Mauna Kea: The highest mountain. The highest mountains in the world by continent. Descriptions of the seven highest peaks of the world by parts of the world

Volcano is unofficially the most high mountain on the planet, if the height is taken as the distance from the foot of the mountain to the top. The peak is located in the Hawaiian Islands.

Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii

Despite the fact that the volcano rises “only” 4,205 meters above sea level, this mountain is the highest on our planet. Most of it is hidden under water, and its foot begins at a depth of about 6 kilometers. General Mauna Kea height- 10210 m. Thus, it is she who holds the record for the highest mountain on Earth.

Located in the Hawaiian Islands pacific ocean and is the highest point in that region. The inhabitants of the islands have great respect for the mountain, considering its peak sacred place. Even today, not all Hawaiians can climb the summit, and only high-ranking chiefs are allowed to visit the peak.

The age of the mountain is about 1 million years, but it "lived" its most active period of life about 500 thousand years ago, and at present the volcano is extinct, and scientists believe that the nearest eruption is not expected in the foreseeable future. Although its activity cannot be completely ruled out, most residents of the region feel quite calm. The fact is that there are 13 observatories on the top of the mountain - the mountain is just perfect for astronomical observations. Scientists who are constantly above the very mouth of the volcano, as well as scientific geological equipment located there, minimize the suddenness of the beginning eruption. Therefore, the US Geological Survey assigned the lowest possible rating to the volcano.

Although Mauna Kea is located in tropical latitudes, snow lies on its top all year round, having formed large ice caps. The slopes of the volcano are completely overgrown with dense forest, in some places almost impassable. The ancient Hawaiians revered the thicket of Mauna Kea, which gave them food. Before the arrival of Europeans on the island, indigenous people existed thanks to the fruits of the forest. However, the appearance of pets with " mainland"only shook the ecological balance of nature, and some representatives unique fauna have disappeared, and those who remain are under pressure from introduced animals and plants. It got to the point that the Hawaiian authorities took an unprecedented step, announcing the start of the eradication of imported species of flora and fauna.

Mauna Kea: flora and fauna

At the top is the so-called alpine belt. This place is characterized by high illumination (respectively, high solar radiation). average temperature air below zero degrees. Characteristic strong winds. Neither trees nor shrubs grow in such alpine meadows. Most of flora in this zone it is represented by low herbaceous perennials, among which there are also evergreens.

At the top of Mauna Kea is the Alpine Belt Conservation Area. Under his protection are all representatives of the animal and plant world that live at such a high altitude. A wolf spider lives here, which can live at an altitude of 4,200 m. The total number of spiders on the summit is not known, since the study of the endemic began only in the 80s of the XX century. A local attraction is the "Forest Shawl" butterfly, which hides in crevices of stones that are heated and retain the heat received during the day.

Beneath the alpine meadows lies a forest of Sophora aureus, a leguminous tree found only in Hawaii. The forest area is constantly shrinking, under the yoke of imported species. It is estimated that the current forest area of ​​Sophora is only 10% of the former, so they are declared on the verge of extinction. Now the entire forest area (212 sq. km) is a reserve.

Below 2 km. is the lower zone which is also a nature reserve. There are 8 species of birds that are on the verge of extinction, and 12 species of plants, the number of which is also inexorably falling. Great damage to the ecosystem was caused by Europeans who arrived in Hawaii and cut down a significant part of the trees for their settlements, as well as cleared places for future sugar plantations.

The most popular answer is Mount Everest. Indeed, 8848 meters above sea level, there is no higher. But Everest is not visible from any sea. The sea is far away, but the earth is round. We are, first of all, attracted by the spectacle, the impression from it. And the mountain makes the greatest impression when you observe its true size from the foot to the top.

It is the true sizes of the giants that I propose to compare, those that are visible to the observer. Seamounts don't count. It is difficult to look at the mountain from under the water - it is too deep to dive and it is hard to see. The water is not as clear as the pure mountain air.

To compare the highest mountains, they must first be measured. As a measuring tool, we will use a wonderful open service provided by the company Google Inc. - Google Maps. We will determine the height above sea level by horizontal lines, they are drawn through 20 meters. Distance measurement accuracy is an order of magnitude higher. We have more than enough.

Let's start with Everest.

Virtually leave from base camp, let's go to the very foot of Everest, to a height of 5360 m above sea level and set a reference point here. Let's draw a blue line from it to the top. The horizontal projection of this line is 6420, the elevation difference is 3488 meters. Using the advice of Pythagoras, we calculate the distance at which the peak is visible - approximately 7300 meters.

Let's move to the Chinese side and measure the East face of Everest using the yellow line. To virtually see the peak, which is about 5400 m, the virtual head will have to be lifted higher, almost 40 °. But the drop along this wall will be less - only 3348 meters.

Here are our constructions on Google map:

For clarity, let's transfer our lines to the chart, where the vertical and horizontal scales are the same. We connect the lower points, paint the resulting triangle in red and get a very visual section of Everest. Note that the abscissa axis in our diagram corresponds to the level of the world ocean:

Everest soars high above the sea!

