Mantle Dynamics, Continental Breakup, River Drainage, and Biodiversity: A Tale from the Middle East
We propose that a large mantle convection cell beneath the Middle East has controlled the topography for the past 30 million years, causing uplift in the Ethiopian–Yemen Dome and subsidence in the Levant Sea and northern Egypt. This process has resulted in continental collision to the north and the breakup of Arabia.
Here I will explore the potential geodynamic causes leading to Arabia breakup and collision and the mechanisms with emphasis on the deep mantle dynamics, and its surface expression in terms of topographic evolution. I will build up a reconstruction back in time, accounting for all available information.
The Nile, the longest river on Earth, has followed a relatively stable course for millions of years. Here, I present geological evidence and geodynamic modeling results that suggest the Nile's drainage has remained stable for approximately 30 million years. We argue that this remarkable longevity is due to the persistence of a stable topographic gradient, itself controlled by deeper mantle processes. The same process influenced river drainage patterns and biodiversity and climate. Furthermore, the same mantle dynamics may have played a role in the formation of a land ridge, causing the closure of Tethyan seaway, facilitating the largest faunal exchange between Africa and Eurasia.
