Nameless volcano. Devastating consequences of the eruption

In our article we want to talk about the Nameless Volcano. It is interesting because it is considered active; its eruption was observed in 1956. So Nameless in Kamchatka? What else is he interested in? Let's talk about this.

Location of the volcano

Bezymyanny Volcano is located in the center of the Klyuchevskaya group, not far from Klyuchevsky. If we talk about what it is, then it is an elongated massif with a destroyed top. In its eastern part there is a fragment of an older volcano; most of it was destroyed during an explosion in 1956. Only a small south-eastern part has survived. The western section of the massif is the Bezymianny volcano. Its slopes are covered with wide lava flows, the earliest of which are located in the southwest and south. And at the foot there are sixteen domes of completely different ages and composition. The destroyed peak is a large crater (diameter - 1.3 x 2.8 kilometers), in its center there is a new formation called a dome.

During the late Pleistocene, domes of dacite composition formed in the place where Bezymyanny (volcano) is now located. There were 16 of them. And ten to eleven thousand years ago, Bezymyanny was formed on the slopes of the Kamen volcano. The stratovolcano began to form 5500 years ago. The activity of these places made itself felt for another two thousand years.

Periods of activity of Bezymyanny

Bezymyanny (volcano in Kamchatka) has been active for the last 2500 years. Conventionally, this period can be divided into three periods. Based on the indicators of ash masses, it can be assumed that the moments of activation occurred in the following periods:

1. 2400-1700 years ago.
2. 13 500-1000.
3. From 1965 to the present.

Eruption. Untitled, 1956

Scientists can judge earlier periods of volcanic activity by the composition of volcanic rocks. But as for the last eruption, it was not so long ago, and therefore we can talk about it in more detail.

In front of him, the height of the volcano was 3100 meters. At that time, at its top there was a fairly well-defined crater with a diameter of about half a kilometer. In the southern part of the crater there was a cinder cone (internal). Near the top, the slopes were cut by volcanic potholes. At that time, the volcano was considered long extinct. No one even imagined that there could be any activity going on inside it. The volcanic eruption changed everything. Untitled 1956 presented an unexpected “surprise” that can hardly be called pleasant. Its eruption is called catastrophic because it occurred after a very long period of peace, which lasted about a thousand years. It is no wonder that the volcano was considered extinct long ago. And so the eruption of 1956 opened a completely new period in the life of the giant, which continues to this day.

Why was Nameless considered extinct?

It must be said that the lack of signs of activity at one time caused some disdain for the Nameless One, and completely in vain. But there were some scientists who assumed that this volcano was still capable of delivering a surprise. And so it happened. Very soon this assumption was fully justified.

In 1955, at the Klyuchevskaya station, seismographs recorded multiple tremors in the direction of Bezymyanny. However, even these signs did not change the attitude of specialists towards him. For some reason, they believed that the phenomenon was associated with the future appearance of another side crater of a volcano such as Kryuchevsky.

New life for an active volcano

The eruption of the volcano (Bezymyanny is very unpredictable) began with powerful emissions of ash that rose to a height of up to five kilometers. But then suddenly the volcano began to subside. The impression was that this, in fact, was all over. However, everything turned out completely different...

Already in March 1956, a powerful explosion shook the entire surrounding area. Huge clouds of ash rushed to a height of thirty-five kilometers. The top of the volcano was completely destroyed. In its place, a crater with a diameter of one and a half kilometers was formed. At the same time, its height instantly decreased by 250 meters.

The explosion itself was directed to the east.

Devastating consequences of the eruption

It was so powerful that at a distance of up to 25 kilometers, all the trees were burned and felled. Hot sand, ash, and debris covered an area of ​​500 km 2 in a very thick layer. At the same time, almost all vegetation was destroyed. The snow that had accumulated over the winter instantly melted and rushed into the valley in dirty streams. The fragments of trees they had captured also rushed there. The water passed through the valley, bringing with it a lot of dirt, stones and wood, which formed a completely impassable blockage. The poisonous stream poisoned the water of Kamchatka for many days, making it completely unfit for consumption. In addition, sulfur impurities led to the death of fish. This is the surprise Bezymyanny volcano presented in Kamchatka.

