There are many beautiful corners on our planet, the natural landscapes of which fascinate at first sight. However, there are many mysterious places on earth where it is better not to fall. And daredevils who adore tickling their nerves, who set off in search of adventure, admit that they have been in real hell.
Region with tectonic activity
In Ethiopia is the tectonic basin of Afar. It is in this place that the African continent is rapidly divided into two parts. Deep abysses appear from nowhere, and the ground under your feet is constantly moving and at any moment it may fail. In one of the harshest corners of the world there is nothing but desert fields whose landscapes resemble moonlit, erupting volcanoes and eternal heat.
The Afar Basin or the Afar Triangle is a territory of increased volcanic activity. It includes the lowest point in Africa (Lake Assal) and one of the most dangerous places in the world, characterized by unbearably hot air and an abundance of toxic gases - the Danakil desert.
Here is the uninhabited ghost town of Dallol, whose air temperature does not drop below 38 ° C, and the volcano of the same name enhances the already sultry weather. The Avash River is the only waterway artery of the basin, in the valley of which archaeologists discovered the perfectly preserved remains of Australopithecus. Most of the region’s territory is covered with a huge layer of salt, which is the main source of income for local residents.
Arid climate
The climate of the Afar basin, characterized by surreal landscapes, is arid and hot, and the amount of rainfall per year is approximately 200 millimeters. In the period from March to the end of September, the thermometer can reach 58 ° C. The vegetation is represented by plants whose species are resistant to drought.
Tectonic tee
In the region of the Afar basin in Ethiopia, tectonic movement is constantly occurring, leading to devastating earthquakes. So, 13 years ago in the region there was an eruption of the volcano Dabbahu. It was so powerful that deep multi-kilometer gaps formed in the earth's crust through which incandescent magma broke through. It is she who forms the basaltic bottom of the future ocean.
The thing is that the African continent more than 30 million years ago was a monolithic tectonic plate. Gradually, streams of molten magma rising from the ground separated the Arabian Peninsula from the Red Sea from it. Now in the Afar triangle, which is a tectonic tee, there are three separate plates, which each year deviate from each other by about one centimeter. When the crack between them is large enough, the fault will begin to fill with the waters of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. But this will not happen sooner than in 10 million years.
Why do volcanic eruptions occur in the Afar basin?
Since the Aden Range, East African Rift and the Red Sea Rift intersect here, tectonic movements regularly occur on the territory, provoking earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The fire-breathing giant Ertale, located in the Danakil desert, is considered one of the most dangerous on earth, and its activity has been going on since 1967. With each eruption, it rises higher, and now its height is more than 600 meters.
An unusual place where you can explore the ocean ridges on land is already used to constant earthquakes, which, shaking it, form deep abysses. It is surprising that usually the formation of the seabed is hidden under the water column, and here the creation of the oceanic crust began on the surface of the earth, and geologists enthusiastically and fearfully watch the birth of the future ocean.
An ocean that forms in millions of years
Scientists expect the Red Sea to break through the ridges surrounding the Afar Basin and, in millions of years, the East African Rift will be under water. Usually, geological processes of this kind proceed rather slowly, but here they occur at a tremendous speed.
The area is constantly shaking, strong shocks and shudders of the earth's crust are felt. Continuous volcanic activity forms the deepest abysses at every turn.
Sensational find of scientists
Afar Basin, rightly considered one of the most dangerous corners on our planet, gave scientists a big surprise. It turned out that microorganisms found in the study of hydrothermal fields live in its acidic environment.
Bacteria that have no analogues in their ability to survive, feel great where the temperature approaches the boiling point. Researchers now dream of exploring the cellular structure and DNA of amazing microorganisms.
Salt production in a life-threatening place
It is striking that in conditions that are incompatible with normal life, salt is actively mined. It is formed as a result of flooding of the region by the waters of the Red Sea.
Only Afar men (people of the Cushite group) work on the territory of the Afar Basin. They use camels to transport the mineral, and caravans cross the path from the place of extraction to the point of delivery in 4 days. And not every person can withstand such a load.