| Mud Volcano |
Article Index for Mud |
Website Links For Mud |
Information AboutMud Volcano |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT MUD VOLCANO | |
| mud volcanoes | |
| volcanology | |
| subduction volcanoes | |
| petrology | |
| hydrothermal vents | |
| volcanoes | |
The hydrothermal phenomenon known as "mud volcanoes" are not true mud volcanoes; see Mud Pot for more information. The term mud volcano or '''mud dome''' is used to refer to formations created by geologically excreted liquids and gases, although there are several different processes which may cause such activity. Temperatures are much cooler than igneous processes. The largest structures are 10 km in diameter and reach 700 metres in height. About 86% of released gases are Methane , with much less Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogen emitted. Ejected materials often are a slurry of fine solids suspended in liquids which may include water (frequently Acid ic or salty) and Hydrocarbon fluids. DETAILS in the Gulf Of Mexico sea bottom.]] A mud volcano may be the result of a Piercement Structure created by a pressurized '''mud Diapir ''' which breaches the Earth's surface or ocean bottom. Temperatures may be as low as the freezing point of ejected materials, particularly when venting is associated with the creation of Hydrocarbon Clathrate Hydrate deposits. Mud volcanoes are often associated with Petroleum deposits and tectonic Subduction zones and Orogenic Belts . Hydrocarbon gases often are erupted. Mud volcanoes are often associated with Lava Volcano es, and the typical relationship is that where they are close, the mud volcanoes emit incombustible gases, while the ones further away emit methane. In Azerbaijan , eruptions are driven from a deep mud reservoir which is connected to the surface even during dormant periods, when seeping water still shows a deep origin. Seeps have temperatures up to 2–3 °C above the ambient temperature. Approximately 1,100 have been identified on land and in shallow water. It has been estimated that well over 10,000 may exist on Continental Slopes and Abyssal Plain s. near Qobustan , Azerbaijan .]] Features
Emissions Most liquid and solid material is released during eruptions, but various seeps occur during dormant periods. First order estimates of mud volcano emissions have been recently made.
LOCATIONS , 1996.]] Europe and Asia Mud volcanoes are generally few in Europe, but dozens can be found on the Kerch Peninsula of southeastern Ukraine . In Italy they are common in the northern front of the Apennines and in Sicily . Many mud volcanoes exist on the shores of the Black Sea and Caspian Sea . Tectonic forces and large sedimentary deposits around the latter have created several fields of mud volcanoes, many of them emitting methane and other hydrocarbons. Features over 200 meters high exist in Azerbaijan , with large eruptions sometimes producing flames of similar scale. Iran and Pakistan also possess mud volcanoes in the Makran range of mountains in the south of the two countries. China has a number of mud volcanoes in Xinjiang province. North and South America Mud volcanoes of the North American continent include:
South American mud volcanoes include:
Yellowstone's Mud Volcano ).]] The name of Yellowstone National Park 's ''Mud Volcano'' feature and the surrounding area is misleading; it consists of Hot Spring s, Mud Pot s and Fumarole s rather than a true mud volcano. The feature is much less active than in its first recorded description, although the area is quite dynamic. Yellowstone is an active Geothermal area with a magma chamber near the surface, and active gases tend to be steam, carbon dioxide, and Hydrogen Sulfide . The mud volcano in Yellowstone used to be an actual mound, until one day it literally tore itself apart into what is seen today. Other parts of the world
SEE ALSO
REFERENCES |
|
|