After the crater was formed, a hot dome of lava began to rise from its bottom. In 1966, ten years after its eruption, when climbing the volcano, the presence of life was felt in it. At times, quite strong tremors were clearly felt underfoot, causing boulders to roll down the slopes, and gas jets smelling of sulfur rose from multiple crevices. The climb was not finished, it just had to be stopped.

New surprises from an active volcano

Now the Bezymyanny volcano is an active volcano in Kamchatka. The 1956 eruption was one of the largest on a global scale in the current historical period. After this event, the Nameless Volcano woke up twice more. But both eruptions were weak (in 1977, 1984). Its activity was observed in 1984. But already in 1985, the volcano presented a new surprise.

At the end of June, new tremors were recorded. A group of volcanologists was sent to the site under the leadership of P. P. Firstov. And on June 29, Bezymyanny exploded again. And again there was a directed release to the east. The explosion was very powerful. It was second in strength after 1956. And again, no one expected this from the Nameless One. It was considered to have already been sufficiently studied; people had already become accustomed to its periodic jolts. The group that went to the place almost died and miraculously survived.

Imagine that a flaming cloud swept twelve kilometers and destroyed all the young vegetation that had just appeared in a deserted area after the last eruption. The houses of volcanologists built at the foot were also destroyed. Fortunately, they turned out to be uninhabited at that time. The dome formed after the 1956 explosion survived, but the crater grew larger again.

An extraordinary spectacle

Volcanoes have a special property of always being in constant “combat readiness”. Nameless behaves the same way. Experience shows that you should always be on your guard with him. Even if he is completely calm today, it doesn't mean anything. He may soon come to life. The Nameless One has been making itself felt periodically for a long time. And every time it happens completely unexpectedly. Each eruption is something amazing and fascinating. Powerful fire element, hot lava flows, explosions and fireworks from stones. This is all a volcanic eruption. If someone had a chance to witness such a natural phenomenon live, then the person forever changes his attitude towards them. All eruptions of the Nameless One occur with serious explosions and quite severe destruction.

Type and form of Nameless

In its own way, it is a geological formation on the earth’s crust, through which liquid lava comes to the surface and forms volcanic rocks. Based on their activity, volcanoes are divided into active, dormant and extinct. And according to the form of formation, they distinguish stratovolcanoes, shield volcanoes, cinder volcanoes and others. Nameless is one of the active volcanoes.

In addition, it is a stratovolcano by type of formation.

The role of Bezymyanny in world volcanology

Volcanoes began to be explored and described only in the 18th century. The first book about was published by P. Krashennikov back in 1756. It contained information about the hot springs and giants of these places, including Bezymyanny. Later there were other works. In Soviet times, the Atlas of Volcanoes of the USSR was even published. And in 1991, a modern work appeared on active volcanoes in Kamchatka, where the active giants were described in sufficient detail. Thanks to the 1956 eruption, Bezymianny went down in history forever. Since then, a new type has appeared in world volcanology - “Unnamed”, or “directed explosion”. Previously, there were no such terms in science.

The Future of the Nameless One

Volcanologists managed to restore the nature of the activity of the Nameless One over the past 2,500 thousand years. It is quite difficult to judge the earlier stages. So, it was established that the activity was pulsating in nature. By analogy with previous periods, certain conclusions can be drawn regarding the future behavior of the volcano. Now we can safely say that Nameless is currently halfway through the next period of strong activity. Taking into account the duration of past periods, it is highly likely that the current cycle will last from 100 to 200 years.

Scientists have noticed one interesting feature of the Nameless. Its eruption patterns changed approximately 1,400 years ago. Since then, it has been characterized by catastrophic eruptions. It must be said that the eruption of 1956 was the most powerful of them. Since there is a periodic increase in this effect, it can be assumed that in the future the volcano will present another surprise in the form of even greater activity.

Before the large-scale eruption of 1955–1956, Bezymyanny Volcano was considered dormant and was a typical stratovolcano formed about 10,000–11,000 years ago on the basis of earlier dacite domes. It is known that it was active several times between 7050 BC and 950 AD, after which it became quiet and remained calm for more than 1000 years. Everything changed in 1955, when the giant unexpectedly returned to life and gradually became one of the most active in Kamchatka.

