Contrasted continental rifting via plume-craton interaction： Applications to Central East African Rift

The East African Rift system （EARS） provides a unique system with the juxtaposition of two contrasting yet simultaneously formed rift branches, the eastern, magma-rich, and the western, magma-poor, on either sides of the old thick Tanzanian craton embedded in a younger lithosphere. Data on the pre-rifr, syn-rift and post-rift far-field volcanic and tectonic activity show that the EARS formed in the context of the interaction between a deep mantle plume and a horizontally and vertically heterogeneous lithosphere under far-field tectonic extension. We bring quantitative insights into this evolution by implementing high-resolution 3D thermo-mechanical numerical deformation models of a lithosphere of realistic rheology. The models focus on the central part of the EARS. We explore scenarios of plumelithosphere interaction with plumes of various size and initial position rising beneath a tectonically pre-stretched lithosphere. We test the impact of the inherited rheological discontinuities （suture zones） along the craton borders, of the rheological structure, of lithosphere plate thickness variations, and of physical and mechanical contrasts between the craton and the embedding lithosphere. Our experiments indicate that the ascending plume material is deflected by the cratonic keel and preferentially channeled along one of its sides, leading to the formation of a large rift zone along the eastern side of the craton, with significant magmatic activity and substantial melt amount derived from the mantle plume material. We show that the observed asymmetry of the central EARS, with coeval amagmatic （western） and magmatic （eastern） branches, can be explained by the splitting of warm material rising from a broad plume head whose initial position is slightly shifted to the eastern side of the craton. In that case, neither a mechanical weakness of the contact between the craton and the embedding lithosphere nor the presence of second plume are required to produce simulations that match observations. This result reconciles the passive and active rift models and demonstrates the possibility of development of both magmatic and amagmatic rifts in identical geotectonic environments.

Mechanism of the Formation of the East African Rift System

The East African Rift System(EARS)is located in East Africa,separating into two main branches,the eastern branch and the western branch.It is considered as an intracontinental ridge system,which meets the Red Sea and

East African Regional Outlook for 2011

IT’S difficult to talk about Southern Sudan in 2011 without bringing up the historic referendum that will determine whether the south of Africa’s largest country will secede from the rest of the country. "The referendum in Southern Sudan is the most important event in the calendar of Africa after the(2010) World Cup(held in South Africa),because it has the consequence of introducing a new member state in Africa,and also has the consequence of returning this region back to war."

Interlinkage Between Global Environmental Changes,Water Resources Availability and Quality in the East African Rift:Preliminary Analyses and Some Cases:The MaWARi Project(Kenya,Ethiopia,Djibouti,France)

The East African Rift extending across Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya is characterized by low level of economic development,high level of poverty,increasing population,scarce natural resources(land,water, and environment),complex and rich ecosystems, increasing desertification and degrading biodiversity, underdeveloped regional trade and market,water resources mainly stored in groundwater and

State of Cartographic Services among the East African Community Member States

The East African Community is a regional block that brings together Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan into various forms of economic partnership, the eventual dream being to achieve political federation. The current activities within this community, plus the block’s further development, require the generation and sharing of much geo-information to support the attendant decision-making. Such geo-information can be best served through a harmonized cartographic service with common standards. Such a harmonized service is not only lacking, but even the status of the current national services is also largely unknown. This paper reports on a study undertaken to establish this status, as represented by twelve elements of a cartographic service that the authors are able to establish. Results of the study have shown that the present national services are characterized by inadequate basic datasets that remain largely analogue. In addition, there are non-uniform spatial reference systems, inadequate cartographic human resources and lack of common mapping standards;further, funding for mapping activities remains low in national budgets. Given that over 80% of decisions are influenced by geo-spatial data, these findings point to an urgent need to improve, harmonize and digitize these services as the way forward, if the East African Community is to remain globally competitive.

Diversity and Frequencies of HLA Class I and Class II Genes of an East African Population

Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLAs) play an important role in host immune responses to infectious pathogens, and influence organ transplantation, cancer and autoimmune diseases. In this study we conducted a high resolution, sequence-based genotyping of HLA class I and class II genes of more than 2000 women from Kenya, eastern Tanzania and southern Uganda around Lake Victoria and analyzed their allele, phenotype and haplotype frequencies. A considerable genetic diversity was observed at both class I and II loci. A total of 79 HLA-A, 113 HLA-B, 53 HLA-C, 25 HLA-DPA1, 60 HLA-DPB1, 15 HLA-DQA1, 44 HLA-DQB1 and 38 HLA-DRB1 alleles have been identified. The most common class I alleles were A * 02:01:01 (10.90%), B * 58:02 (8.79%), and C * 06:02:01 (16.98%). The most common class II alleles were DPA1*01:03:01 (40.60%), DPB1 * 01:01:01 (23.45%), DQA1 * 01:02:01 (31.03%), DQB1 * 03:01:01 (21.79%), DRB1 * 11:01:02 (11.65%), DRB3 * 02:02:01 (31.65%), DRB4 * 01:01:01 (10.50%), and DRB5 * 01:01:01 (10.50%). Higher than expected homozygosity was observed at HLA-B (P = 0.022), DQA1 (P = 0.004), DQB1 (P = 0.023), and DRB1 (P = 0.0006) loci. The allele frequency distribution of this population is very similar to the ones observed in other sub-Saharan populations with the exception of lower frequencies of A * 23 (5.55% versus 11.21%) and DQA1 * 03 (4.79% versus 11.72%), and higher frequencies of DPB1 * 30 (2.26% versus 0.37%) and DRB1 * 11 (21.51% versus 15.89%). The knowledge of the diversity and allele/ phenotype frequencies of the HLA alleles of this east African population, can contribute to the understanding of how host genetic factors influence disease susceptibility and effective anti-retroviral treatment of HIV infections and future vaccine trials.

The Chinese Export Displacement Effect Revisited:The Case of the East African Community

China's increasing exports have prompted research to examine whether Chinese exports displace those that originate from elsewhere.In this paper we focus on the growth of China's exports to the East African Community(EAC)countries and show how they have afected exports from the European Union(EU).Our methodological contribution to the literature is a set of total and relative displacement estimates based on different specifications of the gravity model where we control for country-year fixed effects so as to avoid the error of not accounting for time-varying"multilateral resistance."Our empirical findings do not support the hypothesis that Chinese exports have displaced exports from other countries including those from the EU.These results suggest that competition in the EAC market has not been a zero-sum game among different exporting countries.

Petrology, Age and Geodynamic Implication of the Panafrican Granitoids Associated with the Glito-Kpatala Shear Zone (South-East Togo)

The granitic plutons associated with the Glito-Kpatala shear zone are composed of biotite and amphibole granodiorites, biotite granites, two-mica granites and aplitic granites, which are very poorly represented. The chemical and mineralogical compositions of these facies indicate that they are I type and belong to high-K calc-alkaline series, with a chemical metaluminous character displayed by the granodiorites relative to the biotite and two-mica facies whose chemical compositions vary between metaluminous and peraluminous caracter. The Th/Ta (14.04 - 43.82 ppm, mean = 26.05), Th/U (2.58 to 15.05 ppm, mean = 5.85 ppm), Zr/Hf (25.27 to 37.21, mean = 30.67 ppm) and Rb/Sr (0.16 to 4.32;mean = 1.67 ppm) ratios of these granitoids reveal a strong crustal involvement in their magmatogenesis. Variations in CaO/Na2O (0.47 - 1.44 ppm), Rb/Sr (0.14 - 0.27 ppm), Rb/Ba (0.07 - 0.14 ppm) and Sr/Y (38.21 - 174.42 ppm) ratios indicate that biotite and amphibole granodiorites with their excessive Ni (135.37 - 139.51 ppm) and Cr (395.73 - 447.74 ppm) were derived from a mafic to intermediate lower continental crust where garnet and/or amphibole were stable residual assemblage minerals. The moderate Sr/Y ratios (1.81 - 9.47 ppm) and low transition elements Ni (1 - 6.44 ppm) and Cr (7.89 - 13.47 ppm) contents in both the two-mica and biotite granites are consistent with their emplacement at relatively shallow depths in the upper to mean continental crust, at pressures below 10 Kbar. In the two-mica granites, moderate CaO/Na2O (0.20 - 0.57 ppm, mean = 0.38 ppm) and Rb/Ba (0.39 - 1.37, mean = 0.84 ppm) ratios and quite varied Rb/Sr (1.53 - 4.23 ppm, mean = 2.85 ppm) ratios indicate a predominant derivation from psammitic and pelitic metasediments rather than metagreywackes. These low ratios (0.25 ≤ CaO/Na2O ≤ 0.32, mean = 0.28 ppm;0.31 ≤ Rb/Ba ≤ 0.44, mean = 0.39 ppm;1.11 ≤ Rb/Sr ≤ 1.78, mean = 0.39 ppm) in biotite granites are more consistent with melting from a metagreywacke-derived source. Evidence for the contribution of mantle-derived mafic magma with granitic magma in the plutons studied is materialized by the presence of magmatic enclaves in both granodiorites and two-mica granites, the volcanic arc geochemical signatures displayed by the plutons in geotectonic diagrams and Nb/Ta ratios (14.14 - 34.61 ppm) closer to mantle estimates. Geochemical data and radiometric dating elements suggest that the granitoids studied can be integrated into the pan-African late magmatic episode, which corresponds between 606 and 583 Ma, to the activity of transcurrent ductile strike-slips and to the synchronous emplacement of high K calc-alkaline plutons in a post-collisional context.

