Active volcanoes on our planet. Volcanoes of the Decade: the most terrible peaks of our planet. the largest and most dangerous volcanoes on Earth

Humanity's interest in the most amazing and exotic corners of our planet Earth is quite justified and has recently flared up with renewed vigor, given the unique opportunity to travel around the world, visiting the most closed and inaccessible places.

Reflecting on the topic of the southernmost active volcano on Earth, most people uninformed in this matter for some reason have associations with the Sicilian Etna or, in extreme cases, some dormant vent in sultry Ethiopia. In fact, these assumptions have absolutely nothing to do with reality and the southernmost active volcano is Erebus, located in distant Antarctica, which in its height is second only to the active Sidley volcano, located nearby on the same continent. This volcano was first discovered back in 1841, after which in 1908 its peak was conquered by one of the scientific expeditions whose goal was a detailed study of the entire South Pole).

What is noteworthy is that since 1972 it was found that the formation began to “wake up” and today Erebus is one of the most active volcanoes in our multifaceted and amazing planet. Among other things, brave scientists managed to establish the fact that in the depths of its active crater lies a unique lava lake. The location of the volcano itself suggests constant powerful emissions of gas from deep faults in the earth's crust, on which it actually formed. It should be noted that these processes, although absolutely natural, are by no means safe for planet Earth as a whole.

The fact is that gases constantly emitted from the depths, among which elements such as hydrogen and methane should be singled out in a special niche, tend to reach the protective layer of the planet’s air envelope - the ozone layer, thereby maximizing its destruction. Surprisingly, its most deplorable condition (meaning the thickness of the ozone coating) is observed not over the noisiest megacities with huge industrial production and lines of cars “smoking the sky” with their exhaust gases, but rather over Rossa (the territory of the island and the waters of the sea of ​​the same name) . It is in this place that the peak of Erebus and its three companions, which awakened in 1972, are located, which, however, are recognized as extinct, which means that they have irrevocably ceased their activity. Moreover, it is Erebus that leads in height, the height of which reaches more than three thousand meters, in contrast to the three neighboring “dead” volcanoes, although it is inferior to Sidley, located on Mary Byrd Land.

It is quite possible that this scale and grandeur was the main reason for the tragedy that occurred in 1979, when a New Zealand airline plane crashed on the slope of Erebus, killing all passengers and crew on board.

Our solar system holds many still unsolved mysteries. One of them has been exciting the minds of astronomers and space researchers for a century and a half. Are there small planets inside the orbit of Mercury, hidden from the human eye by the radiant corona of the Sun? After all, the laws of celestial mechanics allow the presence of planets so close to the Sun.

IN last years Astronomers were able to discover hundreds of giant planets in other star systems, similar in their characteristics to our Jupiter, Saturn or Neptune. But the distinctive feature of such giants was that these celestial bodies were very close to their central stars. The orbits of most of them could easily fit inside the orbit of Mercury. Naturally, the temperature of such planets is much higher than the temperature of the planets of our Solar System, in which nothing of the kind is observed. Therefore, these classes of gas giants were called hot Jupiters, Saturns or Neptunes, depending on their similarity to the planets of our solar system. Thus, the fact of the existence of hot giants clearly confirms the fundamental possibility of the presence of planets at very close distances to their central stars.

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History of the search for the planet Vulcan

The history of the search for small intramercurial planets dates back to the middle of the 19th century. This was the time of triumph of natural philosophy, born two centuries earlier. It seemed to scientists then that many celestial phenomena could be successfully explained if we imagined the world in which we live as a huge machine, the operation of which obeys Newton’s laws.

In 1840, François Arago, director of the Paris Observatory, proposed to the French mathematician Urbain Jean Joseph Le Verrier to develop a theory of the orbital motion of Mercury around the Sun. Le Verrier successfully completed this task, but it later turned out that the observational results differed significantly from theoretical calculations. In 1846, Le Verrier gained fame and respect from the scientific community by calculating the exact location of the planet Neptune. As they say now, Le Verrier discovered Neptune “at the tip of his pen.”

Urbain Le Verrier

After this triumph, Le Verrier returned to solving the problem of Mercury's orbital motion. The essence of the problem was that his previously developed theory of the movement of Mercury, based on Newtonian celestial mechanics, did not agree well with long-term observational results. Le Verrier's calculations could not explain the movement of the perihelion (the point of the orbit closest to the Sun) of Mercury. The perihelion displacement was 43 arcseconds per century. It was logical to assume that, as in the case of Uranus and Neptune, the discrepancy between observations and theory was caused by the existence of an as yet unknown planet located inside the orbit of Mercury. With its gravitational field, this unknown planet could cause disturbances in the movement of Mercury in its orbit. In theory, this hypothetical planet should have been so close to the Sun that it could only be noticed at the moment when it passed across the disk of the Sun or at a very short distance from our luminary during solar eclipses on Earth.

First, Le Verrier tried to find out whether the presence of asteroids, comets and cosmic dust in this region of space was the cause of the existing disturbances in the movement of Mercury. He believed that if there were enough such objects, they would form a visible ring around the Sun, similar to the rings of Saturn. However, at that time, no dense rings around the Sun were discovered (the dust ring was discovered only in 1983). All that remained was to look for the invisible planet influencing the movement of Mercury.

In 1859, Le Verrier received a letter from the amateur astronomer Lescarbo, who reported that on March 25 he observed a round dark spot similar to a planet moving across the disk of the Sun. Le Verrier immediately went to Lescarbot to personally question him about the discovered celestial body. In addition to Lescarbot's data, Le Verrier selected the results of five other observations, which, in his opinion, could not be attributed to cases of the passage of Mercury or Venus across the solar disk. Based on these six observations, he calculated the orbit of the invisible planet in 1859, which he called Vulcan .

According to his calculations, the period of revolution of Vulcan around the Sun was 19 days and 7 hours, the average distance from the Sun is approximately 0.143 astronomical units (AU), and the mass is 1/12 from the mass of Mercury. Let us remind our readers that the average distance of Mercury from the Sun is 0.387 AU. Of course, Le Verrier understood that such a small mass was not enough to cause the observed perturbations in Mercury's orbit. However, despite this, it was necessary to begin the search for the invisible planet. In 1860, a total solar eclipse was about to occur, and Le Verrier mobilized almost all astronomers in France to search for Vulcan. However, none of them were able to detect this hypothetical planet.

