What does a volcano look like? Volcanic eruption from space (14 photos). Chaiten is an active volcano in Chile

The height above sea level is 1122 m. The volcano's caldera is about 3 km in diameter, and there are several crater lakes at its bottom. The volcano was inactive for 9400-9500 years, until a major eruption began on May 2, 2008, with ejecta reaching 30 km in height. On May 6, the lava reached the village, and almost the entire population within a radius of 50 km was evacuated. (NASA Photo):

Volcano Sarycheva, Russia

Sarychev Volcano is an active stratovolcano on the island of Matua in the Great Kuril Ridge; one of the most active volcanoes of the Kuril Islands. The early stages of the 2009 eruption were recorded on June 12 from the International Space Station. (NASA Photo):

Klyuchevskaya Sopka, Russia

Klyuchevskaya Sopka (Klyuchevskoy volcano) is an active stratovolcano in the east of Kamchatka. With a height of 4,850 m, it is the highest active volcano on the Eurasian continent. The volcano is approximately 7,000 years old. (NASA Photo):

Volcano Klyuchevskaya Sopka. Also see the article “Volcanoes of Kamchatka”. (NASA Photo):

Pavlova Volcano, Alaska

Pavlova Volcano is an active stratovolcano near the southern tip of the Alaska Peninsula. The diameter of the volcano is approximately 7 km. It is one of the most active volcanoes in Alaska, with more than 40 historical eruptions. The last major volcanic eruption occurred in 2013. (NASA Photo | ISS Crew Earth Observations):

Puyehue, Chile

Puyehue is an active volcano in southern Chile. The height above sea level of the peak is 2,236 m. On June 4, 2011, several small tremors occurred in the area of ​​the volcano, and in the evening an eruption began. A huge column of smoke and ash rose above the Puyehue volcano. A cloud of volcanic ash moves with the wind towards Argentina. According to the country's National Geology and Mining Service, the volcano emitted an ash column up to 10 km high. (NASA Photo | GSFC | Jeff Schmaltz | MODIS Land Rapid Response Team):

Eruption of Eyjafjallajokull volcano, Iceland

The eruption of a volcano near the Eyjafjallajökull glacier in Iceland began on the night of March 20/21, 2010. The main consequence of the eruption was the release of a cloud of volcanic ash, which disrupted air traffic in Northern Europe. (NASA Photo | GSFC | Jeff Schmaltz | MODIS Land Rapid Response Team):

Volcano Nyiragongo, Congo

Since 1882, 34 eruptions have been recorded; At the same time, it also happened that volcanic activity continued continuously for many years. The main crater of the volcano is 250 meters deep and 2 km wide; a lava lake sometimes forms in it. One of Nyiragongo's most powerful eruptions occurred in 1977; then several hundred people died from the fiery streams. (NASA Photo):

Shin-Moedake Volcano, Japan

Following a powerful earthquake, the Shin-Moedake volcano awoke in Japan. It is located in the southwest of the country - on the island of Kyushu. The volcano threw piles of stones into the sky, and a giant ash cloud formed over the mountain. (NASA Photo | Jeff Schmaltz | MODIS Rapid Response Team):

Volcano Merapi, Indonesia

Merapi is the largest active volcano in Indonesia, located on the island of Java near the city of Yogyakarta. Height 2914 meters. Major eruptions occur on average every 7 years. One of the most destructive eruptions was recorded in 1673, when several cities and many villages at the foot of the volcano were destroyed. . (NASA Photo):

Volcano Api, Indonesia

Api is one of the most active active volcanoes in Indonesia on the island of Sangeang. The height of the volcano is 1,949 meters. (NASA Photo):

Volcano Etna, Italy

Etna is an active stratovolcano located on the east coast of Sicily. This is the highest active volcano in Europe. Now the height of Etna is 3,329 m above sea level. Etna is the largest active volcano in Italy, more than 2.5 times larger than its closest “rival” Vesuvius. According to various sources, Etna has from 200 to 400 side volcanic craters. On average, once every three months, lava erupts from one or another crater. Also see the article "

Chaiten is an active volcano in Chile
The height above sea level is 1122 m. The volcano's caldera is about 3 km in diameter, and there are several crater lakes at its bottom. The volcano was inactive for 9400-9500 years, until a major eruption began on May 2, 2008, with ejecta reaching 30 km in height. On May 6, the lava reached the village, and almost the entire population within a radius of 50 km was evacuated. (NASA Photo):

Volcano Sarycheva, Russia
Sarychev Volcano is an active stratovolcano on the island of Matua in the Great Kuril Ridge; one of the most active volcanoes of the Kuril Islands. The early stages of the 2009 eruption were recorded on June 12 from the International Space Station. (NASA Photo):

