali Plate or Somalian Plate is a tectonic plate that is being formed as the African Plate is splitting along the East African Rift. The part of the African Plate which lies on the other side of the rift is sometimes referred to as the Nubian Plate...
of the African Plate
African Plate
The African Plate is a tectonic plate which includes the continent of Africa, as well as oceanic crust which lies between the continent and various surrounding ocean ridges.-Boundaries:...
. The eastern segments of the Aden Ridge are also called the Sheba Ridge.
The area in which the three plates (African, Arabian, and Indo-Australian
Indo-Australian Plate
The Indo-Australian Plate is a major tectonic plate that includes the continent of Australia and surrounding ocean, and extends northwest to include the Indian subcontinent and adjacent waters...
) come together is often referred to as the Aden-Owen-Carlsberg Triple Junction, although, unlike other triple junctions, the actual intersection of the three plate boundaries occurs where the Sheba segment of the Aden Ridge meets the Owen Fracture Zone, a point which is offset by the transform section of the Owen Fracture Zone from the northern end of the Carlsberg Ridge
Carlsberg Ridge
The Carlsberg Ridge is the northern section of the Central Indian Ridge, a divergent tectonic plate boundary between the African Plate and the Indo-Australian Plate, traversing the western regions of the Indian Ocean....
.