In 1877, Le Verrier dies without waiting for the discovery of the fiery Vulcan. But during the eclipse of July 29, 1878, the ghost planet was observed by several astronomers at once. University of Michigan astronomy professor James Watson said he observed as many as two planets within the orbit of Mercury. Another astronomer, Lewis Swift, who discovered the comet named after him, also stated that he saw a luminous object similar to a planet. However, it turned out that the orbits calculated from these observations did not coincide either with each other or with the orbit once calculated by Le Verrier. Naturally, such observational results could not be taken seriously by the scientific community.

Years passed, but the observations did not bring success. Gradually, astronomers' faith in the existence of the hypothetical Vulcan began to fade. After the publication of Albert Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity in 1916, the existence of Vulcan was no longer necessary for modern astronomy, since the disturbances in the movement of Mercury could be elegantly explained using this theory. In other words, the new theory solved the old puzzle without any need for Vulcan. The systematic search for the ghost planet was stopped, and official astronomy put an end to this matter.

Vulcanoids

What did Lescarbo, Watson, Swift and other astronomers observe? Currently, astronomical science accepts the existence of asteroids within the orbit of Mercury. Such hypothetical celestial bodies were even dubbed vulcanoids in honor of the never discovered planet Vulcan. According to theoretical calculations, such asteroids can have their orbits in a dynamically stable zone between 0.08 and 0.21 AU. from the sun. It is believed that if volcanoids exist, their diameter should not exceed 60 km, since larger objects would have been discovered earlier. Despite the fact that space telescopes now continuously monitor the Sun in various wavelength ranges, vulcanoids have not yet been discovered. The bright photosphere of the Sun brings enormous difficulties to the process of searching for asteroids. However, some astronomers are optimistic about the future because the search area is gravitationally stable. For further searches, small space-based telescopes capable of observing the circumsolar space will most likely be used.

Of course, it is possible that astronomers of the 19th century could observe the passage of comets in close proximity to the Sun during solar eclipses. A whole class of such solar comets is currently known. For example, the SOHO solar space telescope has already discovered more than 2,000 such comets. However, the nuclei of such comets are small, and detecting them using the relatively imperfect telescopes of those times was very problematic.

Despite the fact that the search for Vulcan has not yet brought any results, some scientists are still serious about solving this problem. For example, a professor of astronomy from Long Island, G. Corten, at one time reported his discovery of a new celestial body or group of bodies inside the orbit of Mercury. According to him, in the photographs he took during the solar eclipses of 1966 and 1970, some mysterious traces of some celestial body are clearly visible. The professor believed that these traces could not be associated with the passage of comets near the Sun. Korten considered the gravitational influence of a small planet or asteroid with a diameter of about 300 km as the main cause of the observed disturbances in the movement of Mercury.

In November 1971, the Daily Telegraph published a sensational report that astronomers at Cambridge University and the Naval Observatory in Washington had allegedly discovered new planet, located between Mercury and the Sun. However, the explanation for this fact was very vague and vague. According to the newspaper, this assumption was made based on an analysis of changes in the orbits of other planets in the solar system. It is clear that the scientific community was very skeptical about such publications.

As mentioned above, in 1983, Japanese astronomers managed to discover a relatively dense ring of dust around the Sun. The radius of the ring was approximately 4 times the radius of the Sun. According to calculations, the mass of the ring was several million tons, and the temperature of the particles reached 1000 degrees.

Disputes over the existence of hypothetical intramercurial planets continue to this day. Some researchers provide their own calculation data based on the Titius-Bode relation and Kepler's 3rd law. For example, Gromov R.G. in his work “Harmony in solar system"showed the theoretical possibility of the existence of two small intramercurial planets. One of them should be 0.22 AU away from the Sun. and have an orbital period of 35.2 days, for the second the removal is 0.11 AU. and a period of 14.1 days. Other researchers believe that the distance of the hypothetical Vulcan from the Sun should be 0.25-0.26 AU, and the orbital period should be 19 - 50 days. Let us remind our readers that according to Le Verrier’s calculations, the average distance of Vulcan from the Sun should be equal to 0.143 AU, and the orbital period should be 19.29 days.

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At the very beginning of our essay, we already talked about the discovery in recent years of a whole class of exoplanets - hot giants. A typical hot Jupiter is usually separated from its central star by a distance of the order of 0,04 — 0,05 AU, and the circulation period is only a few days. Such huge planets could easily fit inside the orbit of Mercury. It is clear that the configuration of planetary systems in space can be very diverse, and the problem of hot Jupiters itself is still a mystery for astronomy. However, the very fact of the existence of such planets at such small distances from their stars strengthens the confidence of a number of astronomers and researchers that hypothetical intramercurial planets can still be discovered in our Solar System in the near future. It is too early to put an end to this matter.

P.S. 11 March turned 203 anniversary of the birth of the outstanding French astronomer Urbena Le Verrier, member of the Paris Academy of Sciences, director of the Paris Astronomical Observatory (1854 - 1877).

Volcanoes are geological formations on the surface of the crust of the Earth or another planet, where magma comes to the surface, forming lava, volcanic gases, stones (volcanic bombs and pyroclastic flows).

The word "volcano" comes from the name of the ancient Roman god of fire, Vulcan.

The science that studies volcanoes is volcanology and geomorphology.

Volcanoes have fascinated humanity for many years, leaving people in amazement and reverence at the wonder of nature. Their lava flows and almost inhumane heat are particularly impressive, but they are also directly dangerous because they destroy the resulting smoke and the livelihoods of people and animals nearby. To give you an idea of ​​the power of nature, we introduce you to the 10 largest volcanoes in the world.

Etna in Sicily is notorious especially in Europe - especially as the highest volcano in Europe. It is located on Italian island Sicily, which is located in the Mediterranean Sea. Nyiragongo has cost the lives of many people in the region in the past and is therefore closely monitored by the government for its activities. For Fuji you must go to Japan. The volcano is located on the Japanese island of Honshu and is one of the most famous volcanoes in the world. The last Fuji outbreak is a good one 300 years ago.

Volcanoes are classified by shape (shield, stratovolcanoes, cinder cones, domes), activity (active, dormant, extinct), location (terrestrial, underwater), etc.

Volcanoes are divided depending on the degree of volcanic activity into active, dormant and extinct. An active volcano is considered to be a volcano that erupted in historical period time or in the Holocene. The concept of “active” is quite inaccurate, since a volcano with active fumaroles is classified by some scientists as active, and by others as extinct. Dormant volcanoes are considered to be inactive, where eruptions are possible, and extinct - where they are unlikely.

