The height above sea level is 1122 m. The volcano's caldera is about 3 km in diameter, and there are several crater lakes at its bottom. The volcano was inactive for 9400-9500 years, until a major eruption began on May 2, 2008, with ejecta reaching 30 km in height. On May 6, the lava reached the village, and almost the entire population within a radius of 50 km was evacuated. (NASA Photo):

Volcano Sarycheva, Russia

Sarychev Volcano is an active stratovolcano on the island of Matua in the Great Kuril Ridge; one of the most active volcanoes Kuril Islands. The early stage of the 2009 eruption was recorded on June 12 from the International space station. (NASA Photo):

Klyuchevskaya Sopka, Russia

Klyuchevskaya Sopka (Klyuchevskoy volcano) is an active stratovolcano in the east of Kamchatka. With a height of 4,850 m, it is the highest active volcano on the Eurasian continent. The volcano is approximately 7,000 years old. (NASA Photo):

Volcano Klyuchevskaya Sopka. Also see the article “Volcanoes of Kamchatka”. (NASA Photo):

Pavlova Volcano, Alaska

Pavlova Volcano is an active stratovolcano near the southern tip of the Alaska Peninsula. The diameter of the volcano is approximately 7 km. It is one of the most active volcanoes in Alaska, with more than 40 historical eruptions. The last major volcanic eruption occurred in 2013. (NASA Photo | ISS Crew Earth Observations):

Puyehue, Chile

Puyehue is an active volcano in southern Chile. The height above sea level of the peak is 2,236 m. On June 4, 2011, several small tremors occurred in the area of ​​the volcano, and in the evening an eruption began. A huge column of smoke and ash rose above the Puyehue volcano. A cloud of volcanic ash moves with the wind towards Argentina. According to the country's National Geology and Mining Service, the volcano emitted an ash column up to 10 km high. (NASA Photo | GSFC | Jeff Schmaltz | MODIS Land Rapid Response Team):

Eruption of Eyjafjallajokull volcano, Iceland

The eruption of a volcano near the Eyjafjallajökull glacier in Iceland began on the night of March 20/21, 2010. The main consequence of the eruption was the release of a cloud of volcanic ash, which disrupted air traffic in Northern Europe. (NASA Photo | GSFC | Jeff Schmaltz | MODIS Land Rapid Response Team):

Volcano Nyiragongo, Congo

Since 1882, 34 eruptions have been recorded; At the same time, it also happened that volcanic activity continued continuously for many years. The main crater of the volcano is 250 meters deep and 2 km wide; a lava lake sometimes forms in it. One of Nyiragongo's most powerful eruptions occurred in 1977; then several hundred people died from the fiery streams. (NASA Photo):

Shin-Moedake Volcano, Japan

Following a powerful earthquake, the Shin-Moedake volcano awoke in Japan. It is located in the southwest of the country - on the island of Kyushu. The volcano threw piles of stones into the sky, and a giant ash cloud formed over the mountain. (NASA Photo | Jeff Schmaltz | MODIS Rapid Response Team):

Volcano Merapi, Indonesia

Merapi is the largest in Indonesia active volcano, located on the island of Java near the city of Yogyakarta. Height 2914 meters. Major eruptions occur on average every 7 years. One of the most destructive eruptions was recorded in 1673, when several cities and many villages at the foot of the volcano were destroyed. . (NASA Photo):

Volcano Api, Indonesia

Api is one of the most active active volcanoes in Indonesia on the island of Sangeang. The height of the volcano is 1,949 meters. (NASA Photo):

Volcano Etna, Italy

Etna is an active stratovolcano located on east coast Sicily. This is the highest active volcano in Europe. Now the height of Etna is 3,329 m above sea level. Etna is the largest active volcano in Italy, more than 2.5 times larger than its closest “rival” Vesuvius. According to various sources, Etna has from 200 to 400 side volcanic craters. On average, once every three months, lava erupts from one or another crater. Also see the article "

They say that Prometheus was chained to one of the rocks of this particular mountain because he gave fire to people. It was here, according to Homer, that Jason went for the Golden Fleece. There are also legends that it was Elbrus that was the first piece of Earth that Noah encountered after the Flood, and his ship literally hit the peak and split it.

The Elbrus stratovolcano is located some distance from the Bolshoi Caucasian ridge(20 km north) and is highest point Russia. Since there is no clearly defined border between Asia and Europe, many believe that it is the highest mountain peak of the European continent, whose height is 5642 meters.