Klyuchevskaya Sopka, Russia
Klyuchevskaya Sopka (Klyuchevskoy volcano) is an active stratovolcano in the east of Kamchatka. With a height of 4,850 m, it is the highest active volcano on the Eurasian continent. The volcano is approximately 7,000 years old. (NASA Photo):

Volcano Klyuchevskaya Sopka. Also see the article “Volcanoes of Kamchatka”. (NASA Photo):

Pavlova Volcano, Alaska
Pavlova Volcano is an active stratovolcano near the southern tip of the Alaska Peninsula. The diameter of the volcano is approximately 7 km. It is one of the most active volcanoes in Alaska, with more than 40 historical eruptions. The last major volcanic eruption occurred in 2013. (NASA Photo | ISS Crew Earth Observations):

Puyehue, Chile
Puyehue is an active volcano in southern Chile. The height above sea level of the peak is 2,236 m. On June 4, 2011, several small tremors occurred in the area of ​​the volcano, and in the evening an eruption began. A huge column of smoke and ash rose above the Puyehue volcano. A cloud of volcanic ash moves with the wind towards Argentina. According to the country's National Geology and Mining Service, the volcano emitted an ash column up to 10 km high. (NASA Photo | GSFC | Jeff Schmaltz | MODIS Land Rapid Response Team):

Eruption of Eyjafjallajokull volcano, Iceland
The eruption of a volcano near the Eyjafjallajökull glacier in Iceland began on the night of March 20/21, 2010. The main consequence of the eruption was the release of a cloud of volcanic ash, which disrupted air traffic in Northern Europe. (NASA Photo | GSFC | Jeff Schmaltz | MODIS Land Rapid Response Team):

Volcano Nyiragongo, Congo
Since 1882, 34 eruptions have been recorded; At the same time, it also happened that volcanic activity continued continuously for many years. The main crater of the volcano is 250 meters deep and 2 km wide; a lava lake sometimes forms in it. One of Nyiragongo's most powerful eruptions occurred in 1977; then several hundred people died from the fiery streams. (NASA Photo):

Shin-Moedake Volcano, Japan
Following a powerful earthquake, the Shin-Moedake volcano awoke in Japan. It is located in the southwest of the country - on the island of Kyushu. The volcano threw piles of stones into the sky, and a giant ash cloud formed over the mountain. (NASA Photo | Jeff Schmaltz | MODIS Rapid Response Team):

Volcano Merapi, Indonesia
Merapi is the largest active volcano in Indonesia, located on the island of Java near the city of Yogyakarta. Height 2914 meters. Major eruptions occur on average every 7 years. One of the most destructive eruptions was recorded in 1673, when several cities and many villages at the foot of the volcano were destroyed. . (NASA Photo):

In Ancient Rome, the name Vulcan was borne by the mighty god, the patron of fire and blacksmithing. We call volcanoes geological formations on the surface of the land or on the ocean floor, through which lava emerges from the deep bowels of the earth to the surface.

Often accompanied by earthquakes and tsunamis, large volcanic eruptions have had a significant impact on human history.

Geographical object. The importance of volcanoes

During a volcanic eruption, magma comes to the surface through cracks in the earth's crust, forming lava, volcanic gases, ash, volcanic rocks and pyroclastic flows. Despite the danger that these powerful natural objects pose to humans, it was thanks to the study of magma, lava and other products of volcanic activity that we were able to gain knowledge about the structure, composition and properties of the lithosphere.

It is believed that thanks to volcanic eruptions, protein forms of life were able to appear on our planet: the eruptions released carbon dioxide and other gases necessary for the formation of the atmosphere. And volcanic ash, settling, became an excellent fertilizer for plants due to the potassium, magnesium and phosphorus it contained.

The role of volcanoes in regulating the climate on Earth is invaluable: during an eruption, our planet “releases steam” and cools, which largely saves us from the consequences of global warming.

Characteristics of volcanoes

Volcanoes differ from other mountains not only in their composition, but also in their strict external outlines. From the craters at the top of the volcanoes, deep narrow ravines formed by flows of water stretch down. There are also entire volcanic mountains formed by several nearby volcanoes and the products of their eruptions.

However, a volcano is not always a mountain breathing fire and heat. Even active volcanoes can appear as straight cracks on the surface of the planet. There are especially many such “flat” volcanoes in Iceland (the most famous of them, Eldgja, is 30 km long).