Distribution domains of the Pan-African event in East Antarctica and adjacent areas

The Pan-African event is widely distributed in East Antarctica （EA） craton, including both the coastal regions and interior of the EA. From aspects of the shear zones, granites, pegmatites, time of high-grade metamorphism and detrital zircon age peaks of the downflowing sediments from the inland, the Pan-African event in the EA and adjacent areas in the Gondwana reconstruction, like SE Africa, southern India and SW Australia, was described in the paper. The water or fluid available along the shear zones was responsible for retrogression of the earlier, e.g., Grenville age, high-grade outcrops to later Pan-African amphibolite to granulite facies metamorphism. In geochemistry, the granites are generally anorogenic, ocassionally with some gabbros or dolerite dykes, showing sign of bimodal feature. Meanwhile, the event has influenced most isotopic systems, including the U-Pb, Sm-Nd, Rb-Sr and Ar-Ar systems, giving Pan-African apparent ages. Spatially, the Pan-African event is demonstrated from possibly local granitic magmatism, to wider medium-high grade metamorphism, and mostly widespread in resetting for some isotope systems, suggesting the prevailing thermal effect of the event. Before Gondwana formation, local depressions in the EA may have been filled with sediments, implying the initial breakup period of the Rodinia. The later Pan-Gondwana counterrotating cogs shaped the interstitial fold belts between the continent blocks and formed a set of shear zones. The mafic underplating in the Gondwana may be responsible for the typical features of the Pan-African event. The event may be an overwhelmingly extensional and transcurrent tectonics in mechanism and is a possible response of the plate movement surrounding the continent swarms in the non-stable interior of the yet consolidated Gondwana.

Molecular genome tracking of East,Central and South African genotype of Chikungunya virus in South-east Asia between 2006 and 2009

Objective:To understand the epidemiology of the East,Central and South African(ECSA) genotype of Chikungunya virus(CHIKV) in terms of emerging and re-emerging infections,this study has been aimed at investigating the evolutionary parameters,genomic signatures and molecular tracking of the CHIKV ECSA genotype in South-east Asia and coastal areas of the Indian Ocean between 2006 and 2009 by using phylogenetie analysis and the Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo(BMCMC) evolutionary estimation.Methods:Nearly complete genome sequences of 53 CHIKV isolates from all genotypes were subjected to phylogenetie analysis and evolutionary parameter estimation.The amino acids of 67 of ECSA genotype during 2006 to 2009 were compared for finding molecular signature tracking.The ECSA genotype signatures were visualized to find the possible transmission root was projected onto a geographic map.Results: Phylogenetie analysis showed the ECSA genotype was divided into 2 groups.The first group comprises viruses from India and Southeast Asian countries.The second group consists of strains typically circulating in Sri Lanka in 2008.The evolutionary parameters of these groups depicted the time of the most recent common ancestor at approximately 7.5 years ago.The genomic signatures revealed the positions of amino acid variation in each group.Conclusions:The molecular evolution projected onto a geographical map showed the routes of CHIKV transmission from 2006 to 2009.Molecular tracking will assist in understanding transmission routes, epidemiology and molecular evolution of CHIKV.

U-Th-Pb monazite and Sm-Nd dating of high-grade rocks from the Grove Mountains, East Antarctica: further evidence for a Pan-African-aged monometamorphic terrane

The Grove Mountains, 400 km south of the Chinese Antarctic Zhongshan Station, are an inland continuation of the Pan-African-aged （i.e., Late Neoproterozoic/Cambrian） Prydz Belt, East Antarctica. In this paper we carried out a combined U-Th-Pb monazite and Sm-Nd mineral-whole-rock dating on para- and orthogneisses from bedrock in the Grove Mountains. U-Th-Pb monazite dating of a cordierite-bearing pelitic paragneiss yields ages of 523 ？ 4 Ma for the cores and 508 ？ 6 Ma for the rims. Sm-Nd mineral-whole-rock isotopic analyses yield isochron ages of 536 ？ 3 Ma for a coarse-grained felsic orthogneiss and 507 ？ 30 Ma for a fine-grained quartzofeldspathic paragneiss. Combined with previously published age data in the Grove Mountains and adjacent areas, the older age of ~530 Ma is interpreted as the time of regional medium- to low-pressure granulite-facies metamorphism, and the younger age of ~510 Ma as the cooling age of the granulite terrane. The absence of evidence for a Grenville-aged （i.e., Late Mesoproterozoic/Early Neoproterozoic） metamorphic event indicates that the Grove Mountains have experienced only a single metamorphic cycle, i.e., Pan-African-aged, which distinguishes them from other polymetamorphic terranes in the Prydz Belt. This will provide important constraints on the controversial nature of the Prydz Belt.