Elbrus was formed somewhat differently than the others Caucasus Mountains, of which it is a part: they appeared earlier, about 5 million years ago, and are folded in nature. And the volcano was formed later, about 1 million years ago, as a result of complex and long-term geological processes: first the western peak appeared, and then, with east side side crater, a second cone began to form. Nowadays, the volcano is not active, but it cannot be called extinct either: manifestations of volcanic activity are still observed here.

What Elbrus looks like

The nature here is diverse: mountain meadows, rare plants and animals, coniferous forests, stormy rivers leave no one indifferent, and some time ago a volcano was created in the area national park“Elbrus region”, and therefore you can’t hunt, cut down forests, or do construction here.

At the foot of Elbrus there is a huge number of extremely beautiful gorges, and on the northern side there is the famous Dzhyly-Su tract with mineral thermal springs and the most beautiful waterfalls with a height of 20 to 40 meters, among which the Sultan waterfall located in the upper reaches of the Malki River stands out.




On the slope of a mountain, at an altitude of about three hundred meters, is located huge size ice lake Jikaugenköz. In its middle part rises a reminiscent medieval castle Kalitsky Peak, whose height exceeds 3.5 km, where there is a site with religious sanctuaries, which were created from large stones.

The volcano itself looks like this:

  • Elbrus has two peaks, each of which represents two independent volcanoes, connected by a saddle, the height of which is 5.3 km. The distance between the peaks is about three kilometers;
  • The eastern, younger cone is slightly lower than the western one, and its height is 5621 m. It has a clearly defined crater with a diameter of 200 meters and a depth of about 80 m;
  • The height of the western peak is almost extinct volcano– 5642 meters, crater diameter – 600 meters, depth – 300 m, and the upper part of the volcano is partially destroyed;
  • The slopes of the mountain are mostly gentle, but closer to the top, starting at 4 thousand km, the angle of inclination increases to 35 degrees;
  • On the northern and western side of Elbrus there is a huge number of sheer cliffs about 700 meters high;
  • Starting from a height of 3.5 km, the volcano is covered with rocks and glaciers; in total, there are about 70 glaciers on Elbrus, the area of ​​which exceeds 130 km². The water flowing from the glaciers of Elbrus creates three main streams that feed the main rivers of this region - Baksan, Kuban and Malka;
  • The surface of the volcano, free of glaciers, is covered with loose rocks;
  • Snow cover remains on the top of Elbrus throughout the whole year.


On the northern slope of the mountain, at an altitude of about 3 km, there is a Birjal lava tract with a huge number of remains of melted sand, which, under the influence of precipitation, weathering, and soil erosion, collapsed and created numerous piles of bizarre shapes, forming grottoes and caves. They hang over each other, forming bridges, arches, consoles and, diverging in different directions, taking on various bizarre shapes.

Volcano activity

It is believed that over the entire period of its existence, the active volcano has exhibited volcanic activity about four times, and the age of the oldest volcanic rocks of this mountain is about three million years.

The volcano showed its greatest volcanic activity about 225 thousand years ago, then its activity gradually subsided, and the last time it erupted about two thousand years ago (according to scientists, it was around 50 AD). Despite the fact that this eruption was not recorded anywhere, lava flows up to 24 km and 260 km long dating back to this period were discovered on the mountain. sq. volcanic debris, indicating that the emissions were quite strong.


Although the volcano has not been reminiscent of itself for an extremely long time, volcanologists consider it not extinct, but dormant (active), since it demonstrates active external and internal activity - primarily this is manifested in the release of sulfuric acid and chloride gases on the eastern slopes, as well as in the presence world famous minerals thermal springs“Hot Narzan”, the temperature of which reaches +52° C and +60º C (apparently, the magma chamber of the volcano is located at a depth of 6-7 km from the earth’s surface).

Many scientists agree that the volcano is unlikely to awaken in the next two or three centuries.

Some scientists believe that Elbrus may well become active already in this century (though not earlier than in fifty years), arguing their conclusions not only by the manifestation of fumarolic activity by the volcano, but also because of the colony of green mosses discovered on the western peak of the mountain. The ground temperature in this place was +21ºС, while the temperature indicators environment showed sub-zero temperature (-20º C).

Elbrus weather

Not everyone who starts climbing Elbrus will be able to conquer it, especially if he decides to do it in the off-season - in spring or autumn. Closer to the top, even well-prepared climbers can be stopped not only by the severe cold, but also by the terrifying strength of the wind, which knocks them down, gusts reaching 100 km/h.

The most stubborn can, despite the bad weather, reach a height of 4 thousand km, but such weather will stop anyone - snow, storm and temperature of minus thirty degrees; in these conditions, going up is extremely dangerous for life.


