Our planet is like a huge sack with presents, how many there any digging, you can always find something new.Earth is constantly presents researchers surprises, and it happens very long time.Perfect example - the phenomenon of sinkholes, which are regularly produced worldwide.
cheese with holes or the precariousness of existence ...
The existence of massive underground cavities man known since time immemorial.It is natural that in the old days, they have been associated exclusively with the machinations of evil forces, people in every possible way by those places where they are a regular education.Holes from the sinkholes were considered the gateway to the underworld.
Centuries passed, people got a hold of a variety of sciences.Gradually, geologists have discovered the secret of these natural formations.So.Underground voids are formed in places where lying in the depths of the earth rocks are highly susceptible to water erosion.When water seeps through the soil, it gradually erodes the same limestone, resulting in the formation of underground cavities.Often, in the depths of the earth formed, even majestic karst lakes, which for centuries remained inaccessible to humans.
You probably know at least one of the world famous underground cave with stalactites and stalagmites: strange as it may sound, but it's all the same caste emptiness.In some areas the ground layer of rock beneath the soil on the number of holes can successfully compete even with Swiss cheese.Since these parts are constant collapse of the soil layer, formed a rather peculiar landscape of the area, which is called "karst topography."
From ancient times, people refer to such places with the greatest respect, because they believed their abode of the gods and spirits.In principle, they can understand when you look at other forms of relief come immediately to mind landscapes of distant planets ...
What Karst scientifically
way, and you know where all gone, the term "karst"?But this definition is gone from the area in northern Italy, beautiful (Karst).Similar natural phenomena observed at many places in Slovenia and Croatia.
From a scientific point of view, a set of geological processes and phenomena.Please be aware that the occurrence of sinkholes is only possible in a place where lie the respective types of rocks (of which we have already discussed above).
Important!Professional Geologists often stands pseudokarst.This term refers to the formation of voids in the soil and underlying rocks underneath.Unlike the "true" karst in that they are formed by the other, rather than dissolution, of natural processes.For example, under this definition quite get caves that occur after passage of mudflows or lava flow.Do not forget also about the voids that result from human activities (production of oil and gas).
about these phenomena, we now tell.The most famous one is the "Latin American" sinkhole.Guatemala - the city where she appeared.
Latin America
the yard was the last day of May, 2010.Central America on "full steam ahead" swept tropical storm "Agatha", simultaneously destroying everything in its path.In the morning all was quiet, and in the capital of Guatemala utilities began to engage in the restoration work.Suddenly, on a busy intersection was a large crater with a diameter equal to 18 meters, and the depth reaches 60 meters.The extensive karst collapse instantly fell three-story apartment building and single-storey outbuilding.
Ironically, but for Guatemala this event was not something from the category of incredible: in just three years before, just a few kilometers from the city also formed a failure, the depth of which was a hundred meters.Unfortunately, in both cases it was not without casualties.
What was
Immediately after the incident all assumed that it happened as a result of the formation of sinkholes.But geologists have quickly made it clear that the city is on a dense volcanic pumice that physically can not be blurred.How did it happen that in a layer of dense geological formation formed a giant cavity?
Oddly, but all were guilty ... careless utilities.Because of the constant failures and breakthroughs sewer pipes that were laid as far back as ancient times, the city formed a real underground network of foul-smelling sewage rivers.Their "water" eroded and dissolved pumice, which soon began to be washed away with astonishing speed.As a result, the thickness of the soil is gradually formed a huge cavity.
rains are not always useful ...
in May 2010 as the situation has worsened due to the gigantic amount of rainwater brought by "Agatha".Subsequently, researchers have found that in some places formed "karstic" lakes, which are still filled with a mixture of rainwater and sewage.Needless to say how bad these "sea" effect on the epidemiological situation in the city.
Thus, we have described the case - no sinkholes.Guatemala is of the few areas in the world where their education are excluded.Generally, ground failures are often observed around the world.Often, their sizes are really impressive: the diameter of the funnel can reach several tens of meters, not to mention the depth of a couple of hundred meters.
Because of what the growing frequency of their education
Although education in many parts of these natural phenomena, and to this day continue to believe something supernatural.And people can understand: it seems unlikely that a firm and stable firmament beneath his feet for a couple of seconds can turn into a huge failure, which disappear even homes in several floors.The situation is aggravated every year, but because the anxiety of people grows.
Experts say wine almost every second of the karst failure lies with the man.The fact that people are overwhelmed with the surface of the earth with giant buildings, as well as an extremely negative impact on the balance of groundwater.Due to their level of human activity is constantly decreasing, and thus the risk of failure is significantly increased.
