Quicksand: what kind of natural phenomenon? Quicksands. Unequal fight with nature

Nature is fraught with many dangers. Unfortunately, we sometimes underestimate these dangers. And such neglect leads to tragedy. There are places in nature where it is extremely dangerous to be. These hazardous areas include quicksand.

What are they? This is a sandy surface, characterized by increased mobility. Any object or living being caught in the quicksand can be sucked in. The speed of tightening is uneven: it can happen both in a matter of minutes and over long months. Different nations have legends and myths associated with quicksand. The insidiousness of quicksand is that outwardly they seem quite safe. There are many legends about quicksand in English folklore, as there are many such dangerous areas.

This is not to say that people did not try to fight quicksand. In the 19th century in England, quicksand was carefully destroyed, filling them with stones, sand and rubble. Therefore, now there is practically no danger of meeting them in those places where people live. However, in some places, quicksand is still waiting for its victims. Surprisingly, there is no clear explanation for this phenomenon yet.

There are various hypotheses, certainly interesting ones. Russian physicist V. Frolov believes that the phenomenon of quicksand is based on electrical effects, due to which friction between the grains of sand decreases and the sand becomes viscous and fluid. Viscosity can spread to a depth of several meters, the ground becomes unsteady and sucks in any object or living being. There is an assumption that main reason The fact that sand draws various objects into itself is hidden in the form of individual grains of sand. All of them are of the correct spherical shape. That is why any heavy object sinks so easily, passing "through" them.

The American scientist J. Clark has been studying the phenomenon of quicksand for a long time. He believes that these sands are mixed with water, therefore they have acquired the properties of a liquid medium. Clarke suggests that ripple is a special state of sand. It may appear in different places if there is exposure to water. For example, if the surface is regularly flooded with water at high tide, or if there is underground river.

In England, not far from Morecambe Bay, there is a place called Arnside. There are regular tides. At low tide, the water recedes for several kilometers, exposing the bottom of the bay. If you step on the sand, which seems very stable, you can immediately be pulled down. It is impossible to escape on your own, so many die.

It belongs to the dangerous and very a nice place Tarnagen Fjord in Alaska. It is also not recommended to be there during low tide. Many people know about the island called Sable. He is in Atlantic Ocean 180 kilometers from the coast. There are many reefs in its vicinity, which are often the cause of shipwrecks. The remains of the broken ships on the shore are covered with sand.

There are many quicksands not only in Alaska, but also in the Sahara. It is known that entire caravans can sink into the sand in the desert. Scientists have found that there is an underground river under the Sahara, which may be why the surface becomes so insidious.

Quicksand is dangerous not only for an individual person or animal. Can go underground whole city. This is exactly what happened in 1692 on. A whole area of ​​the city of Port Royale was drawn into the quicksand. The city was on a sandy surface, which is why the tragedy happened. On June 7, 1692, an earthquake struck. Historical chronicles tell how some residents of the city immediately fell into the ground, others were sucked up to the knee or to the waist. The earthquake lasted several minutes. Then the sand immediately turned into a solid mass that held people in its captivity. Many died. In the 19th century on the spot lost city the remains of the walls of collapsed houses were still visible, and in 1907, after another earthquake, everything went underground.

Quicksand (quicksand) - sands supersaturated with air (gas or hot vapors, in the desert), moisture from ascending sources and, as a result, capable of sucking deep into objects, animals and humans that fall on them.

Quicksand when at rest, it seems solid, but it has the ability to suck in objects that are heavier and denser in mass and density. In other words, it is the same as a swamp. The only difference between them is that the swamp is in a constant liquid environment, and the sand turns into quicksand as the level increases. underwater waters and currents.

Two kinds of quicksand

1. Quicksand with wet surface

The wet surface of quicksand is found along the shores of seas, lakes and rivers (where ascending springs are usually common).

Often the surface of such places consist of a thin crust of silt. Silt is a finer “pulverized” fraction of sand, which, over time, and the friction of fine sand particles turn into silt.

