The Occurrence of a Complete Continental Rift Type of Volcanic Rocks Suite Along the Yerer-Tullu Wellel Volcano Tectonic Lineament, Central Ethiopia

Abstract

The Yerer-Tullu Wellel Volcano-tectonic Lineament (YTVL) is an E-W trending fault system or aborted rift that intercepts the Main Ethiopian Rift (MER) at Debre Zeyt (Bishoftu)/Yerer, in the eastern periphery of Addis Ababa. The structure is in correspondence with the westward extension of the southern margin of the Gulf of Aden rift. The YTVL extends for more than 500 km with a very clear northern fault margin, between Addis Ababa and Ambo known as the "Ambo Fault". The southern margin is indicated by an E-W trending segmented lineaments at the latitude of about N 8°30', the Bedele-Metu being the most clear segment. In between these limits there are several evolved central volcanoes and cinder cones.