Mount Eberus, located in Antarctica, forms Ross Island with two other volcanoes. In addition, Mount Eber is the southernmost active volcano in the world. The volcano is still active today - the last outbreak was. Our number 6 is located in Hawaii - Mauna Loa. It is located on the Big Island, which is located in the middle Pacific Ocean. The last Mauna Loa outbreak was 33 years ago.

Its latest outbreak occurred this year. Volcanoes erupt approximately every 5 years. There is also a volcano in Ecuador, namely Cotopaxi. However, it is one of the most densely populated active volcanoes South America. The centenary is considered sacred.

However, there is no consensus among volcanologists on how to define an active volcano. The period of volcanic activity can last from several months to several million years. Many volcanoes exhibited volcanic activity tens of thousands of years ago, but are not considered active today.

Astrophysicists, from a historical perspective, believe that volcanic activity, caused, in turn, by the tidal influence of other celestial bodies, may contribute to the emergence of life. In particular, it was volcanoes that contributed to the formation of the earth's atmosphere and hydrosphere, releasing significant amounts of carbon dioxide and water vapor. Scientists also note that too active volcanism, such as on Jupiter's moon Io, can make the planet's surface uninhabitable. At the same time, weak tectonic activity leads to the disappearance of carbon dioxide and sterilization of the planet. “These two cases represent potential boundaries for planetary habitability and exist alongside the traditional parameters of habitable zones for systems of low-mass main sequence stars,” the scientists write.

Found in this thread, but there could be more. Hawaii is not located at the edge of a seam between two earth plates, as in most volcanic areas, but in the middle of the Pacific plate. Therefore, researchers have long been puzzled by how volcanoes could arise here.

This is where the upper mantle is especially thin. Hot magma rises from within the Earth from the boundary between the Earth's core and the Earth's mantle upward like a column, so it becomes relatively close to the Earth's crust and melts it. Hawaii is just one of those hot spots. Already 70-80 million years ago, in the area of ​​​​the Hawaiian Islands, lava began to break through in one place.

Volcanoes, for all their danger, are one of the most beautiful and majestic wonders of nature. Active volcanoes look especially beautiful at night. But this beauty brings death to everything around. Lava, volcanic bombs, pyroclastic flows consisting of hot volcanic gases, ash and stones can wipe out even large cities from the face of the earth. Humanity has seen the incredible power of volcanoes during the infamous eruption of Vesuvius, which destroyed the ancient Roman cities of Herculaneum, Pompeii and Stabiae. And there are many such examples in history. The largest volcanoes in the world - today we’ll talk about these dangerous but beautiful giants. Our list includes volcanoes of varying degrees of activity - from relatively dormant to active. The main selection criterion was their size.

But why isn't there just one big volcano in Hawaii? This is due to the movement of the ground planes. The Hawaiian Islands are located on the Pacific Plate. It has been moving for millions of years, a "hot spot", but no. Thus, new volcanoes and new islands were created.

Cold chambers remained through which the magma rose; old volcanoes have been extinguished. The youngest Hawaiian volcano is Lohi. In about a thousand years, the volcano is expected to emerge from the sea and then likely grow with Big Island. Magma from the interior of the Earth becomes lava on the surface.

10 Sangay Height 5,230 meters

The active stratovolcano Sangay, located in Ecuador, opens the ranking of the largest volcanoes on Earth. Its height is 5230 meters. The top of the volcano consists of three craters with a diameter of 50 to 100 meters. Sangay is one of the youngest and most restless volcanoes in South America. Its first eruption occurred in 1628. The last one took place in 2007. Now the volcanic activity of the giant from the Equator is assessed as moderate. Tourists who visit the Sangay National Park, where the volcano is located, can climb to its peak.

The volcanoes in Hawaii are all shield volcanoes. They resemble the shell of a turtle and have very flat flanks. The remaining ten percent are layered or cone volcanoes. They differ in that they have steep sides and a taper. Famous representatives of the stratovolcano are Mount St. Hawaiian volcanoes are composed of lava from thin magmas. In Hawaii there are basically two different types lava: lagu laha and aa lava.

Lakh lava knitted or rope. This occurs when the top layer cools and the lava flow continues below. This is how the outer skin collapses in the folds. La lava is also called Brockenlava and looks like freshly evaporated farmland. As it cools, a thick crust forms, which collapses as the lava continues to grow.

9 Popocatepetl Height 5,455 meters

In 9th place among the largest volcanoes in the world is Popocatepetl. It is located in the Mexican Highlands. The height of the volcano is 5455 meters. Even in a calm state, the volcano is constantly shrouded in a cloud of gases and ash. Its danger lies in the fact that there are densely populated areas around the volcano, and Mexico City is located 60 kilometers from it. The last eruption of the giant occurred quite recently - on March 27, 2016, it threw out a kilometer-long column of ash. The next day Popocatepetl calmed down. If the Mexican giant erupts strongly, it will threaten the safety of several million people.

8 Elbrus Height 5,642 meters

The most active volcano in the world - Kilauea

Lava flows on the ground Big Island. About a thousand years ago, Kilauea began to break through the earth's crust, which emerged from the sea only a thousand years ago. Today, several lava flows flow from it, overflowing more than 60 square kilometers of land. In recent decades, some villages have become victims of lava. More than 100 houses were destroyed.

Because the lava from Hawaii's Turtle Volcano flows so slowly, it poses little danger to humans. But those who come too close may break through the thin crust or pass through holes breathing gray vapors. Hawaiians adore their volcanoes and pay homage to even the most dazzling figure in their mythology. Pele is the goddess of fire and volcanoes. Her name means "molten lava".

Eat large volcanoes and in Europe. In the North Caucasus there is the Elbrus stratovolcano, whose height is 5642 meters. This is the highest peak in Russia. Elbrus is one of the seven highest mountain peaks planets. Scientists have different opinions about the activity of the giant. Some consider it an extinct volcano, while others consider it a dying one. Sometimes Elbrus becomes the center of small earthquakes. In some places on its surface, sulfur dioxide gases emerge from cracks. Scientists who believe that Elbrus may wake up in the future express the opinion that the nature of its eruption will be explosive.

7 Orizaba Height 5,675 meters

Pele believes that he lives on Mount Kilauea. Hawaiians bring their offerings such as gin, cigarettes or flower crowns to the crater crater. They also dance the hula for Pele on the edge of the volcano. Several geological finds are named after Pele. What is the name for "Pele's hair" about hairy volcanic glass. This occurs when lava fountains are ejected from within and blown out several meters by the wind.

