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\title{Rapid Versus Delayed Linkage and Coalescence of Interacting Rift Tips}



\author[1]{Folarin Kolawole}%
\author[1]{Liang Xue}%
\author[1]{Zuze Dulanya}%
\affil[1]{Affiliation not available}%


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  \date{April 26, 2026}


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\begin{abstract}
The linkage and coalescence of propagating continental rifts create
through-going rift floors necessary to localize the breakup axis. Prior
to linkage, interacting rift tips are separated by a topographic
basement-high (rift interaction zone, RIZ), which is progressively
dismembered and down-thrown by the propagation of rift-tip faulting and
basin subsidence. Here, we explore the evolution of Middle-Shire and
Nsanje RIZs located along three active, contiguous, amagmatic rifts in
East Africa. The Middle-Shire RIZ is an overlapping-oblique divergent
RIZ across which the southern Malawi Rift is propagating into the Lower
Shire Graben (LSG) shoulder, and Nsanje RIZ is a tip-to-tip oblique RIZ
across which the LSG has propagated into the Nsanje Graben tip.
Utilizing field observations and landscape evolution models of
contiguous RIZs with contrasting geometries, our results predict that
with progressive extension and tip propagation, the Middle-Shire RIZ
maintains minor basement down-throw and unequilibrated axial stream
profile, which contrasts pronounced basement burial and equilibrated
axial stream profiles across the Nsanje RIZ. Modeled stress distribution
predicts compounding stress concentrations at tip-to-tip RIZs via
synthetic border fault interactions, favoring rift coalescence, and
stress relaxation at overlapping divergent RIZs favoring stalled
coalescence, altogether demonstrating that RIZ geometries and kinematics
strongly influence the pace of rift-tip coalescence.%
\end{abstract}%



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