Types of volcanoes

Depending on the degree of volcanic activity there are: current, conditionally active And extinct (“dormant”) volcanoes. The division of volcanoes by activity is very arbitrary. There are cases when volcanoes, considered extinct, began to exhibit seismic activity and even erupt.

Depending on the shape of volcanoes there are:

  • Stratovolcanoes- classic “fire mountains” or volcanoes of the central type, cone-shaped with a crater at the top.
  • Volcanic fissures or fissures- fractures in the earth's crust through which lava comes to the surface.
  • Calderas- depressions, volcanic cauldrons formed as a result of the failure of a volcanic peak.
  • Panel- so called because of the high fluidity of the lava, which, flowing for many kilometers in wide streams, forms a kind of shield.
  • Lava domes - formed by the accumulation of viscous lava above the vent.
  • Cinder or tephra cones- have the shape of a truncated cone, consist of loose materials (ash, volcanic stones, blocks, etc.).
  • Complex volcanoes.

In addition to land-based lava volcanoes, there are underwater And mud(they spew out liquid mud, not magma) Underwater volcanoes are more active than land-based ones; 75% of the lava erupted from the bowels of the Earth is released through them.

Types of volcanic eruptions

Depending on the viscosity of lavas, the composition and amount of eruption products, there are 4 main types of volcanic eruptions.

Effusive or Hawaiian type- a relatively calm eruption of lava formed in craters. The gases released during an eruption form lava fountains from drops, threads and lumps of liquid lava.

Extrusion or dome type- is accompanied by the release of gases in large quantities, leading to explosions and the emission of black clouds from ash and lava debris.

Mixed or Strombolian type- abundant lava output, accompanied by small explosions with ejections of pieces of slag and volcanic bombs.

Hydroexplosive type- typical for underwater volcanoes in shallow water, accompanied by a large amount of steam released when magma comes into contact with water.

The largest volcanoes in the world

The tallest volcano in the world Ojos del Salado, located on the border of Chile and Argentina. Its height is 6891 m, the volcano is considered extinct. Among the active "fire mountains" the highest is Llullaillaco- volcano of the Chilean-Argentine Andes with a height of 6,723 m.

The largest (among terrestrial) volcano in terms of area occupied is Mauna Loa on the island of Hawaii (height - 4,169 m, volume - 75,000 km 3). Mauna Loa also one of the most powerful and active volcanoes in the world: since its “awakening” in 1843, the volcano has erupted 33 times. The largest volcano on the planet is a huge volcanic massif Tamu(area 260,000 km2), located at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

But the most powerful eruption in the entire historical period was produced by the “low” Krakatoa(813 m) in 1883 in the Malay Archipelago in Indonesia. Vesuvius(1281) - one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, the only active volcano in continental Europe - located in southern Italy near Naples. Exactly Vesuvius destroyed Pompeii in 79.

In Africa, the highest volcano is Kilimanjaro (5895), and in Russia it is a double-peaked stratovolcano Elbrus(North Caucasus) (5642 m - western peak, 5621 m - eastern).

Volcanic eruptions are an interesting but dangerous phenomenon. Rarely does anyone dare to come close to them. And most of the photographs are from the air, which is no less dangerous. Have you seen what eruptions look like from space?

1. Stratovolcano Sarychev

The eruption of the 1,446-meter Sarychev stratovolcano on the Kuril Islands, filmed by NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The shock wave dispersed the clouds, which is why the astronauts were able to take such a detailed and detailed shot.

2. Wolf

Eruption of Wolf, the highest volcano in the Galapagos Islands. The height of the volcano is 1,710 meters, and a lake with several fragile islands has formed directly in its crater. The last eruption began on May 25, 2015.

3. Klyuchevskaya Sopka Volcano

Klyuchevskaya Sopka Volcano, also known as Klyuchevskoy Volcano, is an active stratovolcano in eastern Kamchatka. This is the highest (4,835 m) active volcano on the Eurasian continent, which is over 7,000 years old.

4. Etna

Etna is the largest European stratovolcano, located on the east coast of Sicily, near the cities of Messina and Catania. Now the height of Etna is 3,329 m above sea level, and it often changes from eruption to eruption.

5. Volcano Merapi

A DigitalGlobe satellite image shows the powerful eruption of Mount Merapi in Indonesia. Recently, a volcanic eruption on the outskirts of the city of Yogyakarta in the central part of the island of Java killed 194 people, 320 thousand residents lost their homes.

