Large volcanoes in Russia. Mainland - where there are no volcanoes? In what area are there many? The highest and most dangerous volcanoes in the world

Volcanoes are geological formations that form above cracks in, through which lava, ash, loose rocks, boiling gases and water break out.

Active volcanoes include volcanoes that erupted in historical time or showed other signs of activity (emission of gases and steam, etc.). Some scientists consider active those volcanoes, which are reliably known to have erupted within the last 10 thousand years.

The largest cluster of active volcanoes in a limited area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe planet is located in the zone of the Malay Archipelago - the largest on Earth, located between the mainland and. On the territory of Russia, the largest number of active volcanoes is in the area of ​​the Kuril Islands and Kamchatka. Approximately 60 volcanoes erupt every year, and about a third of them erupted in the previous year. There is information about 627 volcanoes that have erupted over the past 10 thousand years.

On August 24, 79, people looked in horror at their patron and could not understand: why did they anger the gods so much. How did it happen that their protector suddenly began to spew fire that spread across the ground and destroyed everything in its path? The inhabitants of Pompeii already knew: unexpectedly for everyone, a volcano woke up. What is it, what are volcanoes and why do they suddenly wake up, we will consider today in this article.

What is a volcano?

A volcano is a kind of formation on the surface of the earth's crust, which from time to time is capable of spewing pyroclastic flows (a mixture of ash, gas and stones), volcanic gases, and also lava. It is in zones of volcanic activity that opportunities for the use of geothermal energy open up.

Types of volcanoes

Scientists have adopted a classification of volcanoes into active, dormant and extinct.

1. Volcanoes that erupt during a historical period of time are called active volcanoes. It is thanks to them that one can understand what a volcano is and the mechanisms that make it work, because direct observation of the process provides much more information than the most thorough excavations.
2. Sleeping volcanoes are called, which are currently not active, however, there is a high probability of their awakening.
3. Extinct volcanoes include those that were active in the past, but today the probability of their eruption is equal to zero.

What shape are volcanoes?

If you ask a schoolboy what shape a volcano has, he will undoubtedly say that it looks like a mountain. And he will be right. The volcano really has the shape of a cone, which formed during its eruption.

The volcanic cone has a vent - this is a kind of outlet channel through which lava rises during an eruption. Quite often there is more than one such channel. It may have several branches that serve to bring volcanic gases to the surface. The crater always ends in a crater. It is into it that all materials are thrown during the eruption. An interesting fact is that the mouth is open only during the active period of the volcano. The rest of the time it is closed, until the next manifestation of activity.

The time during which a volcanic cone formed is individual. Basically, it depends on how much material the volcano throws out during its eruption. Some take 10,000 years to do so, while others can form it in a single eruption.

Sometimes the opposite happens as well. During an eruption, the volcanic cone collapses, and a large depression, the caldera, forms in its place. The depth of such a depression is at least one kilometer, and the diameter can reach 16 km.

Why do volcanoes erupt?

What is a volcano, we figured it out, but why does it erupt?

As you know, our planet does not consist of a single piece of stone. It has its own structure. Above - a thin solid "shell", which scientists call the lithosphere. Its thickness is only 1% of the radius of the globe. In practice, this means between 80 and 20 kilometers, depending on whether it is land or the bottom of the oceans.

Beneath the lithosphere is the mantle layer. Its temperature is so high that the mantle is constantly in a liquid, or rather viscous, state. In the center is the solid core of the earth.

As a result of the fact that the lithospheric plates are in constant motion, magma chambers can arise. When they break out to the surface of the earth's crust, a volcanic eruption begins.

What is magma?

Here, perhaps, it is necessary to explain what magma is and what chambers it can form.

Being in constant motion (albeit invisible to the naked eye of a person), lithospheric plates can collide or crawl into each other. Most often, the plates, the dimensions of which are larger, "win" those whose thickness is less. Therefore, the latter are forced to sink into the boiling mantle, the temperature of which can reach several thousand degrees. Naturally, at this temperature, the plate begins to melt. This molten rock with gases and water vapor is called magma. In its structure, it is more liquid than the mantle, and also lighter.

How does a volcano erupt?

Due to the named features of the magma structure, it begins to slowly rise and accumulate in places called foci. Most often, such foci are places of a break in the earth's crust.

Gradually, magma occupies all the free space of the hearth and, in the absence of another way out, begins to rise along cracks in the earth's crust. If magma finds a weak point, it does not miss the opportunity to break out to the surface. At the same time, thin sections of the earth's crust break through. This is how a volcano erupts.

