Monthly Archives: March 2020
Of course, lake Quilotoa is one of the most interesting and beautiful places in South America. Hidden at the height of three thousand nine hundred meters above sea level in the Ecuadorian Andes, it fills the crater of a long extinct volcano. During the last eruption, which took place 800 years ago, lava escaped from the volcano Quilotoa, potekla to the shore of the Pacific ocean. It was then that Caldera was formed, whose diameter reaches three kilometers.
The depth of the lake in the crater reaches 250 meters. On the same day, there are fumaroles, through which from the depths of the Earth comes out of volcanic gas. On the East side of lake Quilotoa hot springs. Such conditions did crater lake and its surroundings are the habitat of rare species of animals and plants.
With the Quechua language the word “quilotoa” translates as “Royal tooth”. Although it is unclear what the Indians gave the lake its name. Perhaps because the lake surrounded by mountains looks like a huge stone bowl with a serrated edge. Interestingly, although about Quilotoa often spoken of as the emerald eye of the Andes, its color constantly changing. In bright Sunny weather, the surface water looks really blue and emerald, but in rain or storm lake becomes almost Continue reading
The expedition of scientists has completed the investigation of the case that occurred August 21, 1985. On this day over the North shores of lake Nyos in Western Cameroon held a suffocating cloud of gas that left the victims 1746. In the village of Nyos, Soboma, Cha and Fang almost did not remain of the inhabitants, killed all livestock, poultry and even insects.
Since this lake is situated in the crater of a volcano, considered dormant, many researchers, who arrived here shortly after the tragedy, suggested that the volcano came to life and ejected by the eruption of poisonous gas, passing through water, poison on everything in its path alive.
The survey, carried out by expeditions from Italy, France, Japan, Nigeria, Switzerland, the USA and the UK, found that damaged vegetation along the banks of the lake. The foliage was covered with a brown film. In some places the leaves were black and shrivelled, as from cold. The conclusion was: it is a consequence of the fact that gas emitted from the depths of the lake, extending, cooled and iced foliage. It is known that the selection of dissolved carbon dioxide CO2 is the absorption of energy and therefore causes cooling. In this case cooling could be 10 degrees. The first attempts to take chemical samples of deep water were unsuccessful: when lifting vessels Continue reading
The topography and climate of South America determined its exceptional richness of surface and underground waters, the huge amount of runoff, the presence of flowing rivers of the world — the Amazon. Occupying 12% of the Earth’s land area South America receives about 2 times more (1643 mm) average rainfall per unit throughout the area. Full river flow is 27% of the total runoff of the Earth, the average runoff depth (58 cm) is also almost 2 times higher than the average value for the entire land. But the volume of flow fluctuates dramatically by mainland — from several mm to hundreds see Very unevenly distributed and the river between the basins of the oceans: the Pacific in 12 times less than the Atlantic basin (the watershed between them is mainly on the ridges of the Andes); in addition, about 10% of the territory Yu. a. refers to areas of internal drainage that crosses the continent from the Gulf of Guayaquil through the Central Andean plateau to the southern pampas. The river is dominated by rain feed, in the extreme South — also snow-glacial.
The higher layer of the medium annual flow 150-400 cm (up to 90% of precipitation) reaches in the South of Chile, due not only abundant Continue reading