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Overview

Overview | Initial Science Theme | Scope

Overview

AfricaArray seeks to promote applied and basic science relevant to the development of Africa’s natural resource sector. Data from the AfricaArray observatories will form the underpinning for much of the science supported by AfricaArray and much of the science will be conducted by students in the AfricaArray training program as part of their thesis research. The scope of AfricaArray science projects is open-ended, from small to large, from short to long duration, from very narrowly focused to broad and multidisciplinary, and form single-investigator to large collaborative endeavors.

Initial Science Theme

Because the initial focus for AfricaArray is geophysics, the lead-off science theme is “4D Imaging of the African Crust and Mantle”. Within the African continent, there are many geological targets of economic, academic and societal interest ranging from extremely old (Archean) to very recent (active faults), from very large (sub-continental scale) to very small (individual faults within a basin or intrusive complex), and from very deep (lower mantle) to very shallow (near-surface aquifers). AfricaArray science will investigate a wide range of targets spanning much of geologic time and many spatial scales using data from the AfricaArray observatories, plus geophysical, geochemical, and geological data available from other sources. The results of this research will advance our understanding of how the African continent has developed through geologic time, and how petroleum fields, mineral deposits, geothermal reservoirs, groundwater aquifers and active fault systems have formed within the evolving structure of the African crust and mantle.

Scope

The scope of AfricaArray science will change and expand over time to include other themes relevant to the development of Africa’s natural resource sector. New themes will be developed as the partnership base for AfricaArray grows and as new types of sensors are added to the scientific observatories.