Vulcan Eragon is famous for... Lake of hot lava in the crater of Nyiragongo volcano in Congo

One of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world - Nyiragongo has erupted at least 34 times since 1882 and is home to the world's largest lava lake. It is especially picturesque here at night, when Mount Nyiragongo boils and shines. Surely this is last place on Earth, where you would like to live, but despite the constant threat of catastrophic fiery death, the area at the foot of Mount Nyiragongo is dotted with various settlements.

• The Nyiragongo volcano combines a completely unique combination of factors on which volcanologists are trained. Research into this geological wonder attracts specialists from all over the world.
• While the volume of its lava lake may vary, the average amount of lava contained makes it the largest regular lava lake in the world.
• The lava produced by this volcano also has an extremely liquid consistency. This is due to the unusually high concentration of alkali-rich volcanic rocks.
• Nyiragongo has a relatively steep slope. Combined with the liquid consistency of the lava and its proximity to populated areas, this makes it an extremely dangerous volcano.

Geological features of Nyiragongo

Volcano
Nyiragongo is an excellent example of a stratovolcano.
It also remains very active and is considered one of the highest volcanoes, with an altitude of 3,470 meters. In addition, the primary crater measures almost 2 km. Its lava lake is another distinctive feature, having an average depth of 600 meters.

But the most important distinguishing feature of Nyiragongo is the composition of the lava. With an extremely high alkaline ratio, lava flows quickly down steep slopes. As a result, flow speeds along the slope reach 100 km/h. Thanks to a combination of the slope and the viscosity of the lava, it is here that scientists have recorded the fastest speed of the hot flow, currently known to man.

Volcano Nyiragongo is located in national park Virunga, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This place is only 20 km from the nearest settlement. Volcanologists know little about ancient history eruptions, but the activity of the volcano in our time is well documented and studied. Since 1882, the volcano has erupted 34 times. Additionally, some of these eruptions continued for many years. This volcano is overlain by several older volcanoes among hundreds of small cones. Due to its unique hazards, Nyiragongo Volcano was named the Decade Volcano in 1991. In March 2016, the Goma Volcano Observatory discovered that a new nozzle had opened on the northeastern rim of the crater.

The rocky edges of Nyiragongo Volcano frame the world's largest lava lake. Nyiragongo means place of red fire. Within a radius of 50 - 60 kilometers from Nyiragongo, everything is ablaze.

The Republic of Congo is located in the central part of the Great African Rift - a giant fault tearing apart the earth's crust. The Virunga volcanic chain, 100 kilometers long, consists of 8 volcanoes, the most active of which is Nyiragongo. The Nyiragongo volcano rises to 3,470 meters and is located just 18 kilometers from the city of Goma, the diameter of the crater is about two kilometers.

View from the edge of the volcano, 3,470 meters above sea level. At a depth of about 400 meters there is a lava lake - one of the wonders of the African continent.

Over the past 120 years, the volcano has erupted more than thirty times, with several eruptions lasting not a day or a month, but entire years. The lava during the Nyiragongo eruption is distinguished by its fluidity. Perhaps the reason for this is an alkali-rich volcanic rock with a rare chemical composition. Due to the increased fluidity, lava flows during an eruption can reach speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour, which exceeds the speed of water during a similar flow.

Goma's 500,000 inhabitants live at the foot of this huge volcano covering an area of ​​350 square kilometers. Goma's difficult geopolitical situation is aggravated by the constant threat from the volcano. The spill of a giant lava lake has already occurred in 1977 and in 2002, leading to numerous casualties. By now, the lava flows of 2002 are already beginning to be overgrown with vegetation. No other volcano in the world has such lava lakes as Nyiragongo.

Emissions of toxic gases around the volcano, including in the city of Goma, are called the devil’s breath. The slopes of the volcano are quite steep.

The lava level in the crater is located at an altitude of approximately 3000 meters, as evidenced by the first smoke appearing from underground. From here comes a huge 15 kilometer crack, which in 1977 reached the city of Goma. More than 100 million cubic meters of lava were ejected during the eruption. Fountains of lava rose to a height of 300 meters, falling pieces of lava froze on the trees. The cracks destroyed entire hills, the spread of such a huge fault in a few hours became a phenomenon never observed before. Nyiragongo had previously seemed like a peaceful volcano, but it gave everyone a surprise. From a height of 600 meters above the lake there is a breathtaking view of the lava lake splashing in the crater.

