The highest geyser. Six famous geyser fields of the world

Iceland is one of the northernmost and most successful countries in the world. Her small population fully satisfies its needs through fishing and energy, built on the hydrothermal energy of geysers and volcanoes. Visiting the country of geysers is a dream of many travelers. Harsh attracts not only with stunning beauty, but also with amazing opportunities.

First impression

Iceland is a country of geysers and volcanoes. Literally translated as "country of ice". This Island state with a small mono-ethnic population - approximately 322 thousand inhabitants (as of 2016). The bulk is concentrated in cities, which can be reached by water, air and highways. The middle part of the country is practically deserted, it is occupied by vast glaciers, geysers, volcanoes, etc.

Icelandic is one of the oldest languages ​​in the world. It is directly related to the language of the Vikings, who owned this island back in the 8th-9th centuries. The desire to preserve is enshrined at the state level. Instead of foreign concepts that easily come into use, they come up with their own, having common roots with the Icelandic and Old Norse languages ​​(part of linguistic purism), thus consolidating their own traditions.

The nature of Iceland is amazing. It is she who attracts travelers from all over the world. In historical chronicles, the island was described as wooded mountains on the seashore, but over time, the forests almost disappeared, giving way to mountains and glaciers. Vegetation today occupies only a quarter of the island, the rest is a land of ice, fire and geysers.

Cities

The largest cities in the country of geysers are Reykjavik, Kopavogur, Akureyri, Hafnarfjordur, Akranes, Husavik, Seydisfjordur. With just over 202,000 inhabitants, Reykjavik, the capital, is the most densely populated city countries. There are also those where the population does not exceed a thousand.

Reykjavik is the most northern capital Europe, literally translated as "bay of smoke." Founded and named by the Vikings, it surprises with its proximity thermal waters, geysers and a snow dormant volcano with legendary history- Esya. That's enough modern city fit together Newest technologies with ethnographic buildings and a measured way of life of urban residents. Moderate temperature, proximity to glaciers and the presence of thermal springs make this place attractive for those who improve their health by swimming in the water. different temperatures. And for local residents, thermal springs are a year-round open pool where you can hold business negotiations or just enjoy being in the healing water.

Volcanoes

Most tourists who come to the land of ice, fire and geysers dream of seeing volcanoes at least from afar. The history of the island and even Europe is connected with them, the eruptions of some led to crop failure, famine and a decrease in the number of inhabitants.

Today, some of the country's volcanoes are considered dormant, about 25 active volcanoes are located on the island. Last eruption recorded in the south of the country in May 2011 (Grimsvotn volcano). Some volcanic systems have been mastered by mountain tourists, among them the Kerling Sulur volcano (Northern Iceland) should be noted.

Geysers

In which country are geysers not only a target extreme tourism and scientific research, but also a source of useful energy? Without a doubt, Iceland is a leader in the field of geothermal energy.

Today, the country's economy is almost completely built on the energy of geysers. Most famous geysers: Big Geyser, Stokkur and some others. Like volcanoes, they are animated by the locals and have their own legends. The highest geyser is Stokkur. It throws jets of boiling water and steam to a height of up to 200 meters. Most of the geysers are not harmless - it is not recommended to approach them, even if they just slowly bubble up without rising in height.

Most popular place associated with the action of geyser energy is Blue Lagoon, in which the boiling water of the geyser mixes with the salty water of the ocean, forming healing pools in which you can swim. The Blue Lagoon is considered one of the symbols of the country of geysers; it attracts not only tourists, but also people who want to improve their health.

Water element

Numerous volcanic eruptions and glaciers contributed to the formation water system Iceland. The most long river Iceland - Thjoursau, flowing out of the glacier and flowing into Atlantic Ocean. It is an enchanting sight with waterfalls and canyons.

Some rivers and lakes of the country of geysers attract lovers of fishing. Salmon and trout in these places reach especially large sizes. For a long time, the main industry of the country was fishing, so fishing is still one of the main activities. In the tourist segment, the country of geysers and fishing attracts those who do not want to follow the rules sports tourism. Here all the fish caught belongs to the fisherman.

waterfalls

Iceland's waterfalls are another source of natural energy and a reason to get to know unusual nature this country. Here is the largest waterfall in Europe - Dettifoss. Its height is 44 m, width - 100 m. Hafragilfoss competes with it - 27 meters in height and 91 m in width. Located nearby, they invariably attract tourists with their pristine strength. All waterfalls in Iceland are not equipped to visit, they look completely virgin. This is what attracts travelers.

