Controls on Asymmetric Rift Dynamics: Numerical Modeling of Strain Localization and Fault Evolution in the Kenya Rift

Numerical modeling of the Kenya Rift reveals a three-stage early rift evolution that explains asymmetric rifting dynamics, bridging geological and geophysical observations. The study demonstrates how initial strain localization occurs via a single border fault, followed by hanging-wall faulting and upper-crustal deformation in the rift-basin center, culminating in reduced asymmetry before basinward deformation. By varying random noise distributions to simulate tectonic inheritance, researchers show that first-order fault configurations with variable symmetry can emerge from identical setups, offering insights into along-strike rift variability in active asymmetric rifts worldwide.

Richter, M. J. E. A., Brune, S., Riedl, S., Glerum, A., Neuharth, D., & Strecker, M. R. (2021). Controls on Asymmetric Rift Dynamics: Numerical Modeling of Strain Localization and Fault Evolution in the Kenya Rift. Tectonics, 40(5). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020tc006553