What is the difference between an active volcano and a dormant one? Extinct volcanoes

Volcanologists sometimes compare volcanoes to living creatures that are born, develop and ultimately die. The age of volcanoes is hundreds of thousands and even millions of years. With such a “life expectancy”, one eruption per century corresponds to a rather vigorous rhythm. Some volcanoes are content with one eruption every millennium or so. It happens that the resting phases last for 4000-5000 years. As a rule, active volcanoes include those that erupted in historical times or showed other signs of activity (emission of gases and steam).

An active volcano is one that periodically erupts currently or at least once in the last 10,000 years.

Volcano ETNA (Sicily) Eruption 1999

This is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth. From 1500 BC e. More than 150 eruptions have been recorded.

The highest volcano in Russia. One of the young volcanoes, its age is 5000-7000 years. One of the most active, it has erupted more than 30 times over the past 300 years.

volcano tectonics crack extinct

Volcano Klyuchevskaya Sopka. Kamchatka.

Mauna Loa Volcano, Hawaiian Islands, Pacific Ocean.

The tallest volcano in the world, its height is more than 10,000 m, if you count from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

The youngest volcano in Hawaii, and the most active in the world. From one crater on its eastern slope, lava has flowed continuously since 1983.

Kilauea Volcano. Hawaiian Islands.

There are about 1,300 active volcanoes on Earth. An active volcano is one that periodically erupts at the present time or within the memory of mankind.

During volcanic eruptions, large amounts of solids are delivered to the earth's surface in the form of solidified lava, pumice, and volcanic ash.

Volcanoes bring deep matter from the depths of the Earth to the surface. During an eruption, large amounts of water vapor and gas are also released. Currently, scientists have come to the conclusion that volcanic water vapor formed a significant part of the Earth’s water shell, and gases formed the atmosphere, which was subsequently enriched with oxygen. Volcanic ash enriches the soil. Eruption products: pumice, obsidian, basalt are used in construction. Mineral deposits such as sulfur form near volcanoes.

A volcano that has never erupted in 10,000 years is called dormant. The volcano can remain in this state for up to 25,000 years.

Volcano Maly Semachik. Kamchatka.

Lakes often form in the craters of dormant volcanoes.

Dormant volcanoes often begin to act. In 1991, the strongest in the twentieth century. The eruption released 8 cubic meters into the atmosphere. km of ash and 20 million tons of sulfur dioxide. A haze formed that enveloped the entire planet. By reducing the illumination of its surface by the Sun, this led to a drop in the average global temperature by 0.50 C.

Volcano Pinatubo. Philippines.

Elbrus volcano. Caucasus. Russia.

The highest volcano in Russia, it erupted more than 1500 years ago.

Extinct volcanoes are volcanoes that have been dormant for many thousands of years. Volcanologists consider a volcano to be extinct if it has not erupted for at least 50,000 years.

Mount Kilimanjaro. Africa.

When volcanic activity finally stops, the volcano is gradually destroyed by weathering - precipitation, temperature fluctuations, wind - and over time is leveled with the ground.

In areas of ancient volcanic activity, severely destroyed and eroded volcanoes are found. Some extinct volcanoes have retained the shape of a regular cone. In our country, the remains of ancient volcanoes can be seen in Crimea, Transbaikalia and other places.

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Walk on the body of a dormant volcano in Crimea, capable of destroying vast territories in an explosion, and then find out that it is the oldest dormant volcano in the world and 150 million years ago has already significantly changed everything in these places., writes Sergei Anashkevich

But many of you have been here once. And they walked.
Karadag, southeast Crimea. One of the most beautiful and legendary places on the peninsula.
And a giant sleeping natural bomb.

A view familiar to many vacationers in Crimea is the Karadag massif, prominent far into the sea, on the horizon. Looking at it from this point, you cannot immediately say that a volcano once erupted here, completely changing the landscape of the vast surrounding areas...

Kiev volcanologist Stepan Romchishin says that the Karadag volcano did not die 150 million years ago, but could potentially wake up now: “If Karadag explodes, Crimea will not exist by the end of the day. A cloud of volcanic ash will destroy all life as far as Dnepropetrovsk. The ash column will rise 50 kilometers, and magma will flow out for several days. During an eruption, a cavity is formed under the volcano, so it falls into the abyss and then explodes. The power of such a volcano can be equated to one hundred atomic bombs.”

