Slip accumulation and lateral propagation of active normal faults in Afar

We investigate fault growth in Afar, where normal fault systems are known to be currently growing fast and most are propagating to the northwest. Using digital elevation models, we have examined the cumulative slip distribution along 255 faults with lengths ranging from 0.3 to 60 km. Faults exhibiting the elliptical or “bell‐shaped” slip profiles predicted by simple linear elastic fracture mechanics or elastic‐plastic theories are rare. Most slip profiles are roughly linear for more than half of their length, with overall slopes always