Location: Eastern Ridge, Kamchatka
Height: 2882 m
Type: stratovolcano
Number of eruptions: 65 in the last 10,000 years

Bezymyanny rises in the eastern part of the peninsula, 40 km from Klyuchevskaya Sopka and the volcanological station of the village of Klyuchi, which monitors the Klyuchevskaya volcanic group. It consists of a young active stratovolcano and the remains of an ancient peak destroyed during the 1956 eruption. Numerous lava flows stretch on the slopes of the giant, and at the foot there are 16 small cones of different structures and ages.

The top of the destroyed old volcano is occupied by a giant crater measuring 1.3 by 2.8 km and 700 meters deep, inside of which there is a younger dome. Bezymyanny is significantly smaller than its closest neighbors – Klyuchevskoye and Kamen. Its height is only 2882 meters.

Bezymyanny eruption in 1955–1956

After thousands of years of inactivity, the volcano suddenly awakened in September 1955. Its eruption was preceded by a series of underground tunnels with a hypocenter directly under the base of the dome. By the first days of October, dozens of earthquakes were recorded daily at the summit, and by the beginning of eruptive activity on October 19, their number reached hundreds.

The eruption began with emissions of ash and smoke, which until March 1956 were moderate. Simultaneously with the formation of ash columns on the eastern slope, a rise in the surface was observed, reaching a height of about 100 meters by March. The final stage of the disaster occurred on March 30. The collapse of the eastern slope led to a debris avalanche, followed by a powerful explosion, which received a VEI-5 index on an 8-point explosion hazard scale.

Bezymianny eruption in October 1955. ©Photo by G.S. Gorshkova

A column of ash 35 km high shot up over the top of Bezymyanny, and pyroclastic flows rushed to the foot, rolling over a distance of up to 20 km. As a result of the explosion, the old volcano was destroyed, and a giant horseshoe-shaped crater, reminiscent of the American crater, was formed in its upper part.

Immediately after the explosion, an outpouring of lava began in the horseshoe, which gradually led to the emergence of a young stratovolcano. The formation of the new dome continues to this day and is accompanied by moderate eruptions. After activities in 1955–1956, more than 50 eruptive episodes were recorded at Bezymyanny, occurring at intervals from 3 months to 2–3 years. The giant last erupted in 2010–2013.

Once lost among its neighbors, an inconspicuous, extinct volcano with the barely visible outlines of a small crater is now one of the most famous, active and observed not only in Kamchatka, but throughout the world. It is a natural monument and is located on the territory of the Klyuchevskoy natural park.

Bezymyanny Volcano in Kamchatka, or Bezymyannaya Sopka, belongs to the Klyuchevskaya group and is located in its central part. The most famous active participants in this group are Klyuchevskaya Sopka and Plosky Tolbachik.

In its appearance, Bezymyanny is an elongated massif, the top of which was destroyed by a recent eruption. Refers to active volcanoes. The closest settlement is the village of Klyuchi, 60 km to the south, as well as the village of Kozyrevsk, 50 km.

Most of the volcanoes of Kamchatka received their names from the local Itelmen tribes, and some of them were named in honor of distinguished hunters and scientists. Nameless is considered an exception. During the development of the Kamchatka Peninsula, the hill “slept”, so the absence of a name as such is associated with a long period of peace. In addition, compared to its neighboring volcanoes Klyuchevskaya Sopka, Tolbachik and Kamen, Bezymyanny did not stand out very much.

The formation of the building dates back to the Ice Age, which began more than 2.5 million years ago. In its place were several domes formed by squeezing lava onto the surface of the Earth. When studied by scientists, they were given names such as Smooth, Correct, Dismembered, etc. More than 10,000 years ago, an old building began to take shape, which was called Pra-Nameless, and about 5,000 years ago, Nameless itself. The “remains” of the Great-Bezymyanny are preserved on the eastern side of the modern volcano, and the dome, formed more than 5,000 years ago, is shifted half a kilometer to the west.

The activity of Bezymyanny in Kamchatka was observed in all periods. The dates of the eruptions, which were reconstructed from the debris and the volcanic structure itself, indicate that in some time cycles it was active for 400 years. Thus, activation occurred in the periods from 2400 to 1700 years ago, from 1350 to 1000 years ago and from 1955 to the present. The culminating moments of eruptions usually coincide with the beginning and end of the period. Such long-term eruptions with subsequent catastrophic consequences are usually similar to each other in the nature of the eruptions and the decrease in relief.