“Tears of the form of Pele”, as well as “hair”, only here the lava was not pulled out. Instead, it drips and cools into black, shiny beads that are usually only a few millimeters in size. It's just the Apocalypse and all that, but above all we remember school lessons, Latin, geography or history. Pompey was buried under an unimaginable layer of five meters of such lava. Two other cities, Herculaneum and Stabia, were also destroyed.

The seventh place on the list of the largest volcanoes on Earth is Orizaba, the highest peak in Mexico. The height of the volcano is 5675 meters. It last erupted in 1687. Now Orizaba is considered a dormant volcano. From its top, stunning panoramic views open up. In order to protect the volcano, a reserve was created.

6 Misti Height 5,822 meters

Europe's only volcano boils beneath the surface

The Phlegrean Fields are located about 20 kilometers from Vesuvius, on the other hand, on the western side of Naples. A hilly, rocky landscape that extends into a cauldron of 150 square kilometers. It is not without reason that several research groups are monitoring geophysical activity in the area. One of them is directed by Christopher Kilburn from the Hazard Center at University College London.

After this, the rising magma of the caldera approaches a critical point. If this is exceeded, the rock above the magma will become extremely hot and expand. In a computer, this leads to an eruption. Whether the simulation actually correctly and completely represents the complex geophysical processes preceding a volcanic eruption is questionable. And even if they are somewhat close to reality, they do not make specific predictions.

In 6th place on the list of the largest volcanoes is Misti, located in the south of Peru. Its height is 5822 meters. Misti is an active volcano. It last erupted in 1985. In January 2016, an increase in fumarole activity was observed on the volcano - steam and gas vents appeared. This is one of the signs of an impending eruption. In 1998, six Inca mummies were found near the inner crater of the volcano. – Many buildings in the city of Arequipa, located 17 kilometers from the volcano, are built from white deposits of the Misti pyroclastic flows. That's why Arequipa is called the "White City".

5 Kilimanjaro Height 5,895 meters

It may take hundreds or thousands of years before the Campi Flegrei caldera releases material back into the area again. However, when the time comes, we would prefer not to sip our espresso in Naples. Maybe we can find best ways enter the textbooks of our descendants.

The screen volcano resembles appearance Hawaiian warrior shield because it has a low angle profile. In almost all cases, the shield comparison is made because the width of these volcanoes is usually about 20 times their height. Despite this, they can vary greatly in size, some with small diameters of a few kilometers and others over 95 kilometers. Some that are found in Hawaii reach a height of 000 meters at the bottom of the sea, about a thousand meters at its base. In fact, some of the largest volcanoes on the planet are actually protected by volcanoes, and Mauna Loa, located on the Big Island of Hawaii, is the largest of its kind.

The fifth place among the largest volcanoes on the planet is occupied by the highest point of the African continent - Kilimanjaro. Scientists have concluded that this giant stratovolcano, 5895 meters high, is potentially active. Now it periodically releases gases and there is a possibility of the crater of the volcano collapsing, which could trigger an eruption. There is no documentary evidence of Kilimanjaro's activity, but there are local legends that speak of an eruption that occurred about 200 years ago.

4 Cotopaxi Height 5,897 meters

Most likely, a volcanic shield forms during a basaltic lava flow of liquid material that usually descends from a fissure system or the summit itself. The most common type of shield volcano is one that forms during a long-term eruption. However, some shield volcanoes are pyroclastic screens, meaning that their low-angle surfaces were formed from the accumulation of fragmented material over multiple eruptions.

Due to the diversity of his education, different universities from different parts of the world will look slightly different. For example, Iceland's tend to be much smaller and almost perfectly symmetrical, while Hawaii's are much larger and longer. The shields found in the Galapagos Islands are different from both, with flat tops, steep slopes, and medium-depth cauldrons at the top. These differences not only show changes in their formation, but also the types of eruptions that typically occur in the region.

In fourth place on the list of the largest volcanoes on Earth is Cotopaxi, the second largest peak in Ecuador. This is an active volcano with a height of 5897 meters. The first time its activity was recorded was in 1534. Since then, the volcano has erupted more than 50 times. The last Kotpahi happened in August 2015.

3 San Pedro Height 6,145 meters

Although the type of eruptions found in a shield volcano can vary, the majority experience Hawaiian eruptions. These eruptions usually have lava flows from the ground that can travel long distances. As flows travel greater distances, individual lava sheets tend to be thinner. These longer lava flows give the volcano its characteristic shape.

Shield volcanoes in Hawaii. Hawaii is home to large quantities The planet's shield volcanoes, as the Pacific Plate and the Hawaii hotspot combined to form a large chain of several volcanoes of all kinds. This chain has more than 43 important volcanoes, including Mauna Loa. As mentioned above, Mauna Loa is the largest shield volcano in the world. It is also the highest volcano in Hawaii, reaching 170 meters above sea level, in addition to traveling 13 kilometers below the waterline.

The active stratovolcano San Pedro, located in Chile, ranks 3rd among the largest volcanoes in the world. Its height is 6145 meters. Last eruption the volcano occurred in 1960.

2 Mauna Loa Height 4,205 meters

Mauna Kea is another shield volcano, which is located in Hawaii and has an altitude of 205 meters above sea level, and its base below sea level is 200 meters. This means that although Mauna Kea has more high height than Mauna Loa, its overall height is lower. Mauna Kea is probably about a million years old, attributing it to a more pronounced and softer profile.

Another of the volcanoes in Hawaii is Kilauea, which is, in fact, the most active volcano on the island. At first, scientists thought it was actually part of Mauna Loa, but they discovered that it operated independently. Another place where you can find several volcanoes is in Iceland. These volcanoes also tend to be smaller than those of other sites and are usually symmetrical, and their eruptions usually emerge from their upper cauldrons.

The second largest volcano in the world is Mauna Loa, located on Hawaiian Islands. In terms of volume, it is the largest volcano on Earth, containing more than 32 cubic kilometers of magma. The giant was formed more than 700 thousand years ago. Mauna Loa is an active volcano. In 1984, its eruption lasted almost a month and caused enormous damage to local residents and the area surrounding the volcano.

