Click on image for enlargement.

Figure 18. Photograph 17-35-104. West into Gulf of Tadjoura (westernmost extension of the Gulf of Aden spreading system). The spreading center extends from the Gulf of Tadjoura northwestward into the Lake Asal basin (509 ft below sea level; about 5 miles across). Recent volcanism forms the land bridge separating the ocean from the salt lake. This spreading center is nearly a duplicate of the Mid-Atlantic spreading center in size and structural relief.  To the right of Lake Asal the spreading center makes a series of right steps. The shadows beautifully outline the rapid changes in structural relief along strike.