Iceland is a country of geysers, volcanoes and waterfalls. Unusual and rock formations, glaciers and rivers, volcanic lakes with piercingly clean air and blue skies set the tone for this harsh earth, inviting here those who want to immerse themselves in the world of wild and pristine nature.

1. Valley of Geysers, Russia The Valley of Geysers was discovered 7 years after the foundation of the Kronotsky Reserve. It happened in the summer of 1941 during the expedition of Tatyana Ustinova and Anisifor Krupenin. The inaccessibility of the Valley of Geysers did not allow to discover this unique place earlier. However, even today not everyone can see the Kamchatka geysers. Firstly, you can only get to them by helicopter, and secondly, visiting only with the permission of the administration. The Valley of Geysers is a gorge up to 4 km wide and 8 km long, along the bottom of which the Geysernaya River flows. About 40 geysers, thermal springs, mud pots and volcanoes have stuck around the slopes of the canyon for 6 km from the mouth of the river. The Velikan geyser is considered the pride of the valley. It erupts infrequently - its cycle is 5-7 hours. But when he wakes up, a jet of boiling water rises 20-30 meters high under pressure, and puffs of steam can reach 300 meters! Five years ago, the youngest geyser in Russia spouted 14 km from the Valley of Geysers. It became an unexpected discovery for the employees of the Kronotsky Reserve, when on September 28, 2008, a stream of boiling water rose up from under the Kamchatka earth in the middle of one of the most active hydrothermal systems in Kamchatka in the Uzon Valley. It is assumed that the Pulsating source hit this place earlier. The tourists who were nearby at that moment were allowed to name the newly formed “fountain”. If the staff of the reserve did not change their minds in time, the geyser was named "Cool". In the end, they called him "Muddy". At first, it erupted every 15-20 minutes, after a year - about every 12 minutes, in 2010 - an hour and forty minutes. Today, the jet of steam rises 5-6 meters every 2-3 hours, but its cycle depends on the weather. The geyser responds to strong winds and temperature difference, which is reflected in its activity.

2. Yellowstone, USA

3. Haukadalur, Iceland

4. Waimangu, New Zealand

5. El Tatio, Chile

6. Beppu, Japan

Geyser - natural source, from which shoots upward jets of boiling water or columns of steam. There are not very many large active geysers in the world, but each of them literally fascinates, attracts the eye with its beauty. Countries on whose lands such sources exist can rightly be proud of this miracle created by nature itself. We bring to your attention some of the most beautiful geysers on our planet.

The most famous geyser site in the world is Yellowstone Park. On its territory there are many sources of various sizes. One of the most picturesque is the geyser called Behive. The source throws hot water high into the air for 5 minutes, then subsides for 10 or even 20 hours. The height of the jet can reach 60 m. The frequency of emissions is directly dependent on the time of the year.

This geyser is also located in Yellowstone Park, but unlike Beehive, it erupts boiling water much more often, though not so high - only 27 meters. The frequency of emissions is from 10 to 12 hours, the duration of the eruption is about 60 minutes, of which a jet of seething boiling water rises into the sky for 1/3 hour, and then for another 40 minutes a column of steam is released. Especially beautiful erupting "Castle" looks in the sun.

In literal translation, the name of the source means Old Servant (Faithful Servant). The name of the geyser was given by Henry D. Washburn, one of the participants in the expedition of 1870, when he discovered that the source spews boiling water with enviable regularity. For one eruption, up to 32,000 liters of water are ejected from the source. The height of the boiling fountain during a 1.5-5 minute eruption reaches 56 meters.

The interval between emissions is from 35 minutes to 2 hours. Over the years, this figure has remained unchanged. Exactly on observation deck the largest number of tourists gather near the old campaigner, who want to capture the boiling fountains in photos and videos.

Another geyser on the territory of Yellowstone Park. Its distinguishing feature is its height - Steamboat is the highest active water volcano in the park. The time of eruptions of this geyser is unpredictable, but if you are lucky to catch this extraordinary phenomenon, you can witness a boiling fountain rising 90 m high. The spectacle is very impressive.

In the middle basin of the "water volcanoes" of Yellowstone, there are many different-sized geysers. Among them, Grand Prismatic Spring is considered the most popular - its waters, thanks to the bacteria living in them, are painted in many bright colors and shades.