1 Llullaillaco Height 6,739 meters

In first place among the largest volcanoes in the world is the active starting volcano Llullaillaco. It is located on the border of Argentina and Chile. Its height is 6739 meters. The giant's last eruption took place in 1877. Now it is in the solfata stage - from time to time the volcano emits sulfur dioxide gases and water vapor. In 1952, during the first ascent of Llullaillaco, it was found ancient sanctuary Incas. Later, archaeologists discovered three child mummies on the slopes of the volcano. Most likely they were sacrificed. This is interesting. The Yellowstone caldera, which measures approximately 55 km by 72 km, is called a supervolcano. It is located in Yellowstone National Park USA. The volcano has not been active for 640 thousand years. Under its crater there is a bubble of magma more than 8 thousand meters deep. During its existence, the supervolcano erupted three times. Each time this caused major cataclysms that changed the appearance of the Earth at the site of the eruption. It is impossible to predict when the supervolcano will wake up again. Only one thing can be said with certainty: a cataclysm of this magnitude can bring the existence of our civilization to the brink.

The beauty and grandeur of a large volcano has always attracted people. The power of the active giant is not exaggerated - the ash that envelops many kilometers and the fiery lava that burns everything in its path are described in many books and shown on TV. The larger and higher the volcano, the more destruction it can cause if it erupts.

Shield volcanoes of the Galapagos Islands. Some of the islands are essentially protected by volcanoes, like Fernandina. This volcano shield has steep upper sides, but low angle lower sides. Currently, the eruption has been occurring since April. In terms of composition, lava flows found in the Galapagos Islands are very similar to those in Hawaii, although unlike other hotspot volcanoes they do not create a line.

In the volcanic region of Auckland, New Zealand, lies Rangitoto, which is actually its own island, 5.5 km wide. The volcanoes erupted about 550 years ago. In the United States there is Belknap Volcano, in the Cascade Range, in Oregon, in addition to Newberry Volcano, which covers about 600 square kilometers of land.

In the modern world, scientists can predict the activity of an active volcano, thereby avoiding many victims, but the strength and duration of the “fiery breath of nature” is sometimes impossible to calculate. The highest, largest volcanoes created at the junction of tectonic plates are of greatest interest to people. This list shows exactly those that have the highest altitude above sea level.

Tungurahua

The height of the giant volcano, located on the territory of Ecuador, is 5023 m. above sea level. The name stands for “fire throat.” Since 1999, the volcano has become especially active, and therefore it was decided to evacuate all nearby villages. Major eruptions were recorded in 2012 and 2014, which is why local authorities introduced an orange alert level. Throwing ash to a height of almost 10 km. Several large settlements located at a distance of more than 150 km fell asleep. Little Tungurahua activity still occurs today.

Another giant from Ecuador. In the local dialect it means “fear-inspiring.” This majestic and beautiful volcano has a height of 5230m. According to scientific data, the volcano with three craters, the diameter of which is more than 100 meters, was formed more than 14,000 years ago. The very first major eruption was recorded in 1628. Since the 30s of the last century, Sangai has been constantly erupting. Last activity was in 2007. Today, only a few offer to climb to the top of the volcano. travel companies, since the volcano is considered active and erupts from time to time. Still, there are always people who like to add adrenaline to their lives. Part of the route is covered by car, the rest by special mules. Elevation takes 2-3 days.

The volcano with a height of 5426m is active. Location: Mexico. Not easy funny name translated as "smoking hill". Villages and cities with a total population of 20 million are densely located around the volcano. Human. The last mention of any volcanic activity was in 1994. But in 1947, a volcanic eruption threw out so much ash that it covered everything within a 30 km radius. It is very popular among tourists and lovers of real, virgin nature.

Active volcano with a height of 5822m. located in Peru. The volcano has three huge craters, the largest diameter is 130 m. Particularly strong activity in the 15th century brought a lot of trouble to the nearby city of Arequipa, later called the “white city”. Local population They call the mountain sacred, the mountain of the gods. In 1998, archaeologists discovered several Incan mummies and valuable artifacts at the foot of the volcano. There are many mystical stories associated with the volcano. Periodic explosive eruptions over the past hundred years have not scared away, but rather attracted a lot of tourists. The peak tourist season is May-September, when the top of the volcano is not covered with snow. For the most fearless, there is a descent into one of the craters.

The highest point in Africa (5895m above sea level) belongs to an active volcano. Kilimanjaro is mentioned in many feature films and literature and is considered one of the most beautiful and popular.

There are no officially recorded eruptions of the giant giant, but local residents they claim that 200 years ago the volcano behaved quite aggressively. Kilimanjaro is in great demand among tourists, as climbing the mountain is quite simple and does not require special skills. Unfortunately, the famous “snow cap” has been melting a lot lately; over the last 100 years, glaciers have shrunk by 80%, which is certainly alarming.

Volcano with a height of 5911m. included in the list of the largest active volcanoes planets. Since 1738, the volcano has erupted just under 50 times, and the last strong eruption was recorded last year on August 15. From the archives of descriptions of the Cotopaxi volcano, a destructive eruption of 1768 is mentioned - “in the middle of spring, a huge column of steam and ash rose from the breathing crater of the volcano, and a few days later fiery lava poured out. At the same time, a terrible earthquake began. The nearby town of Latacunga was completely destroyed." Today Cotopaxi is called " business card Ecuador." Hundreds of avid climbers come here to conquer the top of the volcano. But local authorities do not welcome this; due to the constant melting of glaciers, many accidents have been recorded.

San Pedro

A giant active volcano sits on the edge of the Atacama Desert in Chile. The height of the volcano above sea level is 6145m. The last activity was observed in 1960. Tourist routes does not have. Every moment can create a real danger for residents of nearby villages.

Height – 6310m. The highest point in Ecuador. Today it is considered extinct, but around the 5th-7th century AD it erupted tons of fiery lava. The entire top of the volcano is covered with glaciers. As a result of the effects of global warming, the glacier has greatly decreased in size. In clear weather, the volcano can be seen 150 km away. Chimborazo is very popular among tourists and climbers. Some of them claim that in some places they can hear seething inside the volcano. You can conquer the top of Chimborazo at any time of the year, since the air temperature on the slopes remains the same in winter and summer.

