North American being pulled apart - Midcontinent Rift

[dlamberth]

Today I came across an article from a source that's more in line of general information than it is science. But until today when reading it I didn't know that around a Billion years ago there was a 2000 mile long rift that created a "bason as wide as the Red Sea." This rift is called the North American Midcontinent Rift. This geological event happened way back when North America was part of a supercontinent called Laurentia.

Here's the article that first drew my attention to the Rift: North America's 'broken heart': The billion-year-old scar from when the continent nearly ripped apart

Here's the 2013 article from Nature that is quoted in the article. It goes more into the details of the Midcontinent Rift.
Geology: North America's broken heart - Nature

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

Interesting. I wonder how much this connects to the ancient Western Interior Seaway.

 

[dlamberth]

Interesting. I wonder how much this connects to the ancient Western Interior Seaway.

I was wondering the same. Also directly related, I was wondering about the Midwest salt mines which are in the same area.

 

[Ophiolite]

I leapt to the conclusion that the New Madrid earthquake was likely associated. Now I'll read the article to find out what kind of fool am I.

 

[timothyu]

The horn will break off of Africa shortly, so I think we won't be front page news here anytime soon.

 

[AV1611VET]

North America being pulled apart -

We aren't called "Yanks" for nothing!

 

[Radagast]

Wikipedia has an article and map: Midcontinent Rift System - Wikipedia

 

[Ophiolite]

I leapt to the conclusion that the New Madrid earthquake was likely associated. Now I'll read the article to find out what kind of fool am I.

Apparently the kind of fool all too ready to jump to a concussion.