Currently, the height of the Bezymyanny volcano in Kamchatka is 2882 m. Before the catastrophic eruption that occurred in 1956, its height reached more than 3050 m. It consists of part of a destroyed old building located on the southeastern part of the young formation and a crater reaching a diameter of 1.3 by 2.8 m. Before the incident, there was only a faint crater on its top and the volcano was considered extinct. The slopes are filled with numerous lava flows, and at the foot there are 16 domes. One of them has been preserved from the time of early activity and is called the Dam. The walls of the dome are very similar to logs, which is why this place is called “Woodpile” and has the status of a natural monument.

The 1956 eruption placed Bezymyanny among the most famous giants on the planet. The study of the geological structure of the volcano began in the 1980s by G.S. Gorshkov, and its history over the last couple of thousand years was obtained from the research of O.A. Braitseva and V.Yu. Kiryanov. Later, scientific research was carried out in more depth, because his activity grew, but the information received was not enough.

One of the most powerful eruptions in the entire history of the volcano and all of Kamchatka was the disaster of 1956. Hundreds of earthquakes a day, columns of fire and gas up to 40 km high. Lightning and deafening noise. Impenetrable darkness from the ashes. The 1956 eruption was truly destructive not only for the volcano itself, but also for the entire surrounding natural complex as a whole. After the incident at Bezymyanny, this type of eruption was identified by the Society of International Volcanology as independent and to this day is called a “directed explosion.”

The volcano may pose a danger to international and local airlines visiting the airspace of Kamchatka, i.e. its ash emissions can grow up to 15 km, and ash clouds can stretch in different directions for hundreds of kilometers. The volcano currently carries a yellow aviation danger code. There is also constant visual, seismic and satellite monitoring.

An interesting fact is the presence on the planet of the giant St. Helens, which has a very similar nature of eruptions (directed explosion). It is located in the USA. According to scientists, volcanoes St. Helens and Bezymyanny may be somehow connected. It was after the eruption in 1980 at St. Helens that close monitoring of this “couple” began. Its neighbors, Klyuchevskaya Sopka and Kamen, also have a direct influence on the formation of the character of the Bezymyanny volcano. Thus, collapses or movements of the subsoil on these buildings directly increase the pressure in Bezymyanny and also contribute to the collapse of debris avalanches. The entire Klyuchevskaya group is characterized by volcanic processes with striking manifestations. The composition of the rocks here is constantly changing. Sometimes researchers find gold and platinum group metals. The uniqueness of this group attracts both scientists, tourists and climbers. Many tourists pass along the routes every year. However, in the eastern sector of Bezymyanny there is little natural attractiveness. There are scorching clouds, lifeless fields, covered lava flows and heaps of boulders. However, subject to weather conditions, the state of the volcano and safety precautions, it is possible to climb to the edge of the crater, from where you can admire the very impressive panoramas of these places.

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You can go to the north of the peninsula, where the largest volcanoes and little-visited places are located, in groups or individually

Bezymyannaya Sopka Volcano (Bezymyanny Volcano)

Located in the central part Klyuchevskaya group of volcanoes, southwest of the Klyuchevsky volcano, its height is currently 2882 m. Until 1955. Nameless volcano was considered extinct. The absence of any signs of activity in historical times caused him to be treated with some disdain. In 1955, seismographs at the Klyuchevskaya station began to record numerous tremors in the direction of Bezymyanny. But the distrust of him was so strong that the tremors were considered harbingers of the appearance of some side crater of the Klyuchevsky volcano.

On October 22, 1955, the eruption of Bezymianny began with powerful emissions of ash, rising to a height of up to 5 km, but then the volcano began to subside, and it seemed that this would be the end of its awakening. But on March 30 of the following year, 1956, a grand explosion shook the surrounding area, and a huge ash cloud shot up to a height of 35 km. The top of the volcano was destroyed, in its place a crater with a diameter of 1.5 km was formed, and the height of the volcano decreased by 250 m.