Out of 600 active volcanoes planets, only 4 have permanent lava lakes. Lake Nyiragongo has been around since at least 1927, probably even older, but until this year no one had climbed to the summit, and here and there there was mention of a reddish glow at the top of the western end of the Virunga chain, but nothing more.

About 5 - 10 meters above the lake level there is a small black sand beach; from time to time the lake level rises and it overflows, flooding this beach. The level of the lava lake can fluctuate between 30 and 40 meters. When the lake level rises, seismic activity also increases, this occurs before and during the rise in level. As soon as the lake level begins to rise, the walls of the crater begin to vibrate. The lake level may change suddenly, but it never reaches the top of Nyiragongo. The volcanic cone cannot withstand the pressure of the lake, cracks and lava flows down its slopes. A lava lake is an exposed column of magma originating in a magma reservoir. The magma reservoir is located at a depth of 15 kilometers.

Volcano Nyiragongo, Congo. Member of an expedition on cooled lava, colored red by the reflection in the glow of the lake, in the Nyiragongo volcano in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “You feel the volcano down here,” says photographer Karsten Peter. “You feel the low-frequency rumble pulsating through your body, as if you were inside a huge subwoofer.” (Carsten Peter)

In 1977, a powerful eruption triggered the overflow of the lava lake, the volcano could not withstand the pressure of the lava, its level reached the first terrace, located 250 meters from the edge of the crater. The volume of lava in the lake was gigantic. When a lava lake reaches such a volume and mass, the walls of the crater cannot withstand it, and they move apart, crack and magma bursts out.

Before the 1977 eruption, Nyiragongo was considered harmless, but now it tops the list of the most dangerous volcanoes. In the year of the eruption, the volume of lava in the lake was about 22 million cubic meters and all this volume poured out in less than an hour, the flow moved at a speed of 70 km/h, about 3,000 residents died in Goma.

Nyiragongo is located on a fault line between two moving tectonic plates. This continental volcanism is directly related to the rise of magma due to the movement of tectonic plates. As the plates move apart, the crack between them widens and magma escapes through this crack. Over the past 40 thousand years, very large eruptions have occurred here.

25 years passed between 1977 and 2002, and everything happened again. Another destructive eruption occurred here relatively recently - on January 17, 2002. Lava flows covered an area of ​​200-1000 meters, and their height was 2 meters. Warnings were issued and 400,000 people were evacuated from the potentially dangerous area. However, 147 people still died from suffocation from carbon dioxide and debris from collapsing buildings.

Six months after the 2002 eruption, the volcano woke up again. Activity still continues today, but is limited to the crater where a new lake has formed approximately 250 meters below the level of the 1994 lava lake.

In June 2010, a group of scientists and desperate researchers came to the shore of a lake of boiling lava. These photographs were taken by Olivier Grunewald.

In June 2010, several intrepid scientists and explorers walked onto the shore of a boiling lava lake in the heart of the Nyiragongo volcano crater in the center of the African Great Lakes region. Since childhood, researchers have dreamed of getting to the shore of big lake lavas all over the world, mesmerized by the documentary "The Devil's Explosions", made by Haroun Taziff back in the 60s. It was this film that gave the public the first look at the fiery core of the Nyiragongo crater. Photographer Olivier Grünwald was a meter away from this lake, and now we have a unique opportunity to see the molten substance.

The volcano erupted in 1977 and 2002, completely destroying most of the city of Goma in Congo.

Climber and Nyiragongo veteran Jacques Barthelemy uses a rope to lower equipment to the second level.

Night. The camp is illuminated by a lake of lava.

This is the view from the edge of the volcano, 3,470 meters (11,380 feet) above sea level. At a depth of about 400 meters (1,300 feet), the lava lake is one of the many wonders of the African continent.

Volcanic gases over the main camp. Expedition members often had to sleep wearing gas masks.

Measuring the size of a lava lake using a laser telemeter.

Using this tube, volcanologist Dario Tedesco takes gas samples to study volcanic activity.
Hot gas condenses in a special small container. Scientists believe this is a vital operation that could be useful in predicting future volcanic eruptions.

The goal of the expedition is to reach the edge of the lava lake. No one has managed this before.