2. Quicksand with dry surface

The dry surface of quicksand is found in arid deserts and where there is no water nearby. Their fluctuation consists in the increase of underwater rivers and currents, up to the level of the surface of the sand base. The upper part of the sand remains dry and a person can easily get into it.

Quicksand is not bottomless at all. Usually their depth ranges from a few centimeters to several meters.

Due to the high density of quicksand, a person or animal cannot completely drown in it.

Quicksand itself is safe, but due to the fact that it significantly restricts the ability to move, a person bogged down in it becomes vulnerable to other dangers: high tide, solar radiation, dehydration and others.

When falling into quicksand, as well as in a swamp, you should try to lie on your back with your arms spread wide. It is necessary to get out slowly and smoothly, without making sudden movements.

However, people are dying in quicksand.

Arnside (England) is located near Morecambe Bay, infamous for its high sea tides and quicksands, in which almost 150 people have died since 1990 alone. At low tide, the water here recedes far from coastline, and the exposed sandy bottom quickly dries up, creating the illusion of a great beach, which is actually fraught with mortal danger. People walking on the dry surface are trapped in quicksand, and the fast tide, which rises nine meters, covers the unfortunate people with their heads.

In Alaska, there is the beautiful Tarnagen Fjord, which is 80 km long. In 1988, two tourists, the Dixons, decided to ride along the coast at low tide. Three hundred meters from the shore, their car got stuck in the sand. Adeanna got out of the car to push her from behind. Soft muddy ground swam under her feet, and the woman got stuck in it up to her knees. Quicksand squeezed her legs like in a vise. Jay tried to help his wife, but in three hours he managed to dig up only one leg. When he finally thought to call someone for help, time was hopelessly lost - the tide had already begun. The rescuers arrived very quickly. They dived into the icy water and until the last moment tried to free Adeanna's leg, but could not do anything, and the woman drowned.

Large, heavy objects sometimes sink into quicksand with disastrous consequences.

Ordinary sands become quicksand for another reason: as a result of an earthquake. True, in these cases, their "quickness" persists only for a very short time. In 1692, in Jamaica, quicksand swallowed up an entire area of ​​the city of Port Royal, then more than two thousand people died. Port Royal was a very large rich port, where the largest slave market was located. Since 1674, by appointment of King Charles II of England, the famous pirate Henry Morgan became the mayor of the city. However, the place for the construction of the city was chosen extremely unsuccessfully - Port Royal was located on a 16-kilometer sand spit. Its top layer is still saturated with water, and below is a mixture of gravel, sand and fragments.

In the 19th century, a freight train derailed on the Colorado Bridge and plunged into a "dry" river bed that had become quicksand due to a recent downpour. The railroad workers found most composition, but the locomotive weighing 181 tons drowned without a trace.

Warning sign near quicksand

Warning signs are set up in the quicksand area, but this does not always stop people.

Bear Grylls Sahara Quicksand

Quicksand is a sinister phenomenon found in many horror films. The inconspicuous smooth surface of the sand suddenly begins to tighten the victim who has stepped on it. The more she tries to break free, the stronger the quicksand tightens, eventually swallowing the person with his head. This terrible picture, of course, is more fiction than reality. However, quicksand does exist. Although their depth rarely exceeds several tens of centimeters, they can indeed draw in animals or even humans that have fallen on the surface. Moreover, which coincides with the ideas of films, the sands really tighten the more you try to get out of them.

The nature of quicksand is much simpler than it might seem, and there is no magic in explaining their action. This phenomenon can occur in almost any place where there are necessary factors for this, namely an underground source of water and sand. Quicksand is ordinary sand highly saturated with water to such an extent that the friction between the grains of sand becomes negligible, so that the resulting substance can no longer hold objects on its surface. However, it is important to note that only very fine sand, with a dust-like structure, is suitable. Only he, mixed with water, can create a structure that absorbs matter.

