## 6 Conclusions  
Different methods of dimensionality analysis conducted in this work together with 2D inversion of 14 MT stations along a profile perpendicular to the rift axis allowed to further understand geoelectric structure beneath Asal rift. Dimensionality analysis was found to determine the dominant geoelectric strike which depend on the periods of natural electromagnetic fields for both the short and long periods. For the short period, a mean strike of N43\({}^{\circ}\)E was estimated, whereas a dominant strike of north-south direction was estimated for the long periods. Additionally, electrical anisotropy direction alignedor parallel with the geoelectric strike direction for both the short and long periods was presented in this study. Joint interpretation of electrical anisotropy direction with previous studies demonstrate that anisotropy direction is mainly related to the paleo and recent stress field direction that controls the horizontal and vertical deformation of Asal rift. Electrical anisotropy direction in Asal can be linked to the dominant stress field of three diverging plates (Somali, Arabia and Nubia). However, the westward propagation of Aden ridge, the jump of the Red sea ridge into Afar depression and their interaction can change the direction of plates motion over the geological time which induce a preferred electrical anisotropy direction. The presence of well-defined geoelectric strike permits to develop 2D inversion models (TM, invariant, TE and TE-TM mode), which can justify the presence of regional 2D conductivity structure in the study area. Conductive layers in the crust (C1, C2, C3 and C4 in Figure 9) were interpreted to be shallow aquifer and potential geothermal/hydrothermal reservoirs, whereas the resistive layer at the bottom of the 2D model (R3 in Figure 9) is associated with the basement rocks. The dipping relative resistive layer (R2 in Figure 9) can be a magma system or magma domain which hosted partly molten rock. 2D conceptual model of Asal rift inferred from inversion results is presented in Appendix A. This conceptual model of Asal rift was recently used for numerical modeling of hydrothermal system circulation [73] assuming that electrical anisotropy could be interpreted as permeability anisotropy. And simulated scenarios with permeability anisotropy evidenced that significant hydrothermal fluid circulation exists inside the high conductance layers (C3 and C4) [73].  
For geothermal exploration, the author suggest that future drilling can be at the center of rift close to the H Fault where the conductive layers have high conductance and are close to the heat source or magma domain (R2). Additionally, shallow geothermal wells should be drilled parallel to the electrical anisotropy direction of north-east, which could be aligned to the oriented fractures direction.  
This research was funded by the Islamic Development Bank through a PhD scholarship awarded to the author. Therefore, the author gratefully acknowledges the financial support from the Islamic Development Bank.  
The data presented in this study can be obtained on request from the corresponding author. Data are not publicly available due to privacy concerns.  
The author would like to thank [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON] and [PERSON] for useful discussions. Three anonymous reviewers are also acknowledged for their useful comments of earlier version of this manuscript, which improved the manuscript.  
The author declare that he has no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the research work reported in this article.  
Appendix AFigure A2: (**Above**) Joint Inversion model of TE and TM data for geoelectric strike of N120\({}^{\circ}\)E. (**Below**) Comparison between observed and modeled data.