Explosions at a distance of up to 25 km felled or burned trees and covered bushes. Hot ash, sand, and debris covered an area of ​​about 500 km2 in a thick layer, destroying all vegetation. The masses of snow that had accumulated over the winter were quickly melted, and mud flows rushed into the valley of the Bolshaya Khapitsa River, carrying down trees and debris of all sizes. A powerful stream swept through its valley, forming an impassable blockage of trees, stones and mud before its confluence with the Kamchatka River. The muddy water of this stream, poisoned with sulfur impurities, made the water of Kamchatka undrinkable for many days and caused a massive death of fish. After the formation of the crater, a dome of viscous hot lava began to squeeze out from its bottom - a new cone.

The 1956 eruption is considered one of the largest on a global scale in historical time. After it, two weak eruptions occurred on Bezymyanny in 1961, 1966 and a stronger one in 1977. Activation was also observed in 1984, but in 1985 the volcano presented a new surprise.

At the end of June, tremors began to be recorded. A group of volcanologists was urgently sent. And on June 29, the volcano exploded. Again there was a directed explosion to the east, but of enormous power, second in strength after the explosion of 1956. Nobody expected this. The nature of the volcano was considered to be sufficiently studied, they got used to the tremors, and the group almost died.

The scorching cloud swept 12 km, destroying the young vegetation that had just begun to attack the desert. The houses built by volcanologists near the volcano, fortunately uninhabited, were also destroyed. The new dome that grew after the 1956 eruption survived, but the size of the crater increased.

Currently, due to frequent rock avalanches and high gas concentrations, visiting the top of the dome without special equipment is not recommended. In addition, high volcanic activity remains; the volcano periodically produces ash emissions to a height of several kilometers.

On the Kamchatka Peninsula, in the center of the Klyuchevskaya group of giant volcanoes, there is a relatively small hill (3085 m), which, due to its inexpressiveness, never received a name and appeared in catalogs of volcanoes under the name Bezymyannaya. This hill was considered an extinct volcano.

Its awakening was announced by tremors recorded at the Klyuchi volcanological station, located 45 km from Bezymyannaya. The eruption began at dawn on October 22, 1955. Plumes of white smoke were seen from Klyuchi, appearing behind the eastern slope of Klyuchevsky volcano. Then ash began to fall. Within a few days, the dark plume of volcanic emissions rising above the crater reached a height of 8 km. Huge lightning bolts were visible in the monstrous cloud at night. The explosions, each stronger than the other, did not stop throughout November. On some days, the shroud of ash hanging over the volcano was so thick that it did not allow the sun's rays to pass through: in Klyuchi, lamps were lit in houses, and cars drove with their headlights on. Over the course of a month, the volcano’s crater expanded from 250 to 800 m.

At the end of November, the activity of the volcano decreased, eruptions occurred less and less frequently, but a dome of viscous lava began to grow in the crater, blocking the exit to volcanic gases. The pressure in the volcano reached such strength that the long-hardened ancient dome adjacent to the volcano gradually rose almost 100 m and shifted to the southeast. Finally, on March 30, 1956, a gigantic explosion occurred. An oblique column of fire shot up above the volcano, inclined to the east at an angle of 30°. Black smoke also swirled obliquely above it, which after one or two minutes covered the tops of the mountains. The ash cloud, like a giant fan, rushed up and to the sides, reaching a height of about 40 km. In Ust-Kamchatsk, i.e. 120 km from the volcano, this cloud obscured the entire horizon. It seemed impenetrably black, only its light edges were bright golden in the rays of the setting sun. A quarter of an hour after the explosion, a stream of gas was noticed rising above the black blanket. It reached an altitude of 45 km. Soon an ash cloud covered the Klyuchi volcanological station. Ashfall began. First, individual large grains of sand up to 3 mm in size fell. It seemed as if strong hail was hitting the window glass. Gradually the ashfall intensified, and soon there was such an impenetrable darkness that it was impossible to see the object brought to the eyes. The area covered with ash was 400 km long and 100-150 km wide. Its total volume was no less than 0.5 billion m3.