In the lower basin of the Yellowstown Reserve, there is the only geyser of its kind, the eruptions of which can be predicted quite accurately. Emissions of hot water into the atmosphere occur at intervals of 9-15 hours. Usually a geyser throws out fountains of water and steam for one hour, but there have been cases when the eruption lasted about 120 minutes.

This is a whole field, dotted with hot springs, in which a thick gray mass gurgles and bubbles. This field is located in Bolivia, 4.8 km above sea level. Once in this place, you can imagine yourself as the hero of a science fiction movie about Mars. In addition to craters with bubbling clay, one can also observe pools of hot lava here.

This geyser is located in New Zealand, in the valley of geysers near the volcano city of Rotorua. locals call this spring the feathers of the Prince of Wales. The geyser throws out 30-meter jets of boiling water with a frequency of once every 20 minutes.

This thermal spring is located in Iceland near a river called Hvitau. The frequency of eruptions, during which boiling water bursts out in a fountain up to 20 m in height, is from 10 to 30 times per hour. At times, a geyser can spew boiling water three times in a row.

The geyser is located in Idaho (USA). Its eruptions are under control, which makes it the most "peaceful" water volcano on our planet. The spring throws out a 40-meter column of water every hour.

This source "came to life" relatively recently, and Bolshoi is located in the Valley of Geysers (Kamchatka), which has about 20 large geysers. They were all concentrated in almost one place. But Special attention tourists are attracted by the "Big" geyser - during the eruption, its fountain beats in a cascade, and not in an even stream, like in many other sources.

This unremarkable geyser was not known in the world until someone posted a photo of it on the Internet. Thanks to the skillfully selected angle and the play of light, a small source looked like a real giant-handsome in the picture about three peaks surrounded by the unknown mountain lake. In fact, the Fly Geyser reaches a height of no more than one and a half meters. In fact, Fly is not even a geyser, but a constantly beating thermal spring that was born as a result of human activity.

In the 16th year of the last century, a well was drilled on the ranch of the same name in order to make a well, but by chance, a geothermal pocket was hit by a drill. In the mid-60s, hot water rose to the surface of the soil. Gradually, a multi-colored tubercle of minerals dissolved in water began to grow in this place.

For more than half a century, Fly has grown to 1.5 meters, and continues to grow to this day. If this continues, then the source has every chance one day to be recognized worldwide as the most beautiful thermal spring on Earth.

A hundred years ago, after the terrifying eruption of the Taravera volcano, a geyser of impressive size formed on one of the islands of New Zealand: a column of ejected water from the bowels of the Earth exceeded four hundred meters. The fountain was black, it either rose up, then calmed down for two days - and again set to work. So, it went on for several years, until a huge boiling lake was formed. This is where the relationship arose - volcanoes and geysers.

Naturally, not all geysers act in this way and create miracles of this magnitude, but the fact that volcanoes and geysers are interconnected is a fact, since they are manifestations of a late stage volcanic activity and you can see them only where the fire-breathing mountains are located.

A geyser is a source that, as water accumulates in it, with an explosion and a roar, throws out a column of water above the earth's surface, the temperature of which often exceeds 100 ° C (at the same time, it can be either quite low or spewing a stream of as much as 80 meters up). This fountain beats for a while, then calms down, the steam disappears, and almost nothing reminds of past activity. big geyser only works in places where volcanoes are either still active or were active until recently.

This amazing natural phenomenon got its name in honor of one of the oldest known to people Icelandic geysers Geysir (in translation means "break through") from the world-famous Haukadalur Valley, (Valley of Geysers).

Appearance

A geyser is not always a tall fountain, sometimes the jet splashes low or appears in the form of splashes, and some are ordinary pools of boiling water. They are usually surrounded by stony, often multi-colored formations, somewhat reminiscent of beautiful artificial lattices. The source is lined with silica (geyserite), which falls to the surface of the earth along with a hot turbulent stream.

Such rocky formations can often take up several tens of square meters, or begin to grow upwards. For example, around the Velikan, the largest geyser in Kamchatka (whose fountain is several tens of meters), the size of the geyserite site is no less impressive, like its name, and occupies about a hectare, while the streaks on it extremely strongly resemble small gray-yellow roses.

Such rocky springs can take a different form:

• Basin;
• Crater;
• bowls;
• Low, very flat dome;
• Rocky formation in the form of cones with truncated contours and steep slopes;
• In some cases, the form is completely unusual and bizarre, for example, when minerals form a flower or crystals.