Since warm and humid Mediterranean and Black Sea cyclones meet cold Antarctic ones near Elbrus, the climate of Elbrus is extremely changeable: summer heat quickly gives way to bitter cold, and clouds in a few minutes can cover an entire mountain, hiding absolutely all landmarks - and the traveler will have to rely only on his instincts .

Moist air currents coming from the Black Sea cause numerous precipitation on Elbrus, mainly in the form of snow, which high altitude can fall out both at sub-zero and positive temperatures. The most precipitation falls here in summer and winter, which is why the most favorable time for climbing is November, when a constant dense snow cover is established, and winter.

The most dangerous period for climbing the volcano is the spring or autumn months: the weather at this time is bad and unstable, and the temperature at the peaks even in May can drop to -50 degrees Celsius. So, several years ago, a group of twelve climbers attempted to climb the volcano at the end of spring. But due to a sharp deterioration in the weather and loss of visibility, the climbers got lost, and then completely froze to death - only one person was able to go down.

Elbrus rescue station

To avoid such situations, it was decided to create a rescue shelter on Elbrus - work began in 2007 and was completed five years later. Construction was not easy, since materials and fastening systems had to be delivered to great heights, which was done using a helicopter. The shelter was first opened in 2010, but a month later a hurricane completely destroyed the building.


Considering the need for such a structure, it was decided to restore the shelter, but make it smaller and more wind-resistant - and by August 2012, the highest rescue shelter on the European continent was built on the saddle of Elbrus (5300 above sea level).

Volcanic eruptions are an interesting but dangerous phenomenon. Rarely does anyone dare to come close to them. And most of the photographs are from the air, which is no less dangerous. Have you seen what eruptions look like from space?

1. Stratovolcano Sarychev

Eruption of the 1,446-meter Sarychev stratovolcano on Kuril Islands, taken by NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The shock wave dispersed the clouds, which is why the astronauts were able to take such a detailed and detailed shot.

2. Wolf

Eruption of Wolf, the tallest volcano in the world Galapagos Islands. The height of the volcano is 1,710 meters, and a lake with several fragile islands has formed directly in its crater. Last eruption started May 25, 2015.

3. Klyuchevskaya Sopka Volcano

Klyuchevskaya Sopka Volcano, also known as Klyuchevskoy Volcano, is an active stratovolcano in eastern Kamchatka. This is the highest (4,835 m) active volcano on the Eurasian continent, which is over 7,000 years old.

4. Etna

Etna is the largest European stratovolcano, located on the east coast of Sicily, near the cities of Messina and Catania. Now the height of Etna is 3,329 m above sea level, and it often changes from eruption to eruption.

5. Volcano Merapi

A DigitalGlobe satellite image shows the powerful eruption of Mount Merapi in Indonesia. Recently, a volcanic eruption on the outskirts of the city of Yogyakarta in the central part of the island of Java killed 194 people, 320 thousand residents lost their homes.

We want to show you a series of photographs taken from space, which reflect this phenomenal natural phenomenon.

It was photographed on June 12, 2009 aboard the International Space Station. Volcano Sarychev is one of the busiest in the Kuril archipelago.

The eruption was captured by astronauts aboard the space shuttle Endeavor in 1994.

Astronauts on the International Space Station took this photo on May 18, 2013.

Manam Volcano is located 13 kilometers from the coast Papua New Guinea and forms an island 10 km wide. It is a stratovolcano consisting of two craters, both active, but major eruptions characteristic only of the southern crater. The photo was taken on June 16, 2010.

After awakening on June 4, 2011, the volcano continued to spew smoke for at least two days. It is located in Chile, right on the border with Argentina.

NASA's Terra satellite flew over a volcano in Iceland on May 6, 2014.

The Nyiragongo lava lake has drained and refilled several times during eruptions that have occurred in recent decades. In 2002, lava reached the city of Goma, killing dozens of people.

The volcano erupted on January 26, 2011. Flying ash swirled over the city of Miyazaki, causing plane flights to be canceled, trains to stop and schools to close in the area. The image was taken by the Terra satellite on February 4, 2011.

Merapi is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia, its height reaches almost 3000 meters. About 50 thousand people permanently live in the region; they cultivate the fertile soil fertilized by lava, but are exposed to the danger that the eruption brings. The photo was taken on August 24, 2003.

At the end of May 2013, the Api volcano awoke on a small island in Indonesia, causing the cancellation of many flights. The column of smoke rose to 20 km in height.

Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe.

After more than 9,000 years of silence, this Chilean volcano woke up again on May 2, 2008. 4,000 residents of the town of Chaiten, located 10 kilometers from the epicenter, were forced to evacuate by ship.