The scientist assumes that from the explosion, ash heated to 200°C will scatter over a huge area - up to the Russian city of Smolensk in the north and part of the territory of Turkey and other Black Sea countries in the south, west and east. The speed of the sea wave will reach 400 km/h.
For example, the last most powerful volcanic eruption, according to scientists, was 74 thousand years ago in New Zealand. It almost became fatal for humanity. Millions of tons of ash and sulfur were released into the air. Temperatures around the world dropped by 15 degrees. The ash hung in the atmosphere and did not let in the sun's rays. Sulfur rains destroyed almost all the forests in Asia. Then it took more than 300 years to restore nature.

Karadag is very different from all other mountain ranges in Crimea. A chaotic pile of ominous black rocks directed in different directions, inaccessible gorge and failures, stone walls plunging into the sea and forming bays inaccessible from the shore, harsh stone figures of the Metro City.

All this is a consequence of the volcano that was active here 150 million years ago.

Various and unusual forms of relief of the volcanic massif with a very complex geological structure arose in later periods during weathering and erosion. The gentle and flat continental slope of the Coast Range is protected, like armor, from destruction by a powerful, extensive lava flow...

The modern bowl of Karadag (and if you look at the heights of Karadag, today it is precisely a bowl, the walls of which consist of ridges and peaks) is very diverse in both relief and landscape. Standing at one point, looking in one direction, you will see quite familiar mountain peaks overgrown with grasses and shrubs, forming a fairly familiar Crimean landscape, and looking in the other direction...

... you will see the rocks of the Dead City, on which for many thousands of years at least some vegetation has barely been able to cling. And that’s not true everywhere.

The volcanic rocks of Karadag, varied in appearance and mineral composition, were formed during the solidification of lava. Pillow lava flows are very common.

This is a chaotic accumulation of lava segregations of pillow-shaped, ellipsoidal and balloon-shaped shapes with smooth contours, and each of them has a continuous cooling surface with a hardening crust.

Pillow flows are especially spectacular on the southern slope of the Magnetic Ridge, along which they stretch obliquely in the form of powerful inclined stone walls. There are seven streams with a capacity of 15–25 m each.

The most diverse compositions of lava are on the slopes of the Karagach ridge. There are five types of rocks here, connected by gradual transitions. The change of rocks from bottom to top occurs in the following order: keratophyre – partially albitized porphyrite – porphyrite – bipyrooxene andesite – glassy andesite. These are the very famous King Rocks that are made of them.

But based on the name and types of rocks, so as not to make a hole in my and your brain, I will just say that there are some incredible numbers of them here.
Each rock has its own way of shaping rocks and stones into a variety of shapes.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the various craters and places where lava comes to the surface. There are several remains of craters on Karadag. The most famous of them is the Devil's Fireplace.

Perfectly preserved, spectacular, with a beautiful classical concentric shape - a wonderful example of a subvolcanic body.

Here is another part of the giant circle - Parus rock

Separately, it is worth mentioning the numerous dikes.

A dike is a frozen plate-shaped magma intrusion, prepared by weathering from the surrounding less resistant rocks. The most famous Karadag dike is the Lion's Dike.

Located under the Devil's Kamin crater, it is surrounded by several other small and one large dike. In addition, the structure of the Coast Range in relation to the Khoba-Tepe ridge allows scientists to assume that it was here that the main vent of the volcano was located.

Sometimes there is an entire “stone forest” of giant crenellations, peaks and stone teeth that form in thick layers of volcanic tuff, dissected by vertical cracks. These are all the dikes surrounding the Lion's Dyke

Some of them literally cut through mountain ranges. And weathering over many thousands of years on both sides of the ridge formed gorges.

Under some of the ridges that “descended” from the mountains, caves, including underwater ones, were formed. One of them is the Thundering Grotto. It was the sounds from this grotto that formed the famous legend about the Karadag snake, which someone seemed to have once seen, and many often heard its roar in the fog. This legend even formed the basis of the story “Fatal Eggs” by Mikhail Bulgakov.

The average person does not see much of a difference between “extinct” and “dormant” volcanoes. In fact, the differences are quite significant, because a conditionally “dormant” volcanic formation can suddenly awaken, and then no one will find it enough.

Another thing is that they are completely safe, which is actively used by travel companies and outdoor enthusiasts. What are the main features of extinct volcanoes?

Physics of a volcanic eruption - how it becomes extinct

The eruption occurs due to the presence in the magma not only of water vapor, but also of various gases: hydrogen chloride and fluoride, oxides of sulfur and methane, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc.

In a "sleeping" volcano, the concentration of gases dissolved in the magma corresponds to the level of pressure under which the magma is located at a certain depth. In this way, a state of balance is maintained.

However, due to earthquakes that shift sections of the crust, a decrease in pressure may occur, for example, in the area of ​​the magma chamber. The equilibrium state is disrupted and the gases immediately increase in volume due to the transition to the gaseous state.