厄立特里亚西部新元古代岛弧花岗岩对东非造山带构造演化的指示意义

东非造山带是东西冈瓦纳大陆的拼合带,详细解剖其形成演化过程对深入理解超大陆旋回具有重要意义。笔者报道了厄立特里亚西部Augaro地区Meraf花岗岩的锆石U-Pb年龄、全岩地球化学和Sr-Nd-Hf同位素组成,以研究其成因及其对东非造山带新元古代构造演化的指示意义。LA-ICPMS锆石U-Pb定年结果为(875±6)Ma,形成于新元古代拉伸纪。Meraf花岗岩具有高硅、钙碱性、过铝质特征,稀土元素配分曲线总体右倾,LREE富集,HREE相对亏损,弱Eu负异常(δEu=0.70~0.91),富集Ba、Rb、K等大离子亲石元素,相对亏损Ta、Nb、Ti等高场强元素,属于岛弧性质I型花岗岩。εHf(t)值为正(7.7~9.9),I_(Sr)值较低(0.70200~0.70273),ε_(Nd)(t)值为4.85~6.06。结合微量元素特征,说明Meraf花岗岩为俯冲洋壳板片脱水交代上覆地幔楔并使其部分熔融的产物,指示区内大陆裂解和莫桑比克洋形成早于875 Ma。

东非大裂谷的地壳和上地幔密度结构

利用卫星重力场数据和小波多尺度分析方法对东非大裂谷进行三维密度结构成像,取得了东非大裂谷地壳和上地幔多个深度等效层上的密度扰动图像,为东非大裂谷岩石圈结构和动力学的研究提供了重要佐证。结果表明,东非大裂谷中段的西支裂谷与东支裂谷的幔源熔体同源,但是西支裂谷发育较不充分、形成较晚。东非大裂谷的动力学模式为熔流体上涌的树形分叉模式,其要点包括:(1)低密度流体在软流圈大面积上涌;(2)流体在岩石圈继续上涌,部分转化为基性岩浆岩,平面面积缩小;(3)进入地壳后上涌熔流体分叉成多支,平面总面积进一步缩小;(4)熔流体上涌到上地壳后仅在裂谷带活动,反映为火山链和玄武岩带。

Metamorphism and zircon U-Pb dating of high-pressure pelitic granulites from glacial moraines in the Grove Mountains, East Antarctica

The Grove Mountains are an inland continuation of the Prydz Belt in East Antarctica. Detailed metamorphic petrological and zircon U-Pb geochronological studies are performed on the high-pressure （HP） pelitic granulites from glacial moraines in the Grove Mountains. The metamorphic peak mineral assemblage of the HP pelitic granulites is characterized by garnet ＋ kyanite ＋ K-feldspar ＋ biotite ＋ plagioclase ＋ quartz, and the subsequent medium-pressure （MP） granulite facies retrogression is characterized by sillimanite replacing kyanite, the formation of the biolite ＋ sillimanite symplectite in the matrix. These mineral assemblages and their P-T estimates based on the P-T pseudosection constructed in MnNCKFMASHT system define a clockwise P-T path involving metamorphic peak of 11.6–13.6 kbar at 817–834°C followed by a near-isothermal decompression of 6.7–7.5 kbar at 806–828°C, comparable with those of associated HP mafic granulites from glacial moraines in the Grove Mountains. Zircon U-Pb dating, coupled with available metamorphic age data obtained for HP mafic granulites, reveals HP metamorphism occurred at 540–545 Ma. Combining the previous research results, the HP pelitic granulites and contemporary HP mafic granulites were widely distributed in glacial moraines from the Grove Mountains, suggesting at least part of the Grove Subglacial Highlands underwent Pan-Afrian HP granulite facies metamorphism, which provides new evidence for a collisional tectonic setting of the Pan-Afrian Prydz Belt.

