Gravity study of the Djibouti area

In March and April 1972, 380 gravity stations were established in the T.F.A.I. The data were reduced to Bouguer anomalies of 5 mGal isolines. Qualitative and quantitative interpretation based on the gravity map, on seismic data and on the magnetics and physiography of the area revealed that: The crust of the Gulf of Tadjura and the central part of the T.F.A.I. is strongly oceanized and is the direct continuation of the Sheba Ridge.To the north of the Gulf, at the Dankali Mountains, the crust increases in thickness and most probably contains sialic fragments, indicating the continuation of the Danakil Chains in the T.F.A.I.To the south, the structure is bordered by a continental block, the Aysha Horst. The oceanization is concentrated only in the area of deep injections, marked by gravity maxima, whereas the rest of the area is to be described as sub-continental. The crust is attenuated from south (Aysha Horst) to north (Red Sea), from 30 to 15 km in thickness.The pattern of the gravity anomalies shows clearly liniations only along the coasts of the Gulf of Tadjura and the Straits of Bab el Mandeb. Inland the field breaks up into relative minima and maxima, indicating the fragmentation of the crust and the ‘triple junction’ nature of the area.The tectonic process is that of extension, with normal faults having maximum displacements at the northern border of the Gulf of Tadjura.The uppermost mantle has low velocity and density values due to thermal processes in the expanding zone. The state of the upper-mantle material must be that of partial melting due to high temperatures of the order of 800° to 1,000° C at about 15 km depth.