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Geophysics

A third way to rift continents

Rifting of continents is usually explained by one of two mechanisms based on effects that originate far from the zone of rifting. Laboratory experiments show that this geodynamic process can also be caused by local effects.

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Figure 1: Slow volcanic activity.

JEAN DU BOISBERRANGER/HEMIS/CORBIS

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Correspondence to W. Roger Buck.

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Buck, W. A third way to rift continents. Nature 499, 157–159 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/499157a

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