Places of volcanic activity

So what places on the planet, given volcanic activity, can be considered the most dangerous? Where are the most dangerous volcanoes in the world located? Let's figure it out...

1. Merapi (Indonesia). It is the largest volcano in Indonesia and also the most active. He does not let the locals forget about him even for one day, constantly releasing smoke from his crater. At the same time, small eruptions occur every two years. But large ones do not have to wait long: they happen every 7-8 years.
2. If you want to know where the volcanoes are, you should probably take a trip to Japan. This is truly a "paradise" of volcanic activity. Take, for example, Sakurajima. Since 1955, this volcano has been a constant concern for the locals. Its activity does not even think of decreasing, and the last major eruption occurred not so long ago - in 2009. A hundred years ago, the volcano had its own island, but thanks to the lava that he spewed out of himself, he managed to connect with the Osumi Peninsula.
3. Aso. And Japan again. This country is constantly suffering from volcanic activity, and the Aso volcano is proof of this. In 2011, an ash cloud appeared over it, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwhich was more than 100 kilometers. Since that time, scientists have been constantly recording tremors, which can only indicate one thing: the Aso volcano is ready for a new eruption.
4. Etna. This is the largest volcano in Italy, which is interesting in that it has not only the main crater, but also many small ones located along its slope. In addition, Etna is distinguished by enviable activity - small eruptions occur every two to three months. It must be said that the Sicilians have long been accustomed to such a neighborhood, and are not afraid to populate the slopes.
5. Vesuvius. The legendary volcano is almost half the size of its Italian brother, but this does not prevent him from setting many of his own records. Vesuvius, for example, is the volcano that destroyed Pompeii. However, this is not the only city that has suffered from his activity. According to scientists, Vesuvius destroyed cities that were not lucky enough to be close to its slopes more than 80 times. The last major eruption happened in 1944.

Which volcano on the planet can be called the highest?

There are quite a few record holders among these volcanoes. But what can bear the title "The highest volcano on the planet"?

Keep in mind: when we say "highest", we do not mean the height of the volcano above the surrounding area. This is the absolute height above sea level.

So, scientists call the Chilean Ojos del Salado the highest active volcano in the world. For a long time he was referred to as sleeping. This status of the Chilean allowed the Argentinean Lullaillaco to bear the title of "The Highest Volcano in the World". However, in 1993, Ojos del Salado produced an ash ejection. After that, he was carefully examined by scientists who managed to find fumaroles (outlets of steam and gas) in his mouth. Thus, the Chilean changed his status, and, without knowing it, brought relief to many schoolchildren and teachers, for whom it is not always easy to pronounce the name Llullaillaco.

For the sake of justice, it must be said that Ojos del Salado does not have a high volcanic cone. It rises above the surface only 2000 meters. While the relative height of the Lullaillaco volcano is almost 2.5 kilometers. However, it is not for us to argue with scientists.

The Truth About Yellowstone Volcano

You cannot boast that you know what a volcano is if you have never heard of Yellowstone, which is located in the USA. What do we know about him?

First of all, Yellowstone is not a high volcano, but for some reason it is called a supervolcano. What is the matter here? And why was it possible to discover Yellowstone only in the 60s of the last century, and even then with the help of satellites?

The fact is that the cone of Yellowstone collapsed after its eruption, resulting in the formation of a caldera. Given its gigantic size (150 km), it is no wonder that people could not see it from Earth. But the collapse of the crater does not mean that the volcano can be reclassified as dormant.

There is still a huge magma chamber under the Yellowstone crater. According to the calculations of scientists, its temperature exceeds 800 ° C. Thanks to this, many thermal springs have formed in Yellowstone, and, in addition, jets of steam, hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide constantly come out to the surface of the earth.

Not much is known about the eruptions of this volcano. Scientists believe that there were only three of them: 2.1 million, 1.27 million and 640 thousand years ago. Given the frequency of eruptions, we can conclude that we may witness the following. I must say that if this really happens, the Earth will face the next Ice Age.

What troubles do volcanoes bring?

Even if you do not take into account the fact that Yellowstone can suddenly wake up, the eruptions that other volcanoes in the world can prepare for us cannot be called harmless either. They lead to huge destruction, especially if the eruption happened suddenly and there was no time to warn or evacuate the population.

The danger is not only lava, which can destroy everything in its path and cause fires. Do not forget about the poisonous gases that spread over vast areas. In addition, the eruption is accompanied by ash emissions, which can cover vast areas.

What to do if the volcano "comes to life"?

So, if you were at the wrong time and in the wrong place when the volcano suddenly woke up, what to do in such a situation?