Members of the expedition communicate via radio and transmit data about the activity of the lava and the direction of movement of gases.

The challenge for climbers is also to find the best way to descend.

Pierre-Yves Bourgi collects gas at the bottom of the crater. The samples will be studied by Dario Tedesco, who was recently appointed head of the UN's Natural Hazards Research Unit.

Explosion of gas bubbles on the surface of a lava lake.

The permanent lava lake at Nyiragongo Volcano is the largest in the world. Experts estimate that it contains about 8 million cubic meters (282 million cubic feet) of lava. In 1977 and 2002, the lava lake rose to the very edge of the crater and the lava destroyed much of the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Frank Pote approaches the lava. For such a walk, the wind must blow at his back, removing the heat. He is constantly informed by radio about changes in wind direction.

Mark Cullet is the first member of the team to reach the edge of the lake.

Olivier Grünwald prepares his photography equipment to protect it from temperatures that can reach 1,300 degrees.

Approaching 282 million cubic feet (8 million cubic meters) of lava is impossible without good protection.

In such a suit with limited visibility, Olivier Grunwald is told by radio how to walk and where to place his feet.

A close-up of the lava lake is the first shot. Photographer Olivier Grunwald: “I was so shocked by the spectacle of the lava surface that I stopped feeling time and heat, I just took pictures and took pictures. Suddenly they told me on the radio that it was time to return, lava activity appeared dangerously close to me?

The main risk was the frequent overflow of the lake with lava. Members of the expedition from the second level warned their colleagues by radio about the threat of lava movement.

At dawn, the light becomes stunningly beautiful, but gases from the lava can completely envelop the crater floor in a matter of seconds.

There was an overflow early at night. Year after year, the lava rises higher and higher along the crater walls until it overflows and an eruption begins. The purpose of the expedition is to collect information to enable volcanologists to predict such events and prevent tragedies.

Gas bubbles explode on the surface of the lake. The lake is constantly agitated due to the movement of the earth's crust.

The lava lake often splashed onto the shores, but this did not stop the expedition members.

Volcano Nyiragongo is considered the most active of the eight volcanoes in the world that form mountain range Virunga.

At the beginning of the descent to the second level, the greatest danger is from falling stones. Gases also often blind climbers.

The expedition members had to carry about 600 kilograms (1,300 pounds) of equipment, as well as enough food and water for two days. Their main camp was located 120 meters (400 feet) above the lava lake.

Before this expedition, its participants had to undergo 4 months of training.

The location of the Nyiragongo volcano (an active stratovolcano) is the African Virunga Mountains (territory of the national park of the same name; located 20 km north of Lake Kivu and the city of Goma located on its shore) in.

General information

Since 1882, according to documentary data, Nyiragongo (its height is more than 3400 m) has erupted 34 times, and at times its volcanic activity lasted for several years. One of the strong eruptions dates back to 1977 - then the “fiery” streams claimed the lives of hundreds of people. And the 2002 eruption, when a lake of lava rose to the edge of the crater, destroyed most of the city of Goma, located in the vicinity of the volcano. Fortunately, the authorities managed to evacuate 40,000 people across the border in advance to the city of Gisenyi, adjacent to Goma. However, there were victims - about 150 people died under the ruins of destroyed buildings and from the deadly mixture of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.

As a rule, Nyiragongo lava is very liquid and flowing, which is due to the quartz it contains. In this regard, lava flows flowing from the slopes can “develop” speeds of up to 100 km/h. The width of the main crater (it contains a lava lake, which is located at around 2700 m) Nyiragongo is 2 km, and the depth is 250 m.

It is not only Nyiragongo that poses a danger: in the event of a strong shaking (eruption), Lake Kivu could release the methane and carbon dioxide deposits stored in its depths, then Goma would be covered with a deadly cloud, not giving the inhabitants of this city a chance to escape.

The underground lava flows of Nyiragongo, or more precisely, their structure, resemble a water supply system - the volcano has a main channel and numerous branches (through which lava reaches the surface).

Those living in the city of Goma are confident that Nyiragongo is erupting at them as punishment for their sins. In addition, their confidence also concerns the fact that in the past eruptions were avoided due to the fact that brides were sacrificed to the volcano. This custom actually existed, but it was a bloodless (spiritual/thanksgiving) sacrifice. To “appease” Nyiragongo, the head of one of the families had to announce that he eldest daughter is the bride of the volcano (she was not allowed to leave her father’s house and get married - breaking the oath would anger the spirit of the volcano).