In Ancient Rome, the name Vulcan was borne by the mighty god, the patron of fire and blacksmithing. We call volcanoes geological formations on the surface of the land or on the ocean floor, through which lava emerges from the deep bowels of the earth to the surface.

Often accompanied by earthquakes and tsunamis, large volcanic eruptions have had a significant impact on human history.

Geographical object. The importance of volcanoes

During a volcanic eruption, magma comes to the surface through cracks in the earth's crust, forming lava, volcanic gases, ash, volcanic rocks and pyroclastic flows. Despite the danger that these powerful natural objects, it was thanks to the study of magma, lava and other products of volcanic activity that we were able to gain knowledge about the structure, composition and properties of the lithosphere.

It is believed that thanks to volcanic eruptions, protein forms of life were able to appear on our planet: the eruptions released carbon dioxide and other gases necessary for the formation of the atmosphere. A volcanic ash When settled, it became an excellent fertilizer for plants due to the potassium, magnesium and phosphorus it contained.

The role of volcanoes in regulating the climate on Earth is invaluable: during an eruption, our planet “releases steam” and cools, which largely saves us from the consequences of global warming.

Characteristics of volcanoes

Volcanoes differ from other mountains not only in their composition, but also in their strict external outlines. From the craters at the top of the volcanoes, deep narrow ravines formed by flows of water stretch down. There are also entire volcanic mountains formed by several nearby volcanoes and the products of their eruptions.

However, a volcano is not always a mountain breathing fire and heat. Even active volcanoes can appear as straight cracks on the surface of the planet. There are especially many such “flat” volcanoes in Iceland (the most famous of them, Eldgja, is 30 km long).

Types of volcanoes

Depending on the degree of volcanic activity there are: current, conditionally active And extinct (“dormant”) volcanoes. The division of volcanoes by activity is very arbitrary. There are cases when volcanoes, considered extinct, began to exhibit seismic activity and even erupt.

Depending on the shape of volcanoes there are:

  • Stratovolcanoes- classic “fire mountains” or volcanoes of the central type, cone-shaped with a crater at the top.
  • Volcanic fissures or fissures- fractures in the earth's crust through which lava comes to the surface.
  • Calderas- depressions, volcanic cauldrons formed as a result of the failure of a volcanic peak.
  • Panel- so called because of the high fluidity of the lava, which, flowing for many kilometers in wide streams, forms a kind of shield.
  • Lava domes - formed by the accumulation of viscous lava above the vent.
  • Cinder or tephra cones- have the shape of a truncated cone, consist of loose materials (ash, volcanic stones, blocks, etc.).
  • Complex volcanoes.

In addition to land-based lava volcanoes, there are underwater And mud(they spew out liquid mud, not magma) Underwater volcanoes are more active than land-based ones; 75% of the lava erupted from the bowels of the Earth is released through them.

Types of volcanic eruptions

Depending on the viscosity of lavas, the composition and amount of eruption products, there are 4 main types of volcanic eruptions.

Effusive or Hawaiian type- a relatively calm eruption of lava formed in craters. The gases released during an eruption form lava fountains from drops, threads and lumps of liquid lava.

Extrusion or dome type- is accompanied by the release of gases in large quantities, leading to explosions and the emission of black clouds from ash and lava debris.

Mixed or Strombolian type- abundant lava output, accompanied by small explosions with the release of pieces of slag and volcanic bombs.

Hydroexplosive type- typical for underwater volcanoes in shallow water, accompanied by a large amount of steam released when magma comes into contact with water.

The largest volcanoes in the world

The tallest volcano in the world Ojos del Salado, located on the border of Chile and Argentina. Its height is 6891 m, the volcano is considered extinct. Among the active "fire mountains" the highest is Llullaillaco- volcano of the Chilean-Argentine Andes with a height of 6,723 m.

The largest (among terrestrial) volcano in terms of area occupied is Mauna Loa on the island of Hawaii (height - 4,169 m, volume - 75,000 km 3). Mauna Loa also one of the most powerful and active volcanoes in the world: since its “awakening” in 1843, the volcano has erupted 33 times. The most big volcano the planet is a huge volcanic massif Tamu(area 260,000 km2), located at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

But the most powerful eruption in the entire historical period was produced by the “low” Krakatoa(813 m) in 1883 in the Malay Archipelago in Indonesia. Vesuvius(1281) - one of the most dangerous volcanoes world, the only active volcano in continental Europe - located in southern Italy near Naples. Exactly Vesuvius destroyed Pompeii in 79.

In Africa the most high volcano is Kilimanjaro (5895), and in Russia - a double-peaked stratovolcano Elbrus (North Caucasus) (5642 m - western peak, 5621 m - eastern).