First of all, you need to know that the speed of the lava is not that great, only 40 km / h, so it is quite possible to run away, or rather, leave it. This must be done in the shortest way, that is, perpendicular to its movement. If this is not possible for some reason, you need to seek shelter on a hill. It is necessary to take into account the likelihood of a fire, therefore, if possible, it is necessary to clean the shelter from ash and incandescent debris.

In open areas, a body of water can save you, although much depends on its depth and the force with which the volcano erupts. The photos that were taken after the eruption show that a person is often defenseless in front of such a powerful force.

If you were among the lucky ones, and your house survived the eruption, be prepared to spend at least a week there.

And most importantly, do not trust those who say that "this volcano has been sleeping for thousands of years." As practice shows, any volcano can wake up (photos of the destruction confirm this), but there is not always someone to tell about it.

Most of the volcanoes on our planet are located in the "ring of fire", which stretches along the shores of the entire Pacific Ocean. And in total there are about 1.5 thousand volcanoes on Earth, of which 540 are active.

Here is a list of the most dangerous ones.

1. Nyiragongo, height 3470 m, Democratic Republic of the Congo

This is one of the most dangerous volcanoes in Africa. Since 1882, 34 eruptions have been recorded here. The main crater is 250 meters deep and 2 km wide, and contains a lake of actively bubbling lava. This lava is unusually fluid and its flows can reach speeds of 100 km/h. In 2002, the eruption killed 147 people and left 120,000 homeless. The last eruption to date occurred in 2016.

2. Taal, height 311 m, Philippines


This is one of the smallest active volcanoes on our planet. It has erupted 34 times since 1572. Located on the island of Luzon, on Lake Taal. The strongest eruption of this volcano in the 20th century occurred in 1911 - 1335 people died in 10 minutes and in general all living things at a distance of up to 10 km. In 1965, 200 people died. Last eruption - 1977

3. Mauna Loa, height 4169 m, Hawaii (USA)


There are many volcanoes in Hawaii, but this is the largest and most dangerous of all. Since 1832, 39 eruptions have been recorded. The last eruption occurred in 1984, the last strong eruption in 1950.

4. Vesuvius, height 1281 m, Italy


One of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world is located just 15 km east of Naples. The most famous historical eruption occurred in 79 AD. As a result of this catastrophe, two cities - Pompeii and Herculaneum - disappeared from the face of the Earth. In modern history, the last eruption of Vesuvius happened in 1944.

5. Merapi, height 2,930 m, Indonesia


This most active active volcano in Indonesia is located on the island of Java near the city of Yogyakarta. "Merapi" is translated as "mountain of fire". The volcano is young, so it puffs with enviable regularity. Large eruptions occur on average every 7 years. In 1930, about 1300 people died, in 1974 two villages were destroyed, in 2010 353 people died. Last eruption - 2011

6. St. Helens, height 2,550 m, USA


Located 154 km from Seattle and 85 km from Portland. The most famous eruption of this active volcano occurred in 1980, when 57 people died. The eruption was of a rare type - "directed explosion". The process of the volcanic eruption and the spread of the ash cloud was photographed by photographer Robert Landsburg, who died during this eruption, but kept the film. The last activity to date was recorded in 2008.

7. Etna, height 3,350 m, Italy


Mount Etna is located on the east coast of Sicily. It is the highest active volcano in Europe. During its existence, it erupted about 200 times. In 1992, one of the largest eruptions was recorded, during which the town of Zafferana barely escaped. On December 3, 2015, the central crater of the volcano threw a fountain of lava to a kilometer high. The last eruption is February 27, 2017.

8. Sakurajima, height 1117 m, Japan


The volcano is located on the Osumi Peninsula of Kyushu Island in the Japanese prefecture of Kagoshima. There is almost always a cloud of smoke above the volcano. The eruptions were recorded on August 18, 2013, in March 2009. The last eruption was recorded on July 26, 2016.

9. Galeras, height 4276 m, Colombia


Over the past 7 thousand years, at least six large eruptions and many small ones have occurred on Galeras. In 1993, during research work in the crater, six volcanologists and three tourists died (then the eruption also began). Latest recorded eruptions: January 2008, February 2009, January and August 2010

10. Popocatepetl, height 5426 m, Mexico


The name translates as "smoking hill". The volcano is located near Mexico City. It has erupted 20 times since 1519. The last eruption was recorded in 2015.

11. Unzen, height 1,500 m, Japan


The volcano is located on the Shimabara Peninsula. The eruption of Mount Unzen in 1792 is one of the five most destructive eruptions in human history in terms of the number of human casualties. The eruption caused a tsunami 55 meters high, which killed more than 15 thousand people. And in 1991, 43 people died during the eruption. No eruptions have been observed since 1996.