There are several reasons why quicksands form. First is the way out groundwater in the form of springs on the surface of the Earth. If there is a sandy area in this place, then the formation of quicksand is quite possible. Another reason is an earthquake. Water from underground sources can also rise to the surface along the resulting faults. A human cause for the formation of quicksand is also possible. In the event of a break in the water supply or waterlogging of the soil as a result of irrigation, water, mixed with sand, can also create a quick mixture.

If you've managed to find quicksand deep enough to get stuck in, your position is not hopeless anyway. The first thing to do is stop randomly moving your arms and legs, trying to escape from the absorbing mass. Quicksand only absorbs an object when it is moving. Most The best way to get out is to grab onto nearby bushes or hanging tree branches. You can also lean on a wide and strong support, such as a board. Even if nothing of this was nearby, it is still possible to get out. The main thing is that all movements are smooth. Gradually turning over with your hands, you can “swim” in quicksand. Slowly moving towards the shore, sooner or later you will reach a shallow place that will allow you to get out of the trap.

Terrible is Nature in her wrath. In her arsenal - rivers of boiling lava, giant waves tsunamis, devastating earthquakes, bottomless swamps, floods. There is another terrible weapon. These are quicksands, which have long been called "dry swamps".

Quicksand Legends

They scare children and travelers, they are told by old people instead of bedtime stories. Only unlike fictional stories, quicksand is a terrible reality that people living on the coasts most often face. Imagine: a storm, a ship in distress, desperate people. And suddenly, in the distance, the shore is the hope of salvation. With great difficulty, the ship approaches, but the cries of "hurrah" are replaced by exclamations of horror. The ship begins to slowly sink into the coastal sand. People try to save themselves, but, alas, few succeed.

Such cases, although they were not rare, but still almost all were counted. But the number of people who disappeared during walks cannot be counted at all. The sand underfoot suddenly turns into a trap, a person panics, begins to flounder and drowns.

Where are the most dangerous places with quicksand?

This is the Goodwin Shoals on the South Foreland. The second name is "Cemetery of ships". It looks intimidating: the skeletons and sides, randomly scattered along the coast, are covered with sand. Elsewhere, only the tip of the mast can be seen. A gloomy spectacle.

Alaska
This is Tarnagen Fjord.

Jamaica
This is the place where the city of Port Royal once stood, which disappeared in the 17th century. The original version - in 1692 there was an earthquake. The impact of the elements was powerful, the tidal wave destroyed the city, and the sea swallowed it. In 1992, scientists were able to prove that the city really drowned, but not in water. He's another victim of quicksand.

Caribbean Islands

Coast of Canada
In principle, quicksand can be found anywhere there is water, sand, and rocks. That is, the shores of lakes and seas can be considered dangerous, as well as big rivers. On the outskirts of deserts, you can also fall into a trap arranged by quicksand.

How is quicksand formed?

If you remember school physics lessons, you can easily find the clue to the formation of quicksand. The phenomenon of this phenomenon lies in the ratio of the amount of sand and water, as well as their interaction. What does dry (and therefore safe) sand consist of? From countless grains of sand and air. What happens if you add water here? Water will begin to envelop each grain of sand, and a film will form around it. Since there are tiny dust particles on the sand grains, the cementing process begins, in which they take an active part. This is how a completely new substance is formed - viscous and very viscous.

So, in order for ordinary sand to turn into a quick danger, it needs to be wetted.. A bucket of water will not help, a constant source of water is needed, and the larger it is, the more terrible the danger. In coastal places it is a tidal wave. The rest are underground springs. The depth of the source is different. If the mass of sand is large, then the estimated depth can reach forty meters. Moreover, only such water sources that are practically in a vertical position or slightly inclined are suitable for creating fluctuations. On the surface, everything looks quite harmless: sand, here and there pebbles, a couple of bushes. Without special instruments, it is impossible to determine whether there is water in this place, whether the sand is wet, and what is the extent of the danger.

And the water at this time works, constantly wetting the layers of sand, provokes its shedding. From above, this process is invisible, even specialists cannot determine it. But it is worth getting here any heavy object, and the trap works. Begins the process of suction, pulling deep.

