Seismological Investigations in the Olduvai Basin and Ngorongoro Volcanic Highlands (Western Flank of the North Tanzanian Divergence)

A passive seismic experiment in Tanzania's Ngorongoro Conservation Area revealed that the Olduvai Basin, known as the 'Cradle of Human Mankind,' may contain sedimentary records at least 200 meters deeper than previously thought. This finding was achieved through a novel approach using power spectral density measurements to map the basin's depth, confirming its significance for paleoenvironmental studies. Additionally, the study provided unprecedented detail of seismicity in the area, showing that fault systems on the western flank of the Eastern African Rift merge at depth into a single detachment linked to the Manyara fault. The research also highlighted potential overestimations of local magnitudes due to wave-amplification effects in loose sedimentary sites.

Parisi, L., Stanistreet, I., Njau, J., Schick, K., Toth, N., & Mai, P. M. (2020). Seismological Investigations in the Olduvai Basin and Ngorongoro Volcanic Highlands (Western Flank of the North Tanzanian Divergence). Seismological Research Letters, 91(6), 3286–3303. https://doi.org/10.1785/0220200111