12. Krakatoa, height 813 m, Indonesia


This active volcano is located between the islands of Java and Sumatra. Before the historic eruption of 1883, the volcano was much higher and was one large island. However, the most powerful eruption of 1883 destroyed the island and the volcano. Today, Krakatau is still active and small eruptions occur fairly regularly. Last activity - 2014.

13. Santa Maria, height 3,772 m, Guatemala


The first recorded eruption of this volcano occurred in October 1902, before that he "rested" for 500 years. The explosion was heard 800 km away in Costa Rica, and the ash column rose 28 km. About 6 thousand people died. Today the volcano is active. The last eruption was recorded in 2011.

14. Klyuchevskaya Sopka, height 4835 m, Russia


The volcano is located in the east of Kamchatka, 60 km from the coast. It is the largest active volcano in Russia. Over the past 270 years, more than 50 eruptions have been recorded, the last in April 2016.

15. Karymskaya Sopka, height 1468 m, Russia


Also located in Kamchatka. More than 20 eruptions have been recorded since 1852. Eruptions of recent years: 2005, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015 A very restless volcano.

A volcano is a geological formation that is located on cracks in the earth's crust. Through it, volcanic rocks, lava, ash, steam and poisonous gases come to the surface. Scientists are sure that every year 3 new volcanoes appear on our planet. Their total number is huge. More than 600 of them are active active volcanoes. They are located in different parts of the world and pose a serious danger to all living things.

Active volcanoes in Russia

Not all fire-breathing mountains are on land. Often they are located under water. This does not prevent their eruption at all. Fortunately, the most dangerous volcanoes are far beyond the borders of our country, but we also have such dangerous hills. In this article, we will introduce you to the lava-spewing mountains located in our country and abroad, which can be dangerous for people's lives.

Klyuchevskiy Volcano

It is located on the Bering Sea. This is the largest volcano in Russia. This is a whole complex consisting of 12 cones. The height of the volcano is 4750 meters. It has a crater with a diameter of more than half a kilometer. A mountain of perfect cone shape. Active volcanoes constantly emit acrid smoke, which can be seen above the Klyuchevskoy crater. Sometimes you can see bursts of lava. Volcanologists believe that it appeared more than 5,000 years ago. It has come to life more than 50 times over the past three centuries. The most powerful eruptions date back to the 19th century.

Volcano Tolbachik

The Klyuchevskaya group includes several volcanoes. One of them is Tolbachik. Its height is 3682 meters. Experts attribute it to the Hawaiian type of volcanoes. It has two cones - Sharp and Flat. Its diameter is about 2 kilometers. The last eruption was in 1976. It is considered the highest in Eurasia.

Ichinskaya Sopka

There are also active volcanoes in Russia in Kamchatka. In the center of the peninsula is Ichinskaya Sopka. This volcano has three cones, they are covered with glaciers, except for one, which is active. Its height reaches 3621 meters.

Kronotskaya Sopka

The next lava-spewing mountain is located in the east of Kamchatka. Its height is 3528 meters. It is believed that this is one of the largest volcanoes in Russia. It erupts quite rarely. At its very top you can see ice, and forests grow at the base. Near the volcano is the famous Valley of Geysers and Lake Kronotskoe.

Koryaksky volcano

Its highest cone reaches a height of 3456 meters. According to its type, it belongs to stratovolcanoes. Until now, the remains of lava and loose rocks have been found in the valley of the Koryakskaya Sopka.

Volcano Shiveluch

In the north of Kamchatka there is another volcano known to specialists. It is called Shiveluch. The mountain has two cones - Old Shiveluch and Young Shiveluch. The last one is still active. Its height is 3283 meters. This large volcano erupts quite frequently. The last time it happened was in 1964. Volcanologists are sure that the age of this mountain is more than 60 thousand years.

Volcano Avacha

It is located near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Its height is 2741 meters, the diameter of the crater is four hundred meters. The top of Avach is covered with glaciers, dense forests grow at its base. Its last eruption was recorded in 2001.

Volcano Shishel

It is also located in the north of Kamchatka. Shield volcano with a height of 2525 meters. To this day, it is considered active, but the date of the last eruption is not known for certain.

Active volcanoes of the world

These mountains, which spew fire and ash, are dangerous due to their direct impact - the release of thousands of tons of burning lava that can destroy entire cities. In addition, suffocating volcanic gases, the threat of tsunamis, distortion of the terrain and cardinal climate change pose a great danger.