The leader among active volcanoes. Height above sea level 6739m. The eruption recorded in 1877 was the last. The top of the volcano is covered with glaciers, and it itself is located among the driest desert on earth - the Atacama. Unique excavations carried out at the top of the volcano helped determine that the found corpses of Incan children buried more than 500 years ago speak about the sacredness of this mountain. Local Indians nicknamed the volcano “deceiver”, not trusting its calmness. The snow line of the volcano is located at the highest point in the world, reaching a height of 6.5 tons. meters. The lucky ones who managed to climb to the top of the volcano are given the opportunity to enjoy the enchanting and majestic views of mountain ranges and unique landscapes.

The highest volcano on earth geographically covers both Chile and Argentina. The height of the champion of our rating is 6887m. above sea level. The volcano is also unique in that it is located in the crater itself, at an altitude of 6390m. The highest lake in the world is located. Throughout the history of observation, the volcano has not shown much activity, although several emissions of sulfur and water vapor were recorded in the last century. On the Chilean side, near the volcano is the city of Copiano. The city completely breathes with tourist life, welcoming climbers and ordinary travelers. At the foot of the peak itself, which can only be reached by the most experienced tourists, traces of Inca habitation were found. This find again recalls the special attitude of the ancient Indians to the greatness and sacredness of nature.

The record for the most terrible, destructive volcanic eruption belongs to Tambora, located in Indonesia. In 1815, after a powerful explosion, the eruption lasted almost two weeks. Within a radius of 500 kilometers there was pitch darkness for four days due to the ejected ash. More than 70,000 people died in that disaster, according to the Indonesian government.

On the territory of our country, the champion in height is the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano. Its height is 4835m. above sea level. The last small eruption was recorded in August 2013.

The volcano is a wonder of the world created by nature itself. You can constantly admire the majestic mountain, with its snow-capped peaks and bottomless craters. The possible danger posed by an active volcano has long been a subject of curiosity and popularity among tourists. But the beauty and power of natural phenomena should be respected; it was not for nothing that the ancient Indians called volcanoes “sacred mountains.”

2016.06.02 by

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Volcanic eruptions are dangerous primarily due to their direct impact - the release of tons of burning lava, under which entire cities can perish. But, in addition to this, side factors such as the suffocating effects of volcanic gases, the threat of tsunamis, isolation from sunlight, distortion of the terrain and local climate changes also pose a danger.

Merapi, Indonesia

Merapi is one of the largest volcanoes on the Indonesian islands. It is also one of the most active: large eruptions occur once every seven to eight years, and small ones - once every two years. At the same time, smoke appears from the top of the volcano almost every day, not allowing local residents to forget about the threat. Merapi is also famous for the fact that in 1006 the entire medieval Javanese-Indian state of Mataram was seriously damaged by his activities. The volcano is especially dangerous because it is located near the large Indonesian city of Yogyakarta, which is home to about 400 thousand people.

Sakurajima, Japan

Sakurajima has been in constant volcanic activity since 1955, with its last eruption occurring in early 2009. Until 1914, the volcano was located on a separate island of the same name, but frozen lava flows connected the island with the Osumi Peninsula. Residents of the city of Kagoshima are already accustomed to the restless behavior of the volcano and are constantly ready to take refuge in shelters.

Aso Volcano, Japan

The last time volcanic activity was recorded at the volcano was quite recently, in 2011. Then the ash cloud spread over an area of ​​more than 100 km. From that time to the present, about 2,500 tremors have been recorded, which indicates the activity of the volcano and its readiness to erupt. Despite the immediate danger, about 50 thousand people live in the immediate vicinity, and the crater is a popular tourist attraction for daredevils. In winter, the slopes are covered with snow and people go skiing and sledding in the valley.

Popocatepetl, Mexico

One of the largest volcanoes in Mexico is located literally fifty kilometers from. This is a city with a population of 20 million people who are in constant readiness to evacuate. In addition to Mexico City, major cities such as Puebla and Tlaxcala de Xicotencatl are located nearby. Popocatepetl also gives them a reason to be nervous: emissions of gas, sulfur, dust and stones occur literally every month. In recent decades, the volcano has erupted in 2000, 2005 and 2012. Many climbers strive to climb to its peak. Popocatepetl is famous for the fact that in 1955 it was conquered by Ernesto Che Guevara.

Etna, Italy

This Sicilian volcano is interesting because it has not only one main wide crater, but also many small craters on the slopes. Etna is constantly active, with small eruptions occurring every few months. This does not prevent the Sicilians from densely populating the slopes of the volcano, since the presence of minerals and trace elements makes the soil very fertile. The last major eruption was in May 2011, and minor emissions of ash and dust occurred in April 2013. By the way, Etna is the most big volcano c: it is two and a half times larger than Vesuvius.

Vesuvius, Italy

Vesuvius is one of Italy's three active volcanoes, along with Mount Etna and Stromboli. They are even jokingly called the “hot Italian family.” In 79, the eruption of Vesuvius destroyed the city of Pompeii and all its inhabitants, who were buried under layers of lava, pumice and mud. One of the last major eruptions, in 1944, killed about 60 people and almost completely destroyed the nearby towns of San Sebastiano and Massa. According to scientists, Vesuvius destroyed nearby cities about 80 times! By the way, this volcano has set many records. Firstly, this is the only active volcano on the mainland, secondly, it is the most studied and predictable, and thirdly, the territory of the volcano is a nature reserve and a national park where excursions are held. You can only go up on foot, since the lift and funicular have not yet been restored.

Colima, Mexico

The volcanic mountain consists of two peaks: the already extinct Nevado de Colima, which is covered with snow most of the time, and the active Colima volcano. Colima is particularly active: it has erupted more than 40 times since 1576. A strong eruption occurred in the summer of 2005, when authorities had to evacuate people from nearby villages. Then a column of ash was thrown to a height of about 5 km, spreading a cloud of smoke and dust behind it. Now the volcano is fraught with danger not only for local residents, but also for the entire country.

Mauna Loa, Hawaii, USA

Scientists have been monitoring the volcano since 1912 - there is a volcanological station on its slopes, as well as solar and atmospheric observatories. The height of the volcano reaches 4169 m. The last strong eruption of Mauna Loa destroyed several villages in 1950. Until 2002, the seismic activity of the volcano was low, until an increase was recorded, which indicates the possibility of eruptions in the near future.

Galeras, Colombia

The Galeras volcano is very powerful: its diameter at the base exceeds 20 km, and the width of the crater is about 320 m. The volcano is very dangerous - every few years, due to its activity, the population of the nearby town of Pasto has to be evacuated. The last such evacuation took place in 2010, when about 9 thousand people found themselves in shelters due to the threat of a strong eruption. Thus, the restless Galeras keeps local residents in constant suspense.