The foamed magma begins to move upward, which leads to an even greater drop in pressure, and therefore to an acceleration of the process of gas release from the magma.

Accordingly, the probability of his awakening tends to zero.

List of famous extinct volcanoes in the world

Volcanoes, which pose no threat, are located on all seven continents: North and South America, Asia, Africa, Europe, Antarctica and Australia.

Today there are over two hundred extinct volcanoes in the world. The most typical representatives of this type are presented below.

Rocky

This extinct volcano is located on the Kamchatka Peninsula, in the very center of the Sredinny Range. The highest point of the volcano is at 1759 meters above sea level.

According to geologists, the last time Kamenisty was active was about two and a half million years ago. The volcano was formed by lava flows and pyroclastic rocks. The volcanic shape in the form of a gentle cone ends not with a crater destroyed due to erosion, but with a steep peak.

Arayat

Located on Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines. The highest point is 1025 meters.

The last eruption most likely occurred about 10 thousand years ago. Despite the erosion that has affected the northern and western parts of the crater, it still remains on top.

Damavand

It is located in the Iranian province of Mazandiran and is the highest point of the Elborz mountain system (5620 meters above sea level). The last eruption was recorded around 5350 BC.

Damavand has the shape of a gentle cone and rises one and a half kilometers above Elborz. The volcanic cone arose due to andesite lava, but there are also glaciers on the slopes.

Sajama

Located in Bolivia, in the Central Andes. The highest point above sea level is 6542 meters. Sajama is part of the National Park of the same name, located near the Chilean border.

The exact date of the last activity is not reliably known, but many scientists insist on the era of the Quaternary Holocene period, i.e. about 12 thousand years ago.

Sahama is a classic cone-shaped stratovolcano, composed of hardened lava and its debris. At an altitude of more than 6,000 meters, it is covered with never-melting snow and ice.

Aconcagua

The highest extinct volcano is considered to be located in the same Andes, but on Argentine territory. The peak is located at 6961 meters above sea level.

Aconcagua, it is considered not only a record holder among its peers, but also the highest point of the southern and western hemispheres. For these merits, he was even included in the “Seven Summits” list of the highest peaks in six parts of the world.

Aconcagua is also one of the oldest volcanic formations on the planet.

The exact date is unknown, but many scientists conclude that it arose approximately 150 million years ago.

Excursions to extinct volcanoes

A traditional excursion lasts 1-2 days and involves either climbing to the peaks by helicopter or climbing on foot.

Some volcanoes are even equipped with special areas where tourists can take a break and enjoy the natural views from great heights.

Extinct volcanoes are not only a living reminder of the great power of nature.

Thanks to their large number anywhere in the world, anyone can organize an appropriate trip and get an unforgettable experience.

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).

For the average person, the difference between “dormant” and “extinct” volcanoes is not obvious. But the differences between them are quite significant, since a “sleeping” volcano can sooner or later awaken, causing a catastrophic eruption. But extinct volcanoes are much more reliable in terms of prospects; they will never explode again, and therefore are completely safe. Tour operators who know about this and simply lovers of active tourism are especially fond of such volcanoes. Below is a list of just some of the largest of the Earth's much longer list of extinct volcanoes.

1. Ojos del Salado, Chile and Argentina (6887 m)

This mountain ranks second in height in South America, and among volcanoes it is the first in height. It is located on the Chilean-Argentine border, and the top went to the Argentines. West of the volcano all the way to the Pacific Ocean stretches the harsh Atacama Desert. In the crater of the volcano, located on the eastern slope of the mountain, at an altitude of 6390 m, there is the highest mountain lake on the planet.
Since in the entire history of observations not a single eruption of Ojos del Salado has been recorded, it was classified as extinct. Although passive volcanic activity was sometimes noticed here. For example, in 1937, 1956 and 1993, weak emissions of steam and sulfur occurred here. In 1937, this peak was conquered by climbers from Poland Jan Szczepanski and Justyn Woizhnys, who during their ascent discovered the remains of sacrificial altars made by the Incas at the top. Like many other mountains, this volcano was also revered by the Indians as a sacred mountain.

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2. Monte Pissis, Argentina (6795 m)

In Argentina, 550 km north of Aconcagua, in the province of La Rioja, there is another extinct volcano - Monte Pissis. Since it lies within the extremely dry Atacama Desert, snow appears only at its peak in winter. The mountain was named in 1885 in honor of the French geologist Pedro José Amadeo Piz, who worked on behalf of the Chilean government. This volcano was first conquered in 1937 by Polish climbers Jan Szczepanski and Stefan Osiecki.