Merali (Indonesia)

Active volcanoes on the islands of Indonesia are very dangerous. One of them is Merapi. It is the most active: powerful eruptions occur here every six to seven years, and small ones occur almost every year. Smoke rises from the crater almost every day, reminding the locals of the imminent threat.

Merali is famous for the largest eruption that occurred in 1006. The medieval state of Mataram suffered from it. The danger of the volcano lies in the fact that it is located near the densely populated city of Yogyakarta.

Sakurajima (Japan)

Often readers are interested in the most active volcanoes. It would be more correct to call them the most active. These include Sakurajima, which has been in a state of activity since 1955. The last eruption occurred in early 2009. Until last year (2014), the volcano was located on a separate island of the same name, but the lava flows froze and connected it to the Osumi Peninsula. The people living in Kagoshima City are used to Sakurajima's behavior and are always ready to take shelter.

Cotopaxi (Ecuador)

The highest active volcanoes are in America. The record holder in this is Cotopaxi, located 50 km from the city of Quito. Its height is 5897 m, depth is 450 m, the crater is 550x800 m in size. At an altitude of 4700 m, the mountain is covered with eternal snow.

Etna (Italy)

This volcano is well known. It has not one main crater, but many small ones. Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe, which is in constant activity. Its height is 3380 meters, its area is 1250 square kilometers.

Small eruptions occur after a few months. Despite this, the Sicilians densely populate the slopes of the volcano, since these places have very fertile soil (due to the presence of minerals and trace elements). The last eruption occurred in May 2011, with minor emissions of dust and ash in April 2013.

Vesuvius (Italy)

The active volcanoes of Italy are two more large mountains, except for Etna. Vesuvius and Stromboli.

In 79, the strongest eruption of Vesuvius destroyed the cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae. Their inhabitants were buried under layers of pumice, lava and mud. The strongest eruption occurred in 1944. Then 60 people died, and the cities of Massa and San Sebastiano were completely destroyed. Scientists have calculated that Vesuvius destroyed nearby cities 80 times. Many active volcanoes in the world are not as well studied as this one. Due to this, researchers consider it the most predictable.

The territory of the volcano is protected. This is a national park that tourists from all over the world like to visit.

Colima (Mexico)

The active volcanoes of this country in our article are Nevado de Colima. Most of the time the mountain is covered with snow. Colima is very active - since 1576 it has erupted 40 times. The strongest eruption occurred in the summer of 2005.

Residents of nearby villages had to be evacuated. A column of ash shot up to a height of 5 km, causing a cloud of dust and smoke behind it.

An ordinary person does not see much difference between "extinct" and "sleeping" volcanoes. In fact, the differences are very significant, because a conditionally “sleeping” volcanic formation can suddenly wake up, and then it will not seem enough to anyone.

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?

The Physics of a Volcano 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, sulfur oxides and, methane, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc.

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

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

The foaming magma begins to move upward, which leads to an even greater drop in pressure, and hence to an acceleration of the process of outgassing from the magma.

Accordingly, the probability of his awakening tends to zero.

List of famous extinct volcanoes in the world

Volcanoes that do not pose any threat are located on all seven continents: in North and South America, Asia, Africa, Europe, Antarctica and Australia.

To date, there are over two hundred extinct volcanoes in the world. The most characteristic 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 around 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 form in the form of a gentle cone does not end with a crater destroyed by erosion, but with a steep peak.

Arayat

It is located in Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines. The highest point is 1025 meters.

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

Damavand

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

Damavend has the shape of a gentle cone and rises above Elburz for one and a half kilometers. The volcanic cone was formed by andesitic lava, but there are also glaciers on the slopes.

Sajama (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 known for certain, but many scientists insist on the epoch of the Quaternary Holocene, i.e. about 12 thousand years ago.

Sajama is a classic cone-shaped stratovolcano, composed of hardened lava and its debris. At an altitude of more than 6000 meters, it is covered with never-melting snow and ice.

Aconcagua

It is considered the highest extinct volcano located all in the same Andes, but already on Argentinean territory. The peak is located at around 6961 meters above sea level.

Aconcagua, he is considered not only the champion among his fellows, but also the highest point of the southern and western hemispheres. For these merits, he even got into the list of the highest peaks of the six parts of the world "Seven Summits".

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

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

Excursions to extinct volcanoes

The traditional excursion lasts 1-2 days and involves either climbing to the peaks by helicopters or hiking.

Some volcanoes are even equipped with special areas where tourists can stop and enjoy the natural views from high altitudes.

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 hiking trip and get an unforgettable experience.