This unique corner of the Earth, included into the List of Natural Objects of the UNESCO World Heritage together with active volcanoes served up to now as a visiting card of Kamchatka. Thousands of Russian and foreign tourists visited it every year. It is not accidental that the catastrophic events of June 3, 2007, attracted the attention of the domestic and foreign public. This is what happened.
At 02.20 p.m. local time one of the hills, 750 m high, suddenly started to slide and a stormy stream of water, mud and stones, debris of pumice tuffs rushed down along the valley, moving with a speed of 35 - 40 km/h, tearing out trees and bushes on its way. In the mid-current of Vodopadny brook it opened and washed away red clays of hydrothermal origin.
Simultaneously with the process of sliding of mud and stone mass in the course of 2.5 min, the collapse of benches near the watershed part of Geyzernaya river valley went on. Besides, this avalanche swept on its way a huge quantity of snow (in some places about 15 - 20 percent of the deposit volume) and enormous blocks (10 m long and more). All this formed a natural dike, 50 m high, partitioning off Geyzernaya river bed. As a result there has formed a lake, whose waterline made up 435 m above sea level in the period of the highest water rise. Its maximum depth is 30 m, length about 2 km. Later on these indicators have become somewhat lower.
As a result of these events, there has also appeared a shoe-like collapse amphitheater, consisting of 2 adjacent volcano craters, open to the north-west, with a subvertical wall, approximately 150 m high, and about 800 m long, with a gently sloping bottom 400 - 600 m long in the north-eastern direction. The volume of collapse and avalanche made up, according to preliminary estimates, 3 - 5 mln m3.
The scientists from the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the RAS Far-Eastern Branch were among the first to react to the tragic events in Kamchatka. They immediately formed a group of different profile specialists, capable of assessing the consequences of the catastrophe and taking further steps for saving natural objects.
It goes without saying that, first of all, people were anxious about the famous Valley of Geysers.* By that time it was rumored that the valley had been completely ruined. Fortunately, the information proved to be inac-
* See: V. Ivanchenko, "The Pearl of Kamchatka", Science in the USSR, No. 4, 1991. - Ed.
стр. 83
curate. According to the results of reconnoitering studies, it was established: the main ground ("Vitrazh") and the biggest geyser "Velikan" had not suffered materially. But the most beautiful fountains, such as "Pervenets", "Bolshoi", "Maly", and a group of "Troynoi", had stopped functioning. As a whole, the sources of spurting hot water in places, cut off by the avalanche and occupied by the lake, have disappeared. The geysers remained intact outside these territories. There have appeared new thermal sources in the mid and lower currents of the former Vodopadny brook. There is also a probability of partial restoration of geysers in case of the water level lowering in the lake.
It must be added that there have appeared new natural objects, presenting a recreational value - crumbled volcano craters, large-block bodies, thermal lakes, streams and landslides. Of special interest are traces of the impact of the avalanche on buildings and structures of the preserve as a striking example of the negative impact of the elements on the objects, erected disregarding concrete dangerous phenomena.
At the same time the scientists established: the crumbled slope of the Valley of Geysers is characterized by the increased dynamics of landslide and gravitational processes, high mud flow activity. They can become stronger as a result of seismic shocks of even comparatively small (4 - 6 points by the Richter scale) magnitude, rapid snow melting and abundant precipitation.
In a word, the increased threat of new landslides, screes and stone-dips will remain in the course of the whole period of water level changing the in the lake and formation of slopes. Nevertheless, when the situation clears up, it will become possible for tourists to visit the Valley of Geysers, though the footpaths will require some changes taking into account the risk of dangerous processes. Further detailed studies will show when this happens.
Ye. Gordeev, I. Melekestsev, "The Second Life of Kamchatka Valley of Geysers", Far-Eastern Scientist, No. 15, 2007
Prepared by Vladislav GROMOV
Новые публикации: |
Популярные у читателей: |
Новинки из других стран: |
Контакты редакции | |
О проекте · Новости · Реклама |
Либмонстр Россия ® Все права защищены.
2014-2024, LIBMONSTER.RU - составная часть международной библиотечной сети Либмонстр (открыть карту) Сохраняя наследие России |