Human activity
most striking example of the fact that even a huge karst depression may be caused by humans is West Florida, USA.You are still going to laugh, but in the same 2010, there was the failure of the local landfill impressive size.Local geologists almost turned white as the conclusions of the experts (dated 1980), the area was completely stable (and why it chose to dump).
explained simple: just under the aisle seat track of the underground river.Since that year was dry, water is pumped from it extensively throughout the state.The result - a failure.
in America alone the annual damage that cause failures, is estimated at 10-15 billion (!) Dollars.
Oddly enough, but sometimes karst topography can render excellent service to man.The fact that such a place, as usual, extremely beautiful.A perfect example can serve numerous sinkholes in the forests of Indonesia, as well as the majestic Great Blue Hole, which is located off the coast of Belize.
Irrational use of groundwater
largely root of all evil lies in the fact that mankind irrationally uses the most valuable resource of soil and groundwater.Of course, it is difficult to get away from: moisture - a valuable resource and with the development of world agriculture, it is used in all large volumes.Everywhere pumped groundwater for irrigation of agricultural land, but somewhere, and to this day is used disastrous practice of draining the marshes, which leads to more adverse effects.So, in many countries already there is a shortage of drinking water.
More recently just science fiction written about the coming war for it, and now the same thing has been discussed for quite "mundane", pragmatic professionals.
German misadventures
emphasize once again that the karst cavities - quite a natural phenomenon.In the same 2010 (it was a hectic time) peaceful and quiet German town of Schmalkalden in Thuringia twice discussed the incredible event.Pacific November morning (first of November) right middle of the main street in a huge crater with a diameter of 40 meters, the depth of which reached just 20 meters.Only had time to calm down passions as November 11, the same thing happened in the same place.
right on the border with the old crater formed a new, taking a few garages for local residents.Since the earth collapsed at night, managed to avoid casualties.
"gates of Hell"
More recently, it became known that in the crevices of the hills that are located in the Karakum Desert of Turkmenistan, contains a considerable amount of natural gas.More precisely, to learn about it was only in 1971.While far from a small village Darwaz drillers made another hole.During this process, they were exciting drill straight into the karst underground cavities.It was a gas.Lots of.
drilling rig collapsed almost immediately in the resulting cavity with a diameter of 20 meters and the depth - all 60 meters.Affected, fortunately, it was not, but because the ground began to come out gas.Since its composition poses a risk to human and animal life, he decided to set fire to.Experts suggested that the gas reserves will soon burn out.Alas, they are burning now for more than four decades.
Since the word "Darwaz" in the local dialect means "gate", the local population expected surreal landscape christened "the gates of hell."
Not every failure - Karst
It is not surprising that in recent years are intensive research in the field of preventive detection of dangerous underground cavities.The well-known Israeli Lev Eppelbaum geologist from the University of Tel Aviv's busy studying failures around the Dead Sea, using the help of his colleagues from Jordan and France.I must say that the sea is a truly unique natural object.And it is not just striking the salinity of its waters, but also in the fact that this body of water is located at 415 meters below sea level.
salinity as it is very high for the simple reason that the surface of the sea water evaporates very intense, enough that the Jordan River just do not have time to bring.In addition, the track last year by year more and more shallower as the needs of Agriculture of Israel and Jordan are growing.Accordingly, and reduced the level of the Dead Sea (about one meter per year).Since all this is related to the topic of the article?
Salt dips
It's simple: along the coast of the Dead Sea, at a depth of 25 to 50 meters hide huge salt deposits.Previously, these places were under a layer of salt water, but she stepped back.As a result, with blocks of salt begin to contact ground fresh water.As a result - a kind of "karst" areas, densely dotted with failures.As you can guess, the latter arise from the erosion of salt water.
To date, the number of cavities, the diameter of which varies from a meter to 30 meters, estimated at several thousand.From the air, the region is increasingly beginning to resemble the surface of the moon.And the situation is getting worse for those eight decades, during which people were watching the level of the Dead Sea, it was reduced to 20 meters.
How can we improve the situation
Regulation can save only the strengthening inflow of water from the Jordan River.Unfortunately, for this we can only dream of as intensively developing agriculture needs more of its volume.Experts say the possibility of digging a canal from the Red Sea.About this opportunity to speak for a long time, so it is likely that it ever will.In the meantime, the geologists conducted a test of new methods and tests that allow pre-warn coastal residents about the dangers of sudden subsidence.
Thus, karst origin is not every dip in the ground.However, regardless of their origin, each of these wells is potentially dangerous possibility of their subsequent sharp growths.
