Five myths about geysers. Amazing things nearby - geysers Geysers can be observed
Geyser. Small Mutnovskoye Geyser Field. Kamchatka. Photo by D. Tonkacheev
Geyser(Icelandic geysir, from geysa - to gush) is a source that periodically releases hot thermal water and steam. Geysers are one of the manifestations of the later stages of volcanism and are common in areas of modern volcanic activity.
Description
Geysers may take the form of small truncated cones with rather steep slopes, low, very flat domes, small cup-shaped depressions, basins, irregularly shaped pits, etc.; in their bottom or walls there are exits of pipe-like or slot-like channels.
The activity of the geyser is characterized by periodic repetition of dormancy, filling the basin with water, gushing of a steam-water mixture and intense emissions of steam, gradually giving way to their quiet release, cessation of steam release and the onset of the resting stage.
There are regular and irregular geysers. In the former, the duration of the cycle as a whole and its individual stages is almost constant, in the latter it is variable, in different geysers the duration of individual stages is measured in minutes and tens of minutes, the resting stage lasts from several minutes to several hours or days.
This.
A geyser is a stream of water from underground. But you need to take into account that they are different, and a geyser is not equal to artesian water, because they have different reasons for their occurrence. The geyser is caused by volcanic activity. And with artesian water there is a pressure drop and squeezing out water.
It is also necessary to distinguish a geyser from mud volcanoes, since mud volcanoes are also a flow of water from underground (albeit dirty). But the cause of mud volcanoes is the rotting of organic matter deep underground. Whereas a geyser is water raised by volcanic activity. Let's look at the geyser in more detail.
Few people know that “Geyser” (Il. geysir) is the name of one of the sources of the ring of geysers in Iceland; The word comes from the Icelandic geysa - to gush. That is, the same thing happened with geysers as with the photocopier in the CIS: the name of one element (company or volcanic source) was transferred to a whole group of similar elements. And now a geyser is a source that periodically releases fountains of hot water and steam. Geysers are one of the manifestations of the later stages of volcanism and are common in areas of modern volcanic activity.
Geysers can take the form of small truncated cones with fairly steep slopes, low, very gentle domes, small bowl-shaped depressions, basins, irregularly shaped pits, and so on; in their bottom or walls there are exits of pipe-like or slot-like channels associated with lava.
Geyser activity is characterized by periodic repetition
- peace,
- filling the basin with water,
- gushing of steam-water mixture and intense steam emissions,
- gradually giving way to their calm release,
- the cessation of steam production and the onset of the resting stage.
In Iceland, the name "Geyser" is known as a conical hill, cut off at the top, where there is a funnel-shaped depression. From this depression periodically, from 24 to 30 hours, an eruption is detected, during which an explosion is observed - the water in the geyser funnel is thrown out, followed by water vapor.
There are regular and irregular geysers. In the former, the duration of the cycle as a whole and its individual stages is almost constant, in the latter it is variable, in different geysers the duration of individual stages is measured in minutes and tens of minutes, the resting stage lasts from several minutes to several hours or days.
It is also possible to artificially trigger a geyser into activity by throwing stones inside its funnel. Such throwing of stones can cause the geyser to disrupt its normal periods, and an explosion will follow, during which, in addition to the above-mentioned eruption products, stones will also be thrown out.
The reason for the periodic activity of geysers has long attracted the attention of scientists. Scientists first tried to determine the temperature of the water in the geyser before the eruption. This determination showed that while about 80° C is observed on the surface of the water in the geyser, at a depth of 22 meters the water is at 126° C, that is, in a superheated state, but it does not boil, because the pressure of the water column is 22 meters is enough to delay the boil.
However, the situation is unstable, and from the lower layers of water there is a transfer of high temperature to the upper ones, and when the upper layers boil, the established equilibrium is immediately disturbed, and the water under pressure instantly turns into steam, throwing out the overlying water, beyond which the steam itself escapes .
It takes different times for different geysers to transfer higher temperatures from the lower layers to the upper ones, which is why different geysers erupt at different intervals. This explanation is also confirmed by throwing stones into the geyser to stimulate its activity. Such throwing is equivalent to stirring the water and allows the upper layers to boil faster.
