The killer lakes of cameroon university of michigan. After the eruption with the lake water being saturated with carbon dioxide, lake nyos was a murky brown colour. Lake nyos is an active crater lake that formed by a volcanic eruption about 5 centuries ago. May 18, 2008 the lake nyos eruption released 80 million cubic meters of co2. But dont lose sleep over exploding lakes there are only three lakes in the world that currently meet the criteria for a potential limnic event. Other triggers can include volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and even rain storms. For a limnic eruption to occur, the lake must be nearly saturated with. Weirdly enough, a similar event happened nearby just two years earlier at lake monoun, where a co2 eruption killed 37 people.
This small lake in africa once killed 1,700 people. The lake nyos eruption released 80 million cubic meters of co2. This is also another presentation for school explaining what limnic eruptions are, how they are caused and how to survive in one. Sediment layers suggest the lake may have erupted 7,000 to 8,000 years ago, says varekamp. A limnic eruption, also referred to as a lake overturn, is a rare type of natural disaster in which carbon dioxide co2 suddenly erupts from deep lake water, suffocating wildlife, livestock and humans. Nearly two years later, lake nyos, another lake in cameroon, was also the scene of a limnic eruption, this time a deadlier one than that which occurred in lake monoun. Sketch the results of your investigation and label the x and yaxis. Rwandas lake kivu is one of the worlds three exploding lakes and is at serious risk of overturn, a process. Lake monoun and other exploding lakes howstuffworks. On 21 august 1986, a limnic eruption at lake nyos in northwestern cameroon killed 1,746 people and 3,500 livestock the eruption triggered the sudden release of about 100,000300,000 tons 1. It is unknown what the trigger wasit may have been a landslide, small volcanic eruption, or even something as small. Geological survey the 21 august 1986 lake nyos gas disaster, cameroon final report of the united states scientific team to the office of u. At first, the cause of the deaths was a mystery, and causes such as terrorism were suspected.
Limnic eruptions are relatively new phenomenon that has caught the eye of perplexed scientists. Rwandas exploding lake kivu could kill millions or power. Carbon dioxide dissolves in the lakes, where it accumulates. A similar catastrophic event occurred at lake monoun, about 95 km to the southeast in august 1984. Such an eruption may also cause tsunamis in the lake as the rising co 2 displaces water. Once an eruption strikes, a possible tsunami can occur on the lake. There was, however, one small area on the steep west side of the lake which showed evidence of a fresh landslide, that could have occurred either just before, during, or after the incident.
What happens to the solution as co 2 gas dissolved in the h 2o. On august 15, 1984, the lake exploded in a limnic eruption, which resulted in the release of a large amount of carbon dioxide that killed 37 people. There are not many precautions you can take when there is a sign of a limnic eruption or a large amount of carbon dioxide, but there are a few things you can do. The two are located in cameroon in the oku volcanic field. What kind of damage do limnic eruptions cause to the area. The change through time of the profiles suggests one particular scenario for producing an eruption. A lake must be quite deep to have enough pressure to put enough co 2 into solution too. In recent history, this phenomenon has been observed twice. The eruption forms a gas cloud that can suffocate wildlife, livestock, and humans. Lake nyos is one of only three known lakes in the world to be home to such potentially toxic quantities of carbon dioxide, and therefore. Lakes nyos and monoun gas disasters cameroonlimnic. Before the eruption, lake nyos was beautiful and blue.
Gasdriven eruptions are powerful, destructive, and not uncommon. The volcano that formed lake nyos was extinct, but the magna carter that fed. Lake monoun and nyos, oku volcanic field, cameroon, 2005 your bibliography. A limnic eruption, also referred to as a lake overturn, is a rare type of natural disaster in which dissolved carbon dioxide co 2 suddenly erupts from deep lake water, suffocating wildlife, livestock and humans. The strange lake nyos co2 gas disaster massey university. Sep 15, 2015 these are the sources and citations used to research limnic eruptions. Triggered by some event, it rapidly gasifies and erupts from the surface of the lake. As for lake kivu, scientists are concerned about the concentrations of methane gas along with co 2 and the possibility of a volcanic eruption.
The limnic eruption of lake nyos in august 1986 killed nearly 2000 people and thousands of animals. Scientists believe landslides, volcanic activity, or explosions can trigger such an eruption. The exploding lake phenomenon, which had never been observed before then, came to be known as a limnic eruption. In what is known as a limnic eruption, the lake literally exploded, sending a fountain of water over 300 feet into the air and creating a small tsunami. Lakes nyos and monoun gas disasters cameroon limnic eruptions caused by excessive accumulation of magmatic co 2 in crater lakes. In the two known cases, the major component was co2, however, in lake kivu, scientists are concerned about the concentrations of methane gas as well.