[:RU]Volcanoes are a bright and tangible manifestation of the full power of the Earth, the unbridled forces of nature. Since ancient times, people have perceived fiery rivers of hot magma, volcanic ash and gases escaping into the very skies as a manifestation of the wrath of the gods, the emergence of the underworld on the surface of the planet. Volcanoes typically occur where tectonic plates converge or diverge. For example, the volcanoes of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge are formed by diverging tectonic plates; The Pacific Ring of Fire volcanoes are formed by converging tectonic plates. The lifespan of a volcano can vary from a few months to several million years, making the attempt to classify volcanoes meaningless in comparison to such short lifespans of humans or even civilizations.
Most scientists consider volcanoes to be active if they have erupted in the last 10,000 years. There are about 1,500 active volcanoes in the world - most along the Pacific Ring of Fire - and about 50 of them erupt every year. About 500 million people live near active volcanoes. In the gallery we will look at the Earth's erupting volcanoes from above. These images were captured from space by satellites and by crew members aboard the International Space Station.

1. Sarycheva Volcano, Russia
View of Sarycheva Volcano (Russia Kuril Islands) at the beginning of its eruption on June 12, 2009. According to experts, Sarychev Peak is the most active volcano of the Kuril ridge and is located in the north-west of the island of Matua.
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2. Klyuchevskoy Volcano, Russia
The picture shows the eruption of September 30-October 11, 1994. The eruption was photographed 184 km above the Earth.

3. Pavlova Volcano in Alaska
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) photographed these striking views of the May 18, 2013 eruption of Mount Pavlova. Located on the Aleutian Arc, it is 1,000 kilometers southwest of Anchorage.

4. Mannam Volcano, Papua New Guinea
Mannam Volcano in Papua New Guinea released a thin, weak plume on June 16, 2010. Opaque white clouds partially obscure the satellite view of the volcano. Clouds can result from water vapor from a volcano. The volcanic plume appears as a thin, blue-gray veil spreading northwest across the Bismarck Sea. The Manam volcano forms an island with a diameter of approximately 10 kilometers. This is a stratovolcano. The volcano consists of two craters, and although both are active, most of the known ones came from the southern crater.

5. Volcano Puyehue Cordon Caule, Chile
After awakening on June 4, 2011, the Puyehue Cordon Caule volcano continued to erupt until at least June 6. Located in Chile, just west of the Argentine border, Puyehue Cordon Caule emits a plume of light ash that stretches along the edge of the Andes. A few hours earlier, the prevailing winds had changed, forming a visible, prominent break in the plume. The ash ejected from the crater of the volcano reached a height of 12,000 meters.

6. Eyjafjallajokull Volcano, Iceland

7. Volcano Nyiragongo, Congo
Two East African volcanoes, Nyamlagira and Nyiragongo, account for 40 percent of all recorded eruptions in Africa. These two volcanoes are located on the edge of the Western Rift, and are part of a giant crack in the Earth's crust that extends thousands of kilometers from the Middle East south to central Africa. The craters of each periodically contain lava lakes. Lava lakes can be washed away during eruptions, or they can spill over the rim of the crater or through cracks in the rock. In 2002, a lava lake on Mount Nyiragongo leaked during a side eruption on the southern slopes. This lava flow flowed into the city of Goma, killing dozens of people.

8. Shinmoe-Dake Volcano, Japan
on Kyushu The Shinmoe-Dake volcano, located on the Japanese island of Kyushu, began to erupt on January 26, 2011. The release of ash and ash into the air caused flight cancellations, train stoppages and school closures in the city of Miyazaki.

9. Volcano Merapi on the island of Java, Indonesia
The peak of Merapi volcano rises 2911 meters above sea level. It is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia and has been almost continuously active for nearly a decade, including periodically emitting pyroclastic flows (a mixture of hot ash and rock debris). The volcano is located less than 40 kilometers north of the city of Yogyakarta in Central Java. More than 50,000 people live near the southwestern slope of the volcano.

10. Karangetang Volcano (Api Siau), Indonesia

11. Volcano Etna, Sicily, Italy
Photo from on board the International Space Station. The city of Catania was covered in a layer of ash and Fontanarossa International Airport was closed. On that day, the ash clouds reached a maximum height of 5.2 km. Etna is one of the most famous in human history. Historical evidence about it has been known since 1500 BC.


12. Eyjafjallajokull Volcano, Iceland
Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull from space. Iceland, May 6 at 11:55

13. Chaiten Volcano, Chile
After more than 9,000 years of silence, the Chaiten volcano in southern Chile erupted with a powerful eruption on May 2, 2008. A column of ash and steam rose into the atmosphere to a height of 16.8 km. According to media reports, smoke enveloped the town of Chaiten, 10 kilometers from the volcano, forcing the town's 4,000 residents to evacuate by ship and boat. On May 3, ash and steam continued to billow.

14. Klyuchevskoy volcano, Russia

 

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