But a complete understanding of the disaster was obtained only after we managed to visit the volcano. The nameless one has changed beyond recognition. From a regular, slightly truncated cone, it turned into a semi-circular caldera. The ancient dome, raised during the first stage of the eruption, was now missing. At the site of the peak and south-eastern slope of the mountain, a huge crater shaped like a semi-ring measuring 1500x2000 m gaped. The top of the volcano was demolished by an explosion. Its height decreased by almost 200 m.

At a distance of over 10 km, everything was buried under a half-meter layer of volcanic sand. Jets of this sand tore off the bark of trees within a radius of up to 30 km. All the thin trees were broken. The house - a base for volcanologists (fortunately, without people), located 12 km from the eruption site, was literally blown off the face of the earth: not a single board remained from it.

Under a huge thickness of hot sand that had fallen from the sky, rapid melting of the snow began. The resulting powerful mud flows, carrying rock fragments weighing hundreds of tons, rushed through the valleys, destroying everything in their path.

After the paroxysm of March 30, the last phase of the eruption began. Two domes began to grow in the new huge crater. When in August the head of the Klyuchi volcanic station G.S. Gorshkov climbed Bezymyanny, the first of these domes reached a height of 320 m. The eruption ended in November.

The Nameless eruption occurred in a completely deserted area. The largest volcanic disaster of our century did not claim a single life.

We talked about some of the most powerful volcanic eruptions. Most of them were of an explosive nature. What is the cause of such cataclysms? Where and how do they arise? Why do they reach such strength as no other geological phenomenon? Modern knowledge about the physical properties of lavas, about melts that arise at depths of tens of kilometers, and about the composition of the gases contained in it is still insufficient. Nevertheless, existing hypotheses can be based on a number of factors known to us. A volcanic eruption is associated with molten lavas rising from great depths. The appearance of such melts is caused by the transition of solid rocks into a liquid state, which means an increase in their volume by 5-10%. The change in volume due to hydrostatic pressure developing in the liquid melt causes this melt to rise upward. The penetration of the melt onto the surface depends on the strength and solidity of the earth's crust. If the latter is dissected by faults, then relatively calm eruptions occur, sometimes accompanied by its gushing (Hawaiian-type eruptions).

But the melt may find itself in an environment that makes it difficult for it to rise to the earth's surface. In this case, the melt solidifies at depth, forming a large granite massif, or causes the melting of the rocks located above it.

Much is determined by the chemistry of lavas. If these are lavas of basaltic composition, that is, they contain no more than 50% silica, then they are liquid and relatively easily rise through cracks to the surface, spreading in streams in all directions. If there is more silica in the lava (60-70%), then it becomes thick, viscous, creates plugs in the volcanic channel, and its rise to the surface is difficult. But this does not mean that only acidic lavas are “explosive.” The most powerful volcanic explosion of the 19th century occurred at the Tambora volcano, which erupts basaltic lavas. Consequently, the chemical composition of lavas is not the only, and perhaps not the main reason for explosive eruptions.

According to J. Verhugen, the determining factor is the amount of gases in the lava. At high pressure, water and gases are dissolved in the magma. When pressure begins to drop as it approaches the earth's surface, water turns into a gaseous state. Lava rich in gases seems to “boil” from the bubbles accumulating in it (like carbonated water in a bottle). When there are a lot of gas bubbles, they connect with each other and the lava is crushed into tiny particles. The beginning of lava crystallization increases the water vapor pressure. An increase in vapor pressure in such a gas chamber ultimately leads to an explosion that destroys the rock layers covering it from above. The gas emulsion of still liquid lava accumulated in the depths is released into the atmosphere, the smallest bubbles immediately solidify and are carried through the air in the form of volcanic ash, and then fall back to the ground.

The initial pressure of the explosion can reach 1500-3000 atm (eruption of the Bezymianny volcano). Such enormous pressure is probably created as a result of chain reactions developing in the gas phase. During these reactions, heat is released, and thus the eruption takes on the character of a thermal explosion.

The fact that explosive eruptions of Krakatoa or Santorini occurred repeatedly at the same place (within the same caldera) indicates that the same supply channel has been operating under such a volcano for a long time. In its upper part, apparently, at a relatively shallow depth (1 - 2 km), a concentration of gas bubbles occurred. Ultimately, the general accumulation of internal stresses in the melt and in its gas phase leads to an explosion, the more powerful, the greater the stresses accumulated during the period of relative rest.