3. Sajama, Bolivia (6542 m)

In Bolivia, in the Central Andes, the country's highest peak, Sajama, is an extinct stratovolcano. Around it lies the Sajama National Park, in the southwest of the country, about 20 kilometers from the Chilean border. Humanity does not remember the eruptions of this volcano; there are only scientists’ assumptions that the latter could have happened in the Holocene era. Above 6000 meters, eternal glaciation begins here, and below here and there semi-desert vegetation is found. The first ascent of the mountain took place along the southeast ridge in 1939.

4. Chimborazo, Ecuador (6310 m)

The highest point in Ecuador is the extinct volcano Chimborazo. It is assumed that its last eruption occurred in the 5th-8th centuries. It is curious that it is the top of this volcano that is the point on the earth’s surface farthest from the center of the planet. Until the beginning of the 19th century, people considered Chimborazo to be the highest peak on the planet. At the foot of the volcano is the source of the Guayas River. Its top is covered with eternal ice, in some places it goes down the slope to 4600 m. Melt water from its top is the main source for the local population of the provinces of Chimborazo and Bolivar. In recent decades, due to global warming, the glacier has melted significantly. Until refrigerators began to be widely used here, the local population was actively cutting down ice, which they sold in markets as a means of storing food and cooling rooms in cities, since in summer it is incredibly hot for humans here.

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5. Marmolejo, Argentina and Chile (6109 m)

On the border between the Argentine province of Mendoza and the Chilean metropolitan area is the Marmolejo stratovolcano. To the south is the active, younger volcano San Jose. The Marmolejo caldera is 4 kilometers wide and has been destroyed in the north-west, resulting in a huge landslide.

6. Cerro Nelli, Bolivia (5676 m)

In the Andes, in the Western Cordillera range, there is an extinct volcano, Cerro Nelli, in the Bolivian province of Sud Lipes. The volcano is surrounded by lands that are part of the National Andean Fauna Reserve. E. Avaroa.

7. Zapaleri, Argentina, Bolivia and Chile (5653 m)

Another extinct Andean volcano, Sapaleri is notable for the fact that it is divided into three states: the Argentine province of Jujuy, the Bolivian department of Potosi and the Chilean region of Antofagasta. The Sapaleri volcano has two peaks: northern and southern, and in its crater there is a small lake. The areas around the mountain are protected: on the Bolivian side of the E. Avaroa Natural Park, on the Chilean side by the Los Flamencos National Reserve, and on the Agrento side by the Vilama Protected Area.

8. Altar, Ecuador (5321 m)

This ancient extinct volcano is located in the Ecuadorian province of Chimborazo. Around it there are 8 more peaks, only slightly inferior in height to it. The Sangay National Park is located around the volcano, the capital Quito is located 170 km to the north, and Riobamba is 20 km to the west of this place. According to ancient Indian evidence, around 1460 the volcano showed activity that lasted about 7 years. Then a new formation appeared on its caldera and collapsed, so that the base of the volcano passed over the old caldera. Although research by volcanologists says that the eruption was more ancient. The body of the mountain is composed of basalts and andesites. Small lakes appeared near the volcano, the water in which has different colors, since basalt rocks contain different types of impurities.

9. Iztaccihuatl, Mexico (5230 m)

The name of this extinct volcano in the Nahuatl language means the following: “istac” - “white”, and “cihuatl” - “woman”, resulting in “white woman”. This mountain is the third highest in Mexico, second only to the volcanoes Orizaba (5636 m) and Popocatepetl (5426 m). Mexicans simply call her Ista. The mountain has 4 peaks at once, the highest of which is Pecho (in Spanish “chest”). The silhouettes of these peaks actually, when viewed from the east or west, resemble the chest, head, feet and knees of the figure of a sleeping woman. And the snow caps on the peaks make it white. And nearby, as if guarding her sleep, stands the Popocatepetl volcano, and at the same time tries to hide her lust, but periodically it breaks out in the form of eruptions. The mountain is located 70 kilometers southeast of the capital, from which you can see its peaks sparkling with snow. Since this mountain was always close to the capitals (first of the Aztec empire, and then of modern Mexico), its image often appeared in works of art. In modern history, this peak was first conquered in 1889, although according to archaeological finds made at the peak, it became obvious that the Aztecs and even people of earlier civilizations climbed here.

10. Greater Ararat, Türkiye (5165 m)

On the territory of Turkey there is now the Armenian Highlands, in which the cones of the Ararat volcanic massif are located, one of which is the Great Ararat stratovolcano. Its height above the local highlands is 4365 meters. Not far from Greater Ararat - just 11 kilometers - there is the cone of Little Ararat.