Nyiragongo for tourists

Climbing to the top of Nyiragongo takes about 6 hours - everyone will have the opportunity to admire the lake with hot lava in the dark (the area is illuminated thanks to the blazing magma), since tourists will be offered to spend the night in houses at the top of the volcano. But before you make the climb, you need to take care of the following: it is advisable to take warm clothes with you (it’s quite cold at the top), a sleeping bag and at least 3 liters of water; It is important to wear trekking shoes when hiking (ordinary sneakers will not work).

It is worth taking into account that to climb you need to obtain a permit from the national park office (it will cost $200). If you wish, you can hire a guide in Goma, who will help you “get” a permit. He will also rent out sleeping bags and tents, and will also take you to the foot of the volcano in a jeep, and offer several candidates for porters and cooks (if necessary). This pleasure will cost $150-200 (the price depends on the size of the group).

For those interested in meeting mountain gorillas, Virunga Park organizes special treks that can last about 7-8 hours (only a little over 30 tourists per day can visit the gorillas), since it all depends on the weather and the location gorillas will concentrate on one day or another. It is worth considering that in the presence of gorillas it is forbidden to eat and drink, as well as use a flash (for 1-hour communication with primates you will be asked to pay $400).

It is worth noting that in Virunga Park you will be able to see the gray wood pigeon, crested eagle, flamingo, African long-tailed hawk, wood dove, Fraser's eagle owl and other birds, as well as elephants, rhinoceroses, giraffes and other animals.

In the park, in addition to Nyiragongo, there is the Nyamlagira volcano (it is 25-30 km away from Lake Kivu), which has erupted at least 35 times since 1882. Expeditions are often organized to the Nyamlaghira volcano to monitor it (one of them confirmed the presence of a lava lake in its crater). The last time he threw out a fire fountain was in 2011. After a while, the Congolese authorities and the staff of the Virunga Park opened access to Nyamlagira to everyone so that they could visit the site of the volcanic eruption, staying in a tent camp located, although quite close to the foot of Nyamlagira, but at the same time in a safe zone. An excursion here from Goma costs $300 (tourists will be given tents and mats, but you should take care of food, water, sleeping bags and protection from rain on your own).

Mount Nyiragongo is located in the Virunga National Park, in democratic republic Congo, 20 kilometers north of the city of Goma and Lake Kivu. This is one of the most active volcanoes in Africa and one of the eight volcanoes in the Virunga Mountains. The main crater is approximately two kilometers wide, and in its very center a lake of hot lava often appears, which will be discussed in this article

This lava lake has already been mentioned in a selection of landscapes of erupting lava, but now a more detailed report and many photographs await you. For a long time, the red-hot Lake Nyiragongo was the largest in the world. Its depth varies depending on the degree of activity of the volcano - the maximum increase in lava level was recorded at a height of 3250 meters during the eruption in January 1977. Then the depth of the lake reached 600 meters, and currently the lava is at around 2700 meters

It is not known for certain how long the volcano continues to erupt, but since 1882, 34 strong eruptions have been recorded. Activity is constantly observed here, as evidenced by the lake of red-hot lava

The lava from the Nyiragongo eruption is often very unusually liquid. Perhaps the reason for this is an alkali-rich volcanic rock with a rare chemical composition. Due to its extreme fluidity, lava flows during an eruption can reach speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour, which exceeds the speed of water during a similar flow

Between 1894 and 1977, the crater contained a permanent and extremely active lake lava. On January 10, 1977, the walls of the crater broke and hot streams fell on the villages below, killing a large number of people. All of the above features make the Nyiragongo volcano unique and one of the most dangerous in the world, which also contains a lake of hot liquid lava

Another strong eruption occurred here relatively recently - on January 17, 2002. The lava flows spread over an area of ​​200-1000 meters, and their height was 2 meters. Warning was given in time, and 400,000 people were evacuated from the potential affected area. Despite this, 147 people still died, victims of suffocation from carbon dioxide and collapsing buildings

Six months after the 2002 eruption began, the volcano erupted again. Activity continues to this day but is limited to the crater where a new lake has formed approximately 250 meters below the 1994 lava lake level











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