Nyiragongo, Republic of Congo

The Nyiragongo volcano is considered the most dangerous in all: it accounts for about half of all cases of volcanic activity recorded on the continent. Since 1882, there have been 34 eruptions. Lava of Nyiragongo has a special chemical composition, so it is unusually liquid and flowing. The speed of erupted lava can reach 100 km/h. In the main crater of the volcano there is a lava lake, the temperature of which heats up to 982 Cº, and the bursts reach a height of 7 to 30 m. The last largest eruption occurred in 2002, then 147 people died, 14 thousand buildings were destroyed, and 350 thousand people left homeless.

It is worth noting that scientists have been studying the activity of volcanoes for many years and modern technology recognizes the beginning of their seismic activity. Many volcanoes have webcams that allow you to monitor what is happening in real time. People living nearby are already accustomed to this behavior of volcanoes and know what to do when an eruption begins, and emergency services have the means to evacuate local residents. So every year the likelihood of casualties from volcanic eruptions becomes less and less.

Despite their deadly nature, various volcanoes have long attracted people. Previously, people were attracted by fertile soils, enriched with minerals and trace elements due to the activity of volcanoes, now tourists are attracted by the beauty and majesty of these natural sites.

Where are the largest volcanoes on the world map?

Most of the modern active volcanoes are located in Pacific volcanic ring- the area in which it occurs greatest number eruptions and 90% of earthquakes on our planet.

The second most powerful seismic zone is the Mediterranean fold belt, which stretches from the Indonesian islands to.

The strongest eruption in history

The most destructive eruption in terms of its consequences is considered to be the catastrophe that occurred in 1883 during the explosion Krakatoa volcano located in . During this cataclysm, more than 36 thousand people died, more than 165 cities and villages were completely destroyed, and ash was released to a height of 70 kilometers.

The force of the explosion during the eruption exceeded the force of a nuclear bomb over Hiroshima by 10 thousand times. Most deaths are a consequence of huge tsunami caused by the eruption. The island on which Krakatoa was located was almost completely destroyed during the disaster. The sound of the explosion spread over a distance of 5 thousand kilometers from the epicenter of the disaster.

Earth's Greatest Active Volcanic Mountains

The largest active volcanoes in the world by volume:

• Mauna Loa, Hawaii, with a volume of 80 thousand cubic kilometers;
• Kilimanjaro(Tanzania), which is considered dormant but could potentially become active, has a volume of 4,800 cubic kilometers;
• Volcano Sierra Negra, located in the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) has a volume of 580 cubic kilometers.

Which country has the largest source of lava?

In terms of size, there is no equal to the Hawaiian volcano Mauna Loa, which has a volume of 80 thousand cubic kilometers. The title of the highest is disputed by 2 volcanoes from South America:

1. Llullaillaco, located on the border of Argentina and Chile with an altitude of more than 6 thousand meters;
2. Cotopaxi, located in Ecuador with an altitude of 5897 meters.

Description with names

There are between 1000 and 1500 active volcanoes on our planet. Many of them are located near densely populated areas and pose a threat to human life. The most dangerous volcanoes, which are under special surveillance, are included in UN Decade Volcanoes list.

Merapi

Merapi, which means in Indonesian "mountain of fire", recognized as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in Asia. It is located in the south of the island of Java in Indonesia, and its peak rises to a height of 3 thousand meters.

Significant eruptions of Merapi occur at intervals of approximately 7 years; throughout its history, Merapi has repeatedly caused the death of many people. In 1930, the eruption killed 1,400 people, and in 2010 more than 350 thousand people had to be evacuated, killing 353 island residents.

Located near Merapi Yogyakarta city, in the agglomeration of which more than 2 million people live. Due to its activity and danger to human life, Merapi is included in the list of Volcanoes of the Decade.

Sakurajima

Sakurazdima Volcano (Japan) is located on Kyushu island, its peak rises to a height of 1110 meters. The first eruption recorded by chronicles occurred in 963, and the most powerful one dates back to 1914, but thanks to the tremors that preceded it most of local residents managed to evacuate, “only” 35 people died.

Since the mid-20th century, the volcano has been constantly active. Happen every year thousands of small explosions and ash emissions.

In 2013, there was a large ash emission reaching a height of 4000 meters.

Sakurajima is also on the list of Volcanoes of the Decade.

Aso

Volcano Aso is also located on Kyushu island in Japan. The highest point of Aso is at an altitude of 1592 meters. During the period of observation of the volcano, about 165 large and medium eruptions occurred, many of which resulted in human casualties.

The last time people died as a result of a volcanic eruption was in 1979, when 3 people died and 11 were injured. But Aso is dangerous not only for its eruptions, poisonous volcanic gas fumes They regularly poison tourists who try to conquer Aso. The last such incident occurred in 1997, when two climbers died.

The last eruption of Aso was noted in 2011, ash emission occurred to a height of up to 2 kilometers.

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Nyiragongo

Nyiragongo is located in the territory DR Congo in the Virunga mountain system (Africa). In the crater of the volcano there is the world's largest lava lake, the depth of which can reach 3 kilometers. In 1977, the crater wall ruptured, causing a large flow of lava into the surrounding area, ultimately killing 70 people.

During observations of Nyiragongo since 1882, it was recorded 34 major volcanic eruptions. A feature of the Nyiragongo eruptions is the extremely rapid flow of lava, reaching speeds of 100 kilometers per hour. During a major eruption in 2002, 400 thousand residents of the city of Goma, located near the volcano, were evacuated. However, 147 of them died as a result of this cataclysm, and the city itself suffered significant damage.

All these factors make Nyiragongo one of the the most dangerous volcanoes on the planet, for which he was rightly included in the list of Volcanoes of the Decade.

Galeras

The Galeras volcano is located in Colombia near the city of Pasto, whose population is more than 400 thousand people. Its height exceeds 4200 meters. Due to its danger, Galeras was included in the list of Volcanoes of the Decade that pose the greatest threat in the foreseeable future.

It is believed that over the past 7,000 years, Galeras has experienced at least 6 major eruptions, the last of which was recorded in 1993.

Mauna Loa

The Mauna Loa volcano is located on Hawaiian Islands belonging to the United States of America. This giant volcano occupies more than half the area of ​​Hawaii, the height of the peak above sea level is 4169 meters, but most of the volcano is located under water. Together with the underwater part, its height from base to top reaches 9170 meters, which exceeds the height of Everest.