For a limnic eruption to occur, the lake must be nearly saturated with gas. Pdf modelling air dispersion of co2 from limnic eruptions. The eruptions caused large clouds of carbon dioxide to be released above the. Facts about limnic eruption iflood, 2017 your bibliography. Do your results support the data collected from lake nyos. On 21 august 1986, a limnic eruption at lake nyos in northwestern cameroon killed 1,746 people and 3,500 livestock. Pdf limnic eruptions represent a natural hazard in meromictic lakes hosted in. Foreign disaster assistance of the agency for international development by michele l. Lake monoun and lake nyos, that limnic eruptions and volcanic eruptions. There was no relocation of survivors around lake monoun, but the population around the lake has increased in recent years, and new farmlands have been occupied very close to the lake shore. We assessed the potential for limnic eruptions at lakes nyos and monoun, cameroon on the basis of numerical modelling and co 2 profiles obtained by regular monitoring of the lakes. The more familiar type is the violent volcanic eruptions powered by the exsolution of h 2 o gas initially dissolved in magma. A limnic eruption, also called a lake overturn, is a rare type of natural disaster in which dissolved carbon dioxide co2 gas suddenly erupts from deep lake waters. Lakes nyos and monoun in cameroon are known as killer lakes because they killed 1,800 people in the mid80s after a gas explosion or limnic eruption, a sudden release of carbon dioxide accumulated in deep waters.
The first recorded limnic eruption occurred in cameroon at lake monoun in 1984, causing asphyxiation and death of 37 people living nearby. These are the sources and citations used to research limnic eruptions. The co2 accumulation rate calculated from the predegassing data, was constant after the limnic eruption at lake nyos 1986 2001, whereas the rate appeared initially high 19861996 but. Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles. The previous event occurred at lake monoun in cameroon and claimed the lives of 37 nearby residents. Scientists have recently determined, from investigations into the mass casualties in the 1980s at lake monoun and lake nyos, that limnic eruptions and volcanic eruptions, although indirectly related, are actually separate types of disaster events. A limnic eruption, also known as lake overturn, is a type of natural disaster that occurs when a large amount of carbon dioxide erupts from the bottom of a deep lake.
It explodes upward when it reaches the top, and then goes down the slopes, suffocating humans, livestock, wildlife, and just about everything in its path. Evolution of co2 content in lakes nyos and monoun, and sub. Some scientists say that the everexpanding volumes of carbon dioxide and methane in lake kivu, coupled with the nearby volcanic activity, make a limnic eruption also. Rwandas exploding lake kivu could kill millions or power the. The two recorded limnic eruptions occurred at lake monoun and lake nyos in 1984 and 1986 respectively. Thirtyseven people were killed as the result of an overturn on the shore of lake monoun in cameroon on august 15, 1984 and 1,800 people and 3,500 livestock animals were killed in villages near lake nyos in cameroon during a limnic eruption on august 21, 1986. The maar formed during an explosive eruption of carbon dioxide gas. Lake nyos killed 1,746 when it released a huge pocket of co2. The lake eventually becomes saturated with co2 which is then released violently in a limnic eruption. Numerical assessment of the potential for future limnic. Autoplay when autoplay is enabled, a suggested video will automatically play next. The national center for case study teaching in science case collection. To prevent these lakes from exploding once more, in 2001, engineers installed pipes in both to suck co2 from the lake bed, and release it very gradually into the air. Lake nyos silent but deadly volcano world oregon state.
It is unknown what the trigger wasit may have been a landslide, small. The first recorded limnic eruption occurred in cameroon at lake monoun in. The limnic eruptions in lake monoun and lake nyos were resulted from landslides and phreatic explosions respectively. The gas cloud initially rose at nearly 100 kilometres per hour 62 mph and then, being heavier than air, descended onto nearby villages, displacing all the air and suffocating people and livestock within 25 kilometres 16 mi of. Today, sets of large polyethylene pipes constantly siphon the co2laden water from the bottoms of lakes monoun and nyos, producing carbonated geysers on each lakes surface. Limnic eruptions life sciences bibliographies cite this. Photo is a composite of two photographs taken on august 29, 1986. A limnic eruption, also known as a lake overturn, is a rare type of natural disaster in which.
Lake monoun is a lake in west province, cameroon, that lies in the oku volcanic field. French scientists began experimenting at lake monoun and lake nyos in 1990 by inserting pipetube vertically in the. This bibliography was generated on cite this for me on tuesday, september 15, 2015. This small lake in africa once killed 1,700 people overnight. Apr 15, 2017 weirdly enough, a similar event happened nearby just two years earlier at lake monoun, where a co2 eruption killed 37 people. Due to the largely invisible nature of the underlying cause co 2 gas behind limnic eruptions, it is difficult to determine to what extent eruptions have occurred in the past. Remote work advice from the largest allremote company.