By the way, if you have the opportunity to throw stones into the geyser, be prepared to dodge not only hot water, but also stones :)
So, a geyser is a flow of water from underground due to volcanic activity.
A hundred years ago, after a terrifying eruption of Mount Tarawera, a geyser of impressive size formed on one of the islands of New Zealand: a column of water emitted from the bowels of the Earth exceeded four hundred meters. The fountain was black, it rose up, then calmed down for two days - and then went back to work. This continued for several years until a huge boiling lake formed. This is where the connection arose - volcanoes and geysers.
Naturally, not all geysers act in this way and create miracles of such a scale, but the fact that volcanoes and geysers are interconnected is a fact, since they are a manifestation of the late stage of volcanic activity and can only be seen where fire-breathing mountains are located.
A geyser is a source that, as water accumulates in it, with an explosion and roar, throws out a column of water above the earth's surface, the temperature of which often exceeds 100 ° C (at the same time, it can be either very low or eject a stream as much as 80 meters up). This fountain flows for a while, then calms down, the steam disappears, and almost nothing reminds of its former activity. The large geyser operates only in those places where volcanoes are either still active or were so until recently.
This amazing natural phenomenon received its name in honor of one of the oldest Icelandic geysers known to people, Geysir (translated as “to break through”) from the world famous Høykadalur Valley (Valley of Geysers).
Appearance
A geyser is not always a tall fountain; sometimes the stream splashes out low or appears in the form of splashes, and some are ordinary puddles of boiling water. They are usually surrounded by rocky, often multi-colored formations, somewhat reminiscent of beautiful artificial gratings. The source is lined with silica (geyserite), which falls to the surface of the earth along with a hot seething stream.
Such rocky formations can often occupy several tens of square meters, or begin to grow upward. For example, around the Giant, the largest geyser in Kamchatka (the fountain of which is several tens of meters), the size of the geyserite platform is no less impressive than its name, and occupies about a hectare, while the deposits on it extremely closely resemble small gray-yellow roses.
Such rocky springs can take different shapes:
- Swimming pool;
- Crater;
- Bowls;
- Low, very flat dome;
- Rocky formations in the form of cones with truncated contours and steep slopes;
- In some cases, the shape is completely unusual and bizarre, for example, when minerals form a flower or crystals.
Before the water begins to erupt, it slowly fills the rock formation, boils and splashes out. After the fountain calms down, the pool is completely free of water. If you know for sure that the geyser will not splash out a new stream now, you can take a risk and (with the permission of the guide) look inside - then the curious will be able to see the vent, which goes far into the bowels of the Earth. These sources are located not only at the bottom, but also on the walls of rocky formations.
Education
A geyser is formed only where magma that has not cooled down after an eruption is located as close as possible to the surface of the Earth. Hot magma constantly releases huge amounts of gases and vapors, which rise up through all the cracks accessible to them, thus ending up in the caves created when the volcano erupted. These caves are a whole labyrinth, the grottoes of which, filled with underground water, are connected by tunnels or cracks.
Magmatic gases and vapors, mixing with deep waters, heat them up and at the same time not only themselves become part of the boiling water, but also dissolve minerals and other substances in it.
After this, the water does not stop its movement, since the hot lower layer becomes less dense - and rushes upward (at the same time, cooler water falls down, where it also heats up). There are two options for releasing boiling water, since exactly how the geyser will erupt largely depends on the size of the caves, the shape and location of the cracks/channels, as well as how quickly the groundwater moves through them and, of course, on their quantities: through a wide channel of regular shape, a stream of boiling water is easily brought out, and if the source is narrow, winding, then:
- The water is heated unevenly, which is why it becomes too hot at the bottom, but is not able to turn into steam due to the pressure from above, and is also not able to go up.
- This situation cannot continue for long, so the water vapor takes the form of bubbles.
- The bubbles, squeezed from all sides, try to expand and begin to squeeze out the top layer of water from below, literally pushing it to the surface, thus creating a series of small fountains, symbolizing the approach of a larger eruption.
- When the water splashes out, the upper layer of water does not press as hard on the lower layer as before - and allows the excessively hot water to transform into steam. Therefore, after some time, huge jets of hot water fly up above the ground, surrounded by clouds of steam.