How to check if there is quicksand in this place?

It's better not to. Don't know the area? Walk around the pleasant sand for bare feet. This measure is desirable everywhere and mandatory for those places where the trap has worked at least once. Usually in such areas there is a rescue service and there are warning signs.

Any chance of getting out of the quicksand?

The answer is unequivocal - yes. And now the big BUT. Only those who know what and how to do and will not be at a loss, that is, will be able not to panic, have a chance.

The actions are simple: lie on your back, try to spread your arms and legs, that is, take as much as possible more space. If you shrink into a ball, then the weight will press on one place, and the body will begin to sink faster. Usually both legs are the first to fall into the trap, sometimes one gets stuck - this can be considered a real success. Lying on your back, arms outstretched, you need to slowly, without sudden movements, pull out your legs. The process can take up to an hour, but be patient and persevere - your life is worth it. After you free your legs, you need to determine where you came from. There, on that side, is a safe hard surface. Row there, moreover, in literally this word. Swim across the sand and best on your back. You can not? Carefully roll over onto your stomach and, pushing off with your arms and legs, “swim”. And remember: any sudden movement - and you will be pulled into the sand.

Quicksand - unique phenomenon, as, indeed, and all other inventions of Nature.

Is life in motion?

Many have heard more than once that in life in no case should you stop. As they say, life is in motion. But is it always so? There is one of the few examples showing that just the state of maximum peace can save a person's life. These are cases of falling into a quagmire or into quicksand. It is necessary to understand in more detail what it is, why they arise and how to get out of them.

If not in life, then in the cinema you have at least once seen how something or someone (a person or an animal) fell into these natural traps. This is actually a very insidious phenomenon of nature. A bog is a swamp that can gradually suck in objects and living creatures that have fallen into it. Why do some swamps simply smear with mud, while others literally "eat" their victims? The point is such a thing as thixotropy. This phenomenon means the property of substances or their mixtures to become more liquid in motion (when exposed to them from the outside) and thicken in a state of rest. Some types of clays and minerals possess such insidious abilities. If they are present in this swamp, then once they get into it, it will be difficult to get out without outside help. A bog is a swamp, often covered with a thick layer of algae, and it may even resemble a lawn.

There is a phenomenon in nature that is even more dangerous than a quagmire. We are more accustomed to hearing such concepts as quarry sand, river sand, construction sand. However, there is another. This is quicksand. Getting out of it is almost impossible. The main reason for the transformation of ordinary sand into quicksand is its excessive saturation with liquid (water) and air. That is why they can "swallow" into themselves what gets into them. When exposed to quicksand (as quicksand is called in another way) of a denser body, the spaces filled with liquid and air begin to decrease. This creates a free space for the fallen victim, which, under its mass, goes deeper and deeper. Such "beaches" tend to dry up from above, creating the appearance of quite ordinary ones. Be careful in places close to large bodies of water with open sandy areas. There may be undercurrents. Another cause of quick traps is earthquakes. After them, small cracks usually appear in the upper layers of the earth's crust, which do not fill when there is no water on the surface. mechanical impact. When it appears, sand and often what presses on it goes into space.

What to do?

If it so happened that you still found yourself trapped in a bog or quicksand, then you have no choice but to save your life. As mentioned earlier, you need to move as little as possible. If you get into a quagmire, then you need to stop all sorts of jerky floundering. You should try to lie on your back and try to get out with very slow smooth movements and, if possible, call for help. If you happen to be trapped and hit by quicksand, it's best not to move at all here. You should calmly wait for help, since in this case you have much more chances for salvation. At the slightest movement (even with a beating heart!) the insidious grains of sand are activated. It must be said that often sucking substances do not exceed a few meters in depth (and sometimes even less than one). However, in the case of sand, this is hardly able to save. The immersed part of the object (body) is clamped inside like a vise, and it is very difficult to release it on your own. So it’s better not to get into such “trouble” at all and always follow the prohibition signs on the shore.