Figure 2.10Rifting of continental crust. (a) The Arabian Plate, on the right, is moving northeastward relative to the African Plate, on the left, opening the Red Sea (lower right). The Gulf of Suez is a failed rift that became inactive about 5 million years ago. North of the Red Sea, most of the plate motion is now taken up by rifting and transform faulting along the Gulf of ‘Aqaba and its northward extension. (b) Baja California, on the Pacific Plate, is moving northwestward relative to the North American Plate, opening the Gulf of California between Baja and the Mexican mainland.