The geyser stops spewing water only when the underground caves are completely emptied of water. The next eruption will not occur until the groundwater again fills the underground labyrinths and does not heat up there to the required temperature. It is worth noting that a geyser can be regular - the duration of the eruption, both as a whole and at its individual stages, is constant each time and it can be quite predicted - and irregular - the period between eruptions of the same geyser can last from a couple of minutes to several days, Moreover, the duration of individual stages, as well as the size of the fountain, will be different each time.
Possible dangers
Despite the fact that this phenomenon from afar is an extremely beautiful sight, it is advisable to observe it from a distance and not approach unless instructed by the guide.
The ground around them is so hot that if you step in the wrong place, seemingly on green grass, you may well find yourself in the middle of a scalding slurry - and your foot, not finding support, will easily go down (and not all boots can protect you from a burn).
It is dangerous to come close to a geyser filled with boiling water, since with any careless movement you can fall into it and be boiled alive, as often happens with careless animals. Or another misfortune may occur when a person looks into a source, and water suddenly splashes out.
The theory that everything that nature has created is useful for humans is absolutely not justified in this case - the water in geysers not only does not bring any benefit to the human body, but is also dangerous for it, since it contains various toxic elements, such like mercury, arsenic, antimony.
Why is this phenomenon useful?
Many countries have learned to use the geyser for good. For example, in Iceland, with its help, they not only receive electricity and heat houses, but also set up greenhouses in which flowers, tropical fruits and vegetables are grown, and some greenhouses, to the delight of the residents, have been turned into parks (in this country there are extremely few trees, and greenery the street is not typical even in the summer).
What a geyser is, ordinary people know mainly from school geography. Volcanologists, some tourists and residents of seismically active regions get to see this natural phenomenon live.
Terminology
By definition, a geyser is one of the manifestations of late volcanism, which is expressed in the periodic release of water in a liquid or vapor state into the air. In simple terms, this is a kind of source that gushes out of the ground at varying intervals. Geysers can be mud, water or steam, depending on the temperature and the presence of impurities along the path of their eruption.
Despite the rather banal definition, in fact this natural phenomenon is considered one of the most spectacular and mysterious on the planet. This is eloquently evidenced by the popularity of the most famous geysers, the flow of tourists to them does not dry up, despite a certain danger.
Physics of the process
In order to understand on what principle such a source operates and where so much hot water comes from underground, one should turn to the study of volcanic activity. After all, geysers are mainly formed not on their own, but near a more formidable and dangerous fellow. However, the volcano does not have to be active. The most famous and spectacular geysers are located on the site of extinct or sleeping giants.
Everyone knows from the school curriculum that in the depths of our planet there is hot magma. It is also known about her constant attempts to get out, sometimes this succeeds, which is accompanied by earthquakes. This process is very destructive and sometimes ends with a change in the landscape.
A dormant volcano, like an active one, contains hot magma inside itself, but it does not come out, waiting in the wings and accumulating energy. But, as you know, the bowels of the earth are no less rich in water, which, making its way to the surface, becomes springs, streams and even rivers. In order to understand what a volcanic geyser is, you need to imagine the following. Let's say that at a certain distance from the dormant magma one of the water flows. The water in it heats up, expands and tries to find a way out. Ultimately, she gets it in the form of a fountain or cloud of steam. It all depends on the exact temperature to which the heating occurred. It turns out that the volcano itself is sleeping, its energy is not enough to erupt magma, but it is quite enough to push out or even boil water.
Mud geyser
What it is, residents of settlements located near healing sites (and not only) know very well. Making its way to the exit, water passes through layers of a variety of rocks, dissolving them. In the case when a fountain shoots directly near a place passing through layers of frozen magma, it often remains more or less transparent. Encountering softer and more pliable rocks along the way, the water mixes with them, and a gurgling mud mass comes to the surface.
Quite often it contains microelements that are beneficial to humans, which, thanks to the comfortable temperature, form a thermal spring, ideal for treatment. Europe (in particular, Bulgaria), North America, Australia and New Zealand are rich in resorts built on the site of such geysers. Eastern Siberia has great potential, where this industry is not yet very developed, but there are all the necessary prerequisites for this.