Mauna Loa erupts according to what is called Hawaiian type with an outpouring of lava, but without explosions and large ash emissions. Observations of the volcano have been carried out only since 1832, but during this time 39 major eruptions of Mauna Loa have been recorded. This volcano was included in the list of Volcanoes of the Decade due to the huge lava flows accompanying the eruption and the densely populated area in its immediate vicinity.

The summit of the volcano and its slopes are included in the list World Heritage UNESCO.

Colima

The most active volcano in Central America located in the state of Jalisco. Thanks to her activity, Colima received the nickname "little Vesuvius", its height exceeds 3800 meters.

Over the past 450 years, more than 40 large and medium-sized volcanic eruptions have been recorded, the last of which occurred on September 12, 2016. More than 400 thousand people live near Colima, making it America's most dangerous volcano. For this reason, the volcano was included in the list of Volcanoes of the Decade.

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Vesuvius

Most famous volcano of the world is located on the Apennine Peninsula in. The lonely peak of Vesuvius, 1281 meters high, rises above the vast fields of the province of Campania and is part of the Apennine mountain system.

Located just 15 kilometers from Naples, Vesuvius has repeatedly gone down in history with its catastrophic eruptions; about 80 major ones alone were recorded. In 79 AD, the most destructive eruption of Vesuvius, during which famous cities perished:

• Pompeii;
• Oplontis;
• Herculaneum;
• Stabiae.

It is believed that at least 16 thousand people died during this disaster.

The last one happened in 1944. this moment eruption of Vesuvius, cities were destroyed during this natural disaster Weight And San Sebastiano, 27 people became victims. Since then, Vesuvius has not shown much activity, but the danger of a new eruption always remains. Vesuvius is one of the main attractions of the province of Campania and a visit to it is included in sightseeing tour when traveling to Naples.

Etna

Another famous volcano in Italy is located in the east of the island of Sicily and is the highest volcano, rising to a height of 2329 meters. Etna erupts several times a year. History has recorded several major eruptions of this volcano that led to devastating consequences:

1. Was destroyed in 122 AD Catania city;
2. In 1169, during the large-scale eruption of Etna, they died 15 thousand people;
3. In 1669, Catania suffered again, houses were destroyed 27 thousand people;
4. In 1928, the ancient Maskali city.

Despite the danger of the volcano, the inhabitants of the island continue to settle on its slopes. The reason for this is fertile soil, enriched with minerals and trace elements contained in cooled lava flows and ash.

Etna is one of the main natural attractions of Sicily; tourists from all over the world come to see the volcano and climb to its top.

Popocatepetl

Volcano Popocatepetl, or El Popo, as locals affectionately call it, is located in Mexico, 70 kilometers from the capital of this country, Mexico City. The height of the volcano is almost 5500 meters. Popocatépetl has erupted more than 15 times over the past 500 years, with the most recent one occurring as recently as 2015. An extinct volcano is located near Popocatepetl. Iztaccihuatl.

A trip to these volcanoes is an integral part excursion program when visiting Mexico City.

Klyuchevskaya Sopka

The highest volcano in Eurasia is located on the Kamchatka Peninsula and is considered the most famous of the many volcanoes of Kamchatka. Highest point beyond Caucasus Mountains reaches an altitude of 4750 meters. It is the most active volcano in Eurasia, with an average of almost every year. The last significant eruption occurred in 2013, the height of the ash emission was 10-12 kilometers. The eruption was accompanied by mud flows and ashfall.

Cotopaxi

The active Cotopaxi volcano is located in South America on the territory of the state Ecuador part of the Andes mountain system. The height of the peak of Cotopaxi is 5897 meters. In the entire history of observations, 86 eruptions have been recorded, the largest of which led to the complete destruction of the city of Latacunga in 1786. The last activity of Cotopaxi was noticed in 1942, after which the volcano is still dormant.

Famous extinct giants

In addition to active volcanoes, there are many extinct volcanoes on our planet that do not exhibit volcanic activity.

Supreme

The tallest extinct volcano on the planet, Aconcagua, is located in Argentina and is part of mountain system Andes. Aconcagua is not only the highest extinct volcano in the world, but also the highest peak in the Americas, Western and Southern Hemispheres. The height of Aconcagua exceeds 6950 meters.

Sleeping giants

Many extinct volcanoes are now considered simply mountains, although some of them could potentially “wake up” and begin to become active. Such volcanoes, which may become active in the future, are called "sleeping".

• Famous Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (Africa) is a dormant volcano that is not active. Scientists believe that one day Kilimanjaro may wake up, then this potential volcano will become one of the highest in the world, because the height of Kilimanjaro is 5895 meters above sea level.

Colossal supervolcano Yellowstone was considered extinct, but scientists have found that there is little activity in it, so now Yellowstone is classified as a dormant volcano. The giant last erupted almost a million years ago.

It is believed that if Yellowstone wakes up, a potential eruption will become one of the largest disasters in the history of the Earth, every third inhabitant of the planet will die, and several US states will be completely destroyed.

Yellowstone eruption will provoke many earthquakes, giant tsunami waves and other volcanic eruptions, which will affect almost every inhabitant of the planet. The ash ejected by the volcano will cover the surface of the earth from the sun for a year and a half, and a volcanic winter will occur throughout the planet.

However, not all scientists believe that the consequences of this cataclysm will be so serious. In any case, the eruption of this volcano remains one of the main potential threats to humans.

• The largest extinct volcano in Russia is 5642 meters. It is located on the border of the republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia. Belongs to the list highest peaks six parts of the world. Scientists consider the activity of the volcano not so much completed as fading.
• The largest volcano of our time cannot be visited and is very difficult to see, since it is under water. Array Tamu located at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean and is approximately 1600 kilometers east of Japanese Islands. Its dimensions are 650 by 450 kilometers; in scale, the array is one of the largest not only on Earth, but in the entire solar system. The last volcanic eruption occurred 140 million years ago.
• Dormant volcanoes Big and Small Ararat are now located on the territory and belong to the category of volcanoes that do not exhibit volcanic activity. The peak of Mount Great Ararat, reaching 5165 meters, is highest point Turkey.
• One of the highest peaks of the Caucasus, Mount Kazbek is also an extinct volcano. Kazbek is located on the border with Russia, the top point of the mountain is located at an altitude of more than 5 kilometers. During research, volcanic ash from an eruption that allegedly occurred 40 thousand years ago was found in one of the Kazbek caves.

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