ABSTRACT Continental rift zones are long, narrow tectonic depressions in the Earth’s surface where the entire lithosphere has been modified in extension1. Rifting can eventually lead to

rupture of the continental lithosphere and creation of new oceanic lithosphere or, alternatively, lead to formation of wide sedimentary basins around failed rift zones. Conventional models

of rift zones include three characteristic features: surface manifestation as an elongated topographic trough, Moho shallowing due to crustal thinning, and reduced seismic velocity in the

uppermost mantle due to decompression melting or heating from the Earth’s interior2,3,4. Here we demonstrate that only the surface manifestation is observed at the Baikal rift zone, whereas

high-velocity zone. This finding demonstrates a previously unknown role for magmatism in rifting processes with significant implications for estimation of stretching factors and modelling of

sedimentary basins around failed rift structures. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS OPTIONS

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institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS PREFERENTIAL LOCALIZED THINNING OF LITHOSPHERIC MANTLE IN THE MELT-POOR MALAWI

RIFT Article 20 July 2020 GEODYNAMICS OF CONTINENTAL RIFT INITIATION AND EVOLUTION Article 07 March 2023 BLIND MAGMATISM ABETS NONVOLCANIC CONTINENTAL RIFTING Article Open access 12 February

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Download references ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study received support from the Carlsberg Foundation and the Danish Natural Science Research Council. The field work at Lake Baikal further received

support from the Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch, and the Polish Academy of Sciences. The seismic instruments were provided by the University of Copenhagen and the Technical

University of Vienna. We acknowledge discussions with R. S. White on melting processes, and comments received from I. Artemieva, I. Reid and W. Stratford on earlier versions of the

manuscript. AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Department of Geography and Geology, University of Copenhagen, Oester Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark, H. Thybo & C.

A. Nielsen Authors * H. Thybo View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * C. A. Nielsen View author publications You can also search for this

author inPubMed Google Scholar CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to H. Thybo. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION This file contains Supplementary Notes, Supplementary

Figures S1-S4 with Legends and Supplementary Tables S1-S2 (PDF 3800 kb) POWERPOINT SLIDES POWERPOINT SLIDE FOR FIG. 1 POWERPOINT SLIDE FOR FIG. 2 POWERPOINT SLIDE FOR FIG. 3 POWERPOINT SLIDE

FOR FIG. 4 RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Thybo, H., Nielsen, C. Magma-compensated crustal thinning in continental rift zones. _Nature_

457, 873–876 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature07688 Download citation * Received: 14 May 2008 * Accepted: 09 December 2008 * Published: 01 February 2009 * Issue Date: 12 February 2009

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