Before the water begins to erupt, it slowly fills the rocky formation, seethes and splashes. After the fountain calms down, the pool is completely free of water. If you know for sure that the geyser will not throw out a new stream now, you can take a chance and (with the permission of the guide) look inside - then the curious will be able to see the vent, which goes far into the bowels of the Earth. These springs are located not only at the bottom, but also on the walls of rocky formations.

Education

A geyser is formed only where the magma that has not cooled down after the eruption is located as close as possible to the surface of the Earth. Hot magma constantly emits a huge amount of gases and vapors, which rise up through all the cracks accessible to them, thus falling into the caves created when the volcano erupted. These caves are a whole labyrinth, the grottoes of which, filled with underground waters, are connected by tunnels or cracks.

Magmatic gases and vapors, mixing with deep waters, heat them up and at the same time not only become part of the boiling water themselves, but also dissolve minerals and other substances in it.

After that, the water does not stop its movement, since the hot lower layer becomes less dense - and rushes up (at the same time, cooler water sinks down, where it also heats up). There are two options for ejecting boiling water, since exactly how a geyser will erupt depends largely on the size of the caves, the shape and location of cracks / channels, and how fast they move through them The groundwater and, of course, on their number: through a wide channel of regular shape, a jet of boiling water is easily brought out, and if the source is narrow, winding, then:

• Water is heated unevenly, which is why it becomes too hot below, but due to pressure from above, it is not able to turn into steam, and it is also not able to go upstairs.
• This situation cannot continue for a long time, so the water vapor takes the form of bubbles.
• Bubbles, squeezed from all sides, try to increase, and begin to squeeze out the top layer of water from below, literally pushing it to the surface, thus, a series of small fountains is obtained, symbolizing the approach of a larger eruption.
• When the water splashes out, the upper layer of water on the lower one does not press as hard as before - and allows the excessively hot water to be converted into steam. Therefore, after some time, huge jets of hot water fly up above the ground, surrounded by puffs of steam.

The geyser stops spewing water only when underground caves, completely leaves the water. The next eruption will take place no sooner than the groundwater fills the underground labyrinths again and does not heat up there to the desired temperature. At the same time, it is worth noting that a geyser is regular - the duration of the eruption both as a whole and at its individual stages is constant each time and it can be predicted and irregular - the period between emissions of the same geyser can last from a couple of minutes to several days, at the same time, the duration of individual stages, as well as the size of the fountain, will be different each time.

Possible dangers

Despite the fact that this phenomenon from afar is an extremely beautiful spectacle, it is advisable to observe it from a distance and not get closer, unless there are appropriate instructions from the guide.

The ground around them is so hot that, having stepped in the wrong place, it would seem, on green grass, it is quite possible to find yourself in the middle of a burning slurry - and the leg, without meeting support, will easily go down (and not all boots can protect from burns).

It is dangerous to come close to a geyser filled with boiling water, because with any careless movement you can fall into it and get boiled alive, as often happens with careless animals. Or another trouble may befall when a person looks into the source, and water suddenly splashes out from there.

The theory that everything that nature has created is useful for humans does not justify itself in this case at all - the water in geysers not only does not bring any benefit to the human body, but is also dangerous for it, since it contains various toxic elements, such like mercury, arsenic, antimony.

Why is this phenomenon useful?

Many countries have learned to use the geyser for good. For example, in Iceland, with its help, they not only receive electricity, heat houses, but also equip greenhouses in which flowers are grown, tropical fruits and vegetables, and some greenhouses, to the delight of the inhabitants, were turned into parks (there are extremely few trees in this country, and greenery on the street is not typical even in summer).

A powerful fountain of hot water and steam from the ground - have you ever seen this? If this happens under your windows, then most likely you need to urgently call the emergency service. But in nature, this phenomenon is called a geyser.

Geysers are found only in areas of volcanic activity. And although there are plenty of volcanoes on Earth, there are not so many geysers, since certain thermodynamic conditions are required for their occurrence.

The largest groups of geysers are concentrated in only 5 places on our planet: in Kamchatka, in Iceland, North America, New Zealand and Chile. There is another small group of geysers in Japan and China. And in the photo above -.

Valley of Geysers, Kamchatka

The Valley of Geysers in Kamchatka was discovered relatively recently - in 1941. All sources are located in the Kronotsky Reserve on an area of ​​​​four square kilometers on the slopes of a flowering canyon, along the bottom of which the Geysernaya River flows.