Dhaulagiri

As you know, Everest became the highest mountain on the planet only in 1852. Until 1832, Dhaulagiri was considered such. Let's check it out for a reason.

We will measure the mountain from the Italian base camp, located under the western wall at an altitude of 3660 m.

That's bad luck ... Dhaulagiri at the same scale as Everest does not fit into the window of the same size!

So. The distance from the Italian Base Camp in a straight line inclined at about 38° to the top of Dhaulagiri is about 6960 meters. Elevation difference - 4637. More than a kilometer more than Everest. The east side is even more grandiose. Green Line connects Dhaulagiri peak and Larjung.

This village is unique. There is no other place on the planet Earth where, with his head up to the sky, the observer would see the firmament of the earth so high above him. The sight is mesmerizing and frightening at the same time. The top of the mountain is somewhere beyond reality. A giant glacier from an insane height puts pressure on the psyche. If it breaks, millions of tons will fall right here, block the Kaligandaki and then be the Lower Mustang Sea. God forbid, of course!

Let's transfer the new data to the diagram, connect the points and paint the section in gray:

It can be seen that Dhaulagiri is located below Everest, but clearly larger than it. For clarity, let's combine the initial measurement points and remove all unnecessary. Let's see the next picture.

Which mountain is higher?

In exactly the same way, Everest lags behind other entirely Nepalese eight-thousanders - Manaslu (8156) and Annapurna (8091). Like Dhaulagiri, each of them has a wall, with a height difference exceeding any Everest.

But the father-king, although he did not come out the tallest of all, sits with the throne above his vassals.

Seamounts, unlike terrestrial ones, are a separate uplift of the underwater bottom and are characterized by clearly defined peaks or peaks and steep slopes. According to scientists, relative height mountains should be at least 500 - 1000 meters, and their peaks are usually in the shape of a dome or cone. In section, the seamount resembles an ellipse, and most of such geological formations are volcanoes that continue their activity. From those rock samples that the researchers managed to raise to the surface, it can be concluded that the vast majority of the mountains are composed of basalt. Seamounts pose a significant hazard, as eruptions can obstruct navigation, and large-scale tsunamis often occur during mountain collapse. Few seamounts are mapped due to the fact that the depth and height of the hill can only be measured using a special echo sounder. It is customary for specialists to determine the length of the ridge, of which the seamount is a part, and its height is calculated by the smallest depth above the ridge. Based on such data, a list of the highest and longest seamounts can be distinguished.

Top 10 longest seamounts

1. North Atlantic Ridge (8.2 thousand km)
2. East Pacific Rise (7.6 thousand km)
3. South Atlantic Ridge (6.5 thousand km)
4. Australo-Antarctic Rise (5.9 thousand km)
5. Markus Necker (5.8 thousand km)
6. East Indian Range (5 thousand km)
7. Hawaiian Ridge (5 thousand km)
8. South Pacific Rise (4.1 thousand km)
9. Arabian-Indian Range (3.7 thousand km)
10. West Indian Ridge (3.6 thousand km)

The highest mountains in the world underwater

1. Northwest Ridge (6000 m)

It extends for more than 2.3 thousand km, has a width of about 350 km, and the smallest depth above the ridge is a little more than 10 meters. The first studies of the ridge were carried out in the period from 1872 to 1897 on the ships Challenger and Albatross.

2. Hawaiian Ridge (5500 m)

The Hawaiian Ridge is an underwater volcanic formation, located in the Pacific Ocean, the ridge limits the North Pacific Basin from the southwest. The highest peaks characteristic of the southern part form the Hawaiian Islands, which include a number of the largest active volcanoes. The soils of the ridge are silt or sand, and the most great depth above the ridge - 15 m.

On our planet there are such areas where a person experiences special sensations: a surge of energy, euphoria, a desire to improve or spiritually...

3. Shatsky hill (5500 m)

An underwater hill is an elevation located in the Pacific Ocean, east of Strana rising sun. The name comes from the name of a Russian geologist. The base of the Shatsky hill lies at a depth of 5500 - 6000 meters, and the top at a depth of 2500 to 3100 m. The geological system includes three massifs - Tamu, Ori and Shirshova. The width of the hill is 500 km, the length is about 1700 km. The study of the local depths was carried out in the 70s and 80s of the 20th century by scientists from the USSR on special ships. According to 2013 data, the Tamu massif is considered the largest volcanic formation on planet Earth.

4. North Atlantic Ridge (5500 m)

It is located between two faults - Cheyne (near equatorial) and Reykjanes. The ridge has the most high length And maximum width 1500 km. The peculiarity of the geological formation is that it is crossed by many faults, individual peaks are above the water and form a series of atolls, such as the Azores.

5. South Antilles Range (5500 m)

The underwater ridge is a ridge located in the south of the Atlantic and, according to the study, is a 3500 km continuation of the main mountain range under water South America- Andes. The location of the ridge is from Tierra del Fuego through the Sandwich Islands (Southern) and to the mainland Antarctica. Rising to the surface, the South Antilles range forms such southern islands like Orkney, Sandwich, Shetland and George.