古尔纳的《天堂》与东非贸易图景

世界各地的商贸活动总是能在文学作品中得到鲜活展现,一战前夕东非海岸的贸易图景在2021年诺贝尔文学奖得主非洲作家古尔纳的小说《天堂》中就得到了写实般的还原。阿拉伯商人经过几个世纪的经营,在东非海岸建立起一个以贸易为中心的父权制社会,但除却宗教与道德外,真正黏合这个商业共同体的其实是依附性的经济关系。看似井然有序,但随着欧洲殖民势力的渗入,一切又即将土崩瓦解。小说主人公优素福在这种秩序与失序的贸易活动中完成了自我身份的建构,并最后加入了德国雇佣军,这既是古尔纳给读者预设的思考题,也是其对特殊历史时期个体命运的文学探究。

鲁班工坊促进东非国家工业化发展的影响机制与实践路径研究

鲁班工坊是中国职业教育的国际品牌。建于东非国家的四所鲁班工坊在培养技术技能人才、促进东非国家工业化发展方面有着重要意义。鲁班工坊通过提高劳动生产率、促进知识流动与技术溢出、调整劳动力结构、培养工匠精神促进东非国家的工业化发展。以鲁班工坊核心要义为理论基础分析实践路径,根据“平等合作”原则,双方对彼此的认同为促进东非国家工业化提供保障;根据“优质优先”原则,中国与东非国家分享高质量职业教育成果和技术;根据“强能重技”原则,人才培养推动东非国家产业结构调整;根据“产教融合”原则,中资企业助力东非国家产业链升级;根据“因地制宜”原则,专业布局对接东非国家工业化战略,完善东非国家职业教育体系。

火山活动下的东非大裂谷地裂缝成因探讨

东非大裂谷肯尼亚段,与软流圈侵入和岩石圈减薄有关的岩浆活动导致了火山活动频发。火山活动造成地裂缝灾害直接威胁着裂谷内的工程设施。本文通过在肯尼亚裂谷的野外调查和地球物理勘探,归纳了地裂缝的平面分布特征和破裂特征,分析了基岩破裂与地裂缝的关系。结果表明地裂缝主要与火山伴生,呈线状展布,地表破坏特征以水平拉张为主。地裂缝与其下的基岩裂隙相连,基岩裂隙的存在决定着浅部土体地裂缝的发育位置和规模。地壳形变数据表明研究区存在以火山为中心的隆起区,基于此本文通过Mogi点源模型计算并分析了一次火山喷发引起的位移和应变特征。结果表明火山喷发引起的广泛不连续变形造成了基岩破裂,肯尼亚裂谷地裂缝的成因机制可归纳为火山喷发-基岩破裂-沉积物破坏。

东非铁路网修复升级思路研究

近年来,东非地区经济社会发展迅速,现代化铁路规划建设进程也在不断加快,肯尼亚蒙巴萨—内罗毕—纳瓦沙标准轨铁路已经建成通车,坦桑尼亚中央标准轨铁路已经分段启动建设,乌干达坎帕拉—托罗罗米轨铁路正在进行修复升级,东非地区各国对现代化铁路运输系统的需求凸显。东非地区既有米轨铁路大多设备陈旧、能力受限,其修复升级势在必行,而采用何种方案修复升级则是优先需要解决的问题。研究梳理了东非典型既有铁路修复升级项目,从多个方面提出东非地区既有铁路修复升级的原则的建议,为东非地区其他既有铁路修复升级方案的选取提供参考。

东非裂谷系盆地群石油地质特征及勘探潜力

东非裂谷系属于形成地质时期比较新的陆内裂谷盆地群,阿尔伯特裂谷位于东非裂谷系西支北段,自2006年至今相继发现了16个油气田,累计发现可采储量11.27×108bbl。通过对阿尔伯特裂谷盆地的解剖,指出东非裂谷系为中生代与新生代两期叠合裂谷盆地,其中、新生代为主裂谷期,全部为陆相河流、湖泊沉积充填。湖盆周缘发育沉积速度快、相带变化快的冲积扇—扇(辫状河)三角洲—浊积砂体沉积体系组合。钻探结果证实具备很好的含油气条件好,发育新近系中新统湖相优质烃源岩,储层物性好,以辫状河三角洲和扇三角洲前缘亚相河道沉积为主,已发现油气全部富集于断块和断鼻圈闭之中,地震显示具备浊积砂体成藏可能。通过类比分析,东非裂谷系西支阿尔伯特裂谷至少具有(40～50)×108bbl的资源潜力,向南的系列裂谷也同样勘探潜力巨大,而东支虽然火山岩比较发育,但同样值得关注。