Is a geyser dangerous?
Despite all its beauty and mystery, this natural phenomenon is a vivid example of the unsurpassed power and energy hidden in the bowels of the earth. Sometimes a geyser is just a warm lake with water periodically splashing onto the surface and looking quite peaceful and safe. Sometimes it is a multi-meter fountain, bursting out with all the force and suddenness. And it happens that a cloud of steam whistles out from under the ground, creating the impression that the planet is “breathing.”
Therefore, in order to know how safe it is to be near such a source, you need to understand what a geyser is in a particular case. And, being in the valley of an extinct volcano on an excursion, be sure to listen to the guide’s recommendations. After all, the main danger of most geysers lies in their suddenness. As a rule, tourists are not allowed close to powerful and too hot fountains.
The most famous geysers on the planet
They are located mainly in zones of volcanic activity. If we consider the most remarkable in terms of entertainment and scale, then first of all we should pay attention to Yellowstone National Park in the USA. It is a huge area on which about 500 geysers are concentrated, which makes up 60% of all thermal springs on the planet. The largest of them is called Steamboat and reaches 120 meters.
Slightly smaller in size, but no less spectacular, the Valley of Geysers is located in Kamchatka. There are about 200 different sources here. Looking at such greatness of nature, you can fully understand what a geyser is. The definition cannot convey this in words. The beautiful and at the same time majestic play of water, steam and minerals is sometimes breathtaking.
Geyser Park in Iceland ranks third both in size and number of sources. The maximum height of the fountains here reaches 60 meters. This is undoubtedly stunning, but the height of the geysers is half that of Yellowstone Steamboat.
You can see what a geyser is by visiting the states of Nevada and Alaska, where there are also quite a few of them. The North Island of New Zealand and Chile are famous for them.
The most mysterious geyser
The American Fly deservedly received this status. Thanks to its rich mineral composition, its surroundings received a unique color. The fly is a collection of several fountains erupting from hills formed by minerals, reaching 1.5 meters and continuing to grow.
It is noteworthy that the geyser was created by man (albeit by accident). Drillers stumbled upon an underground thermal spring at the beginning of the last century while trying to build a conventional well. Currently, Fly is closed to tourists, but due to its height, the geyser is clearly visible from the road.
To understand what a geyser is, theoretical knowledge is not enough. To imagine all the beauty and power of this natural phenomenon, you need to go on a trip to see it with your own eyes.
The Valley of Geysers was discovered 7 years after the founding of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve. This happened in the summer of 1941 during the expedition of Tatyana Ustinova and Anisifor Krupenin. The inaccessibility of the Valley of Geysers did not allow us to discover this unique place earlier. However, even today not everyone can see Kamchatka geysers. Firstly, the only way to get to them is by helicopter, and secondly, visiting is only possible with the permission of the administration. The Valley of Geysers is a gorge up to 4 km wide and 8 km long, along the bottom of which the Geysernaya River flows. Over a distance of 6 km from the mouth of the river, the slopes of the canyon are covered with about 40 geysers, thermal springs, mud pots and volcanoes. The pride of the valley is the Giant Geyser. It does not erupt frequently - its cycle is 5-7 hours. But when he wakes up, a stream of boiling water under pressure rises 20-30 meters high, and clouds of steam can reach 300 meters! Five years ago, 14 km from the Valley of Geysers, the youngest geyser in Russia erupted. It became an unexpected discovery for the employees of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve when, on September 28, 2008, a stream of boiling water rose up from under the Kamchatka soil in the middle of one of the most active hydrothermal systems in Kamchatka in the Uzon Valley. It is believed that the “Pulsating” spring previously erupted at this location. Tourists who were nearby at that moment were allowed to call the newly formed “fountain”. If the staff of the reserve had not come to their senses in time, the geyser would have received the name “Cool”. As a result, they called it “Mudty”. At first it erupted every 15-20 minutes, a year later - approximately every 12 minutes, in 2010 - an hour and forty minutes. Today the steam jet rises 5-6 meters every 2-3 hours, but its cycle depends on the weather. The geyser reacts to strong winds and temperature changes, which affects its activity.