6. Mozambique Range (5000 m)

The Mozambican Ridge is located in Indian Ocean, south of the African country of the same name, southeast of the Black Continent. Near the geological formation there are two basins: in the east Mozambique, in the southwest Agulhas. The length of the ridge is more than 1000 km, the width is about 300 m, according to one version, the ridge may be a continuation of Africa. Undersea world The ridge is exceptionally rich - more than 130 species of fish are found here, studies of the sole were carried out by the Danes in 1951 on the Galatea ship.

The North American relief can be conditionally divided into several types: in the central and northern parts you can admire the delightful plains, ...

7. Markus Necker (5000 m)

The second name is the Central Pacific Mountains. The geological uplift is located in the west of the Pacific Ocean, represented by numerous mountains, peaks and mountain ranges, some of which rise above the water. The ridge formed such islands as Horizon, Wake, Marcus and Cape Johnson.

8. Line Mountains (5000 m)

They are underwater mountain range located in the Pacific Ocean. The ridge stretches from Johnston Island to the Tuamotu atolls. The mountains stretch for 3.4 thousand km, have a width of up to 200 km.

9. West Indian Ridge (5000 m)

Located in the southwestern Indian Ocean, the geological formation is considered mid-ocean. The ridge is about 4,000 km long, up to 300 km wide, and the depth above the ridge varies from 2,000 to 3,000 meters. The ridge connects in the southwest with the African-Antarctic, and with the Arabian-Indian in the northeast. The surface of the ridge is strongly indented and quite discontinuous, this hill is characterized by the presence of outcrops of volcanic rocks, so seismic activity is especially high here, which is regularly recorded by scientists studying underwater earthquakes.

10. East Indian Ridge (500 m)

It is an underwater hill located in the Indian Ocean. The length of the ridge is 5000 km, the rise above the ocean floor varies within 1000 - 2000 meters, the smallest depth above the ridge is 2000 meters, silt prevails on the slopes.

At first glance, it does not seem difficult to answer the question: which mountain is the highest? The vast majority of people will say it is. The height of this giant, located in the Himalayas, is 8848 meters above sea level, and no other mountain peak can reach such an impressive figure. And that is why Everest is highest point the globe.

Everest is considered the highest mountain on Earth from sea level.

The highest mountain giant got its name in honor of George Everest, the head of the geodetic service of British India. But there is more ancient name, which the inhabitants of Tibet gave to grief - Chomolungma (mother of the winds). Indeed, the wind speed in the upper part of the mountain reaches 60 m/s. Somewhere in the valley with such a wind it is generally impossible to go, and 6-meter waves rise to the sea.

In addition, nighttime temperatures can drop to minus 60 degrees Celsius, which, combined with the wind, makes climbing Everest extremely dangerous for climbers. Up to 11% of people die before reaching the summit. Therefore, Everest has long been called a cemetery, as hundreds of frozen human bodies lie on its slopes.

most high mountain on Earth from the foot to the top is the volcano Mauna Kea

But back to the top mountain peaks and try to more objectively answer the question: which mountain is the highest. It should be noted here that the height of any mountain can be measured not only from sea level, but also from the foot to the top. In this case, Everest loses to such a giant as an extinct volcano in Hawaii. Above sea level, it rises to 4205 meters, but most of it is under water. The total height of this mountain from the foot to ocean floor to the top point is 10203 meters. And this is almost one and a half kilometers higher than Everest.

Mauna Kea is translated from the local dialect as "white mountain". The summit of this mountain majesty is considered the most sacred place in the Hawaiian archipelago. And any person who has climbed to the top of an extinct volcano can safely say that he has conquered the highest mountain on the planet.

Sizes of Everest and Mauna Kea in relation to Olympus

However, let's expand the question a little, because our solar system can not boast of a single Earth. There is a much higher mountain on the planet Mars, compared to which both Chomolungma and Mauna Kea look like relatively modest hills. It's about grief. Olympus, towering majestically on the red planet. Its height from the foot to the top is 21.2 km. The diameter of this mountain giant is also striking, it is 500 km.

It is noteworthy that Olympus has very steep slopes. Their height reaches 7 km. Experts cannot give an exact explanation of how they formed. But there is an opinion that they were washed away ocean waters that once splashed on Mars. This mountain is also considered extinct volcano, and the force of its eruption many times exceeded the force of the eruption of any volcano located on Earth.

Asteroid Vesta

Until 2011, when answering the question of which mountain is the highest in the solar system, everyone called Olympus. But in the summer of that year, priorities changed. On the largest asteroid Vesta, which is located in the main asteroid belt, the largest impact Rheasilvia crater with a diameter of 500 km. In the center of the crater, a mountain about 22 km high and 180 km in diameter was found. It was named after the crater and was considered the highest mountain formation in the solar system, since it is slightly higher than the Martian Mount Olympus.