The gas may come from co2 may come from volcanic gas emitted from under the lake or from decomposition of organic material. Pdf an overview of the structure, hazards, and methods of. Diagram illustrating the flow of carbon dioxide gas from lake nyos. A smaller gas burst from lake monoun in august of 1984 killed 37 people. Limnic definition of limnic by the free dictionary. Environmental education resources to commemorate earth days 50th anniversary. A limnic eruption of lake kivu could make the death toll from the lake nyos eruption look small approximately 2 million people live on its shores. The effect is roughly analogous to an exploding sodapop bottle. Limnic eruption is a rare natural phenomenon, where a large amount of carbon dioxide gas is released from a deep lake, also known as lake overturn.
Its more than twice as deep as nyos and can store more gas. Dec 22, 2014 scishow takes you inside a limnic eruption, a natural disaster thats as deadly as it is rare. Limnic eruptions geography bibliographies cite this for me. Pdf limnic eruptions, like the august 1986 lake nyos event, can release huge. Lake monoun is a lake in west province, cameroon, that lies in the oku volcanic field 535. For a limnic eruption to occur, the lake must be almost saturated with gases. Gas seeps into the lake from the ground underneath, and under the high pressure on the lake bottom it saturates the water, leading to high concentrations of gases like co2 and methane. Gas eruption in a lake situated in an old volcanic crater. Lake monoun and nyos, oku volcanic field, cameroon 2005. The phenomenon is called limnic eruption due to the violence of the event. In 1984 37 people died on the road leading past lake monoun in western. Limnic eruption natural disasters collinson library at. During the dry season, the water in lake nyos is held in place by a natural dam composed of volcanic rock.
While experts disagree on the root cause of the degassing landslide, upwelling, water temperature change, etc. Decreasing capability of the degassing systems at lakes nyos and. Bacteria in the lake are chugging out methane, and co 2 is leaking in from magma below. Both eruptions occurred in the 1980s in the west african country of cameroon. So only deep, stable, tropical, volcanic lakes such as lake nyos are prone to limnic eruptions. Two years later lake nyos erupted killing more than 1700 people. It can also cause tsunamis in the lake as the rising co2.
Limnic eruptions life sciences bibliographies cite. The lake nyos limnic eruption was located in the northwest region of cameroon, africa. The lake is about 5,900 feet 1,800 m across and 682 feet 208 m deep. However, scientists have been working on degassing this lake, using a series of pipes to remove a lot of the gas.
Such an eruption may also cause tsunamis in the lake as the rising co2 displaces water. About 1 to 3 million tons of carbon dioxide was released into the air. Limnic eruptions life sciences bibliographies in harvard style. A trigger event is all that is needed to cause an eruption. There are many social, cultural, and political aspects of the degassing plan and how it will affect the local populations. A limnic eruption, also referred to as a lake overturn, is a rare type of natural. In the two known cases monoun and nyos, the major component was co2. Sabroux to describe a gas outburst from a lake halbwachs et al. In addition, the gas in lake kivu appears to be methane.
Very hazardous to all mammals aftermath roughly 1,700 people were killed as a result of the co2 gas blanket. Aug 25, 2012 limnic eruption is a rare natural phenomenon, where a large amount of carbon dioxide gas is released from a deep lake, also known as lake overturn. Lake nyos, lake monoun and lake kivu on the border of the democratic republic of congo and rwanda. In august of 1986 lake nyos in cameroon exploded, releasing up to 1 km of co2 and killing about 1700 people up to 26 km miles away from the lake.
A limnic eruption, also known as a lake overturn, is a rare type of natural disaster in which dissolved carbon dioxide co 2 suddenly erupts from deep lake waters, forming a gas cloud capable of suffocating wildlife, livestock, and humans. The lake is one of only three in the world known to be saturated with carbon dioxide the others are lake monoun, also in cameroon about 100km away, and lake kivu in rwanda, east africa. On august 15, 1984, the lake exploded in a limnic eruption, which resulted in. The gas cloud initially rose at nearly 100 kilometres per hour 62 mph and then, being heavier than air, descended onto nearby. Lake nyos is roughly one square mile in surface area, with a maximum depth of 690 feet. When a limnic eruption occurs, all the carbon dioxide rises out of a lake and flows over the land, killing animal life in its path. By using a numerical model for the ascent of a plume of co 2 bubbles, we found that under realistic conditions e. Map of the cameroon line and benue trough, after fitton and dunlop 1985. Lake monoun is located only 100 km southeast of lake nyos fig.