Elbrus is considered a young volcano, soas the mountain ranges of this place were formed about twenty million years ago, and the immediate eruption of the harsh mountain occurred about fifteen million years ago. Now it belongs to the category of extinct giants, but several vicinities with cracks from which sulfur dioxide escapes indicate terrible processes occurring deep in the depths. So how is it really - Elbrus active or extinct volcano?
Volcano description
Volcano Elbrus is one of the uniquecreations of nature - it is a two-peak mountain. The height of the peaks is almost the same. Its difference is only twenty meters: one peak rises to 5621 meters above sea level, the second - to 5642 meters. Dividing them into three kilometers depression reaches 5200 meters.
Volcano Elbrus on the map looks very beautiful.This volcano has many names that vary depending on the national language in which they are pronounced. For example, in Georgian, his name will sound like Yalbuz, and in Armenian - Alberis. The source of today's name Elbrus is the word "antibares", which is of Iranian origin.
Severe Mountain
Вулкан Эльбрус действующий или потухший?Officially, it is considered an extinct giant and its peaks and slopes are covered by glaciers, the total area of which is 134.5 square kilometers. Every year a large number of people die who are trying to conquer its peaks. The causes of their death are sudden cracks, avalanches, lack of experience and often changing weather conditions.
Climbing sites on the same slope canhave a different level of difficulty. Large masses of snow accumulate on the eastern slopes, since they are more gentle than the western and northern ones, on which there are many sheer cliffs and ice falls. In the south-east of this mountain range, cableways are built, rising to an altitude of about 3,750 meters, there are hotels. This area is the most inhabited - it is here that climbers and lovers of mountain nature come from all over the world.
Facts about the activities of the volcano
But no one really knows about the volcanoElbrus - active or extinct. Just as a new fire-breathing mountain can arise in a completely new place, so a long-gone-asleep giant can wake up with time. There are facts indicating that Elbrus has not yet died out: there are many hot springs not far from it. The most famous of them is Gil-Su. The water in it reaches a temperature of twenty-four degrees above zero Celsius. The presence of constant hot water indicates volcanic processes occurring deep underground. Also, the measurement of the surface temperature of the mountain itself at an altitude of 5621 meters showed twenty-one degrees above zero, while the air temperature was minus 20 and below. It also found areas with growing green moss. All this also indirectly indicates that the activity of the volcano is not terminated. Some scientists even predict its eruption in a few hundred years.
Volcano on the map
Elbrus volcano on the map is depicted as a large white spot. Snow tongues spread in different directions on the lowland plains.
It should be remembered that the Elbrus volcano (activeor it is extinct, scientists still have to find out) - this is a giant who can do catastrophic things on the planet. If he wakes up, the multi-ton glaciers and the masses of snow will melt and go down the eastern slope in the form of a volcanogenic deadly river. Her path will stretch for fifty kilometers, if not more, up to Tyrnyauz. The population of this village is about twenty thousand people.
Today, Elbrus is an extinct volcano, more precisely, it is asleep. But again the forces ripening in its depths can break out.