At the time of the opening of the valley, there were more than 40 geysers, but after the landslide in 2007, their number decreased. However, the valley has not lost its beauty because of this; it still attracts the attention of tourists and scientists from all over the Earth. The largest geysers on this moment the Grotto and the Giant remain in the valley, they throw out up to 60 tons of boiling water.

thermal springs affect the flora and fauna in the valley. unique plants and lichens cover the slopes of the valley. The land around the springs is warm, so bears often come here to warm themselves, which, as you know, are very numerous in Kamchatka.

Haukadalur Valley, Iceland

Just a hundred kilometers from the capital of Iceland, Reykjavik, there is another beautiful valley of geysers - Haukadalur. Due to the high seismic activity in this part of the Earth, the Haukadalur valley is constantly changing.

The valley is famous for the "oldest" geyser called Geysir. This is the very first geyser discovered by man in the 13th century, which gave its name to this natural phenomenon. However, it was investigated only in 1847. Another geyser that brings fame to this valley is Strokkur. It erupts every 3-10 minutes, throwing out a column of steam and hot water to a height of 20-30 meters.

Water in nearby springs and streams flowing from this geyser reaches a temperature of 100 degrees Celsius. In total, there are about 30 small geysers and hot springs in the valley. The most interesting of them, Blesi (orig. Blesi), consists of two closely spaced pools. This is perhaps the most spectacular source. In one of the pools, the water is colored deep blue due to the silicon compounds it contains. The water temperature here does not exceed 40°C. But in the neighboring pool, the water is clear and its temperature reaches 100°C.

The valley is also famous for its waterfall. Gullfoss(orig. Gullfoss), which is an impressive sight. The waterfall consists of two steps, turned at right angles to each other. The total height difference is 70 meters.

Geysers in the reserve Yellowstone, USA

In the territory national park Yellowstone national park) in the United States is the largest number of geysers on earth - about three hundred geysers. And there are about ten thousand geothermal sources. First geothermal source was discovered in 1807, and was investigated only in 1869. Springs and geysers are located in the caldera of the dormant Yellowstone volcano.

One of the most famous geysers in Yellowstone is Old Faithful. It erupts every 90 minutes, throwing from 14,000 to 32,000 liters of boiling water to a height of 30-56 meters. Another famous geyser in Yellowstone Park is Steamboat Geyser. It can erupt a fountain of hot water and steam to a height of over 90 meters. The highest and most unpredictable geyser in the world: the interval between eruptions ranges from 4 days to 50 years.

national park remarkable not only for the presence of geysers, it is based on the site of a supervolcano, the eruptions of which are among the largest on Earth. Major eruptions Volcanoes occur approximately every 600,000 years.

In addition to geysers, there is a unique place on Earth - Mammoth Hot Springs. They were created over millennia following in in large numbers from underground hot water and calcium deposits.

The territory of the park is beautiful and multifaceted - rocky peaks, deep canyons, rivers, meadows. The park is home to the largest herds of American bison in the world, wolves, grizzly bears, moose, bison and other animals.

Valley of Geysers Rotorua, New Zealand

Geotreme springs in New Zealand were discovered in 1850 and exploration began in 1867. To develop tourism in the middle of the Rotorua Valley, near the lake of the same name, a city of the same name was built. Already by 1880, Rotorua became famous for its unique pink and white terraces, formed as a result of volcanic activity on the shores of Lake Rotomahana. Subsequently, this amazing creation of nature was destroyed during a volcanic eruption. The valley is located on Severny Island and is famous for the fact that all kinds of manifestations of natural thermal activity are found here.

Hot mud springs, geysers, volcanoes are just around the corner - all surrounded by an idyllic tropical landscape with great biodiversity. Around the geysers are lakes, the water of which is colored in bright colors, depending on the minerals present.

Tatio Geyser Valley, Chile

On the border of Chile with Bolivia, at an altitude of 4320 meters above sea level, in the Andes, there is the highest mountain geyser field in the world - El Tatio (Spanish: El Tatio).

It is the largest geyser field in the southern hemisphere. About 80 geysers release boiling water from the depths of the earth. The height of the fountains of these geysers can reach 7 meters. Geysers begin to operate before dawn and go out by 9-10 am with warming up the morning air. Boiling water, steam, sulfur and various minerals form at dawn a fantastic picture of many colors constantly changing in the light of the first rays of the sun.

Near the geysers are thermal wells with warm mineral water. The water here is rich in sulfur, sodium and potassium, and its temperature reaches 49 degrees Celsius.