Strain accommodation by intrusion and faulting in a rift linkage zone: evidences from high-resolution topography data of the Afrera Plain (Afar, East Africa)

At mature magma-rich continental rifts, extension focuses along discrete axial segments where magmatism and diking are important in accommodating plate divergence. However, the role of magma in influencing the deformation at rift–rift offsets is still unclear as direct observations are rare. Here, we exploited high-resolution Pléiades-1 tri-stereo imagery to produce the first 1 m Digital Elevation Model of the Afrera Plain linkage zone between the Erta Ale and Tat Ali magmatic segments in Northern Afar. We carried out a detailed structural analysis of both tectonic and magmatic features in the area and observed different trends and kinematics of these features. Magmatic features at Afrera strike N160°E ± 5°E, similar to the Erta Ale segment and perpendicular to the extension direction. Conversely, tectonic features fall into two families of ∼NW-SE- and ∼NS-striking oblique faults with right-lateral and left-lateral components, respectively, as shown by Riedel shears. We interpret the extension direction of tectonic features using observed opening of fractures, previous seismic, and InSAR-based fault models and from that expected for the mapped conjugate fault pattern. While the results show scatter in the range of N46°E–N68°E, it is similar within error to the regional extension direction. The simplest model that explains our data is that in the linkage zone there is both extensional and shear strain. The dikes accommodate only extension, while conjugate oblique faults accommodate extension and shear strain. Our study shows that both magmatism and faulting are important during rift segment interaction and linkage