Nature 05/10/19 Why lake Baikal can become in the ocean
Not long ago, Chinese scientists based on years of observation came to the conclusion that the greatest freshwater reservoir of the planet every year it becomes a little bit more. Than it threatens humanity and the planet in the foreseeable future? More about this is said doctor of geological and mineralogical Sciences Sergey Krivonogov articles for the magazine “Science in Siberia” and “Gondwana Research”.
the Geology and seismology of lake Baikal
the fact that Baikal is located at the junction of tectonic plates – in the crack between the Siberian and Transbaikalian platforms – has long been known. According to the doctor geologo-mineralogical Sciences Alexander Tatarinov, their education, the lake owes it to the movement of these plates. And it was formed, contrary to popular belief, not millions, but some 100-150 thousand years ago. Currently, this hypothesis is supported by observations and results of calculations.
every year in the Baikal region recorded a huge number of earthquakes – from 3000 to 8000. However, most of them are not strong – not more powerful than 4 points. And at the bottom of the lake is actively erupt multiple mud volcanoes. This means that lithospheric plate and the platform are moving, the guests of 5-7 mm per year, and the pond annually grows several hundred square meters of water surface, to a depth of 3-5 mm. In size of modern lake Baikal is a little, but in the future…
the Lake, which will be the ocean
the continental plates are generally peculiar to our planet, and its appearance is constantly changing: in the scale of human life is quietly but significantly for millennia. As said in an interview with Professor Cyril levy, turning lake Baikal into the ocean a few million years. If the geological dynamics will continue or increase (which is likely), then the crack will split the continent with access to the sea of Okhotsk, and, probably, up to the Indusisogo ocean.
But under such a Strait does not stop. Due to seismic activity plate movements will increase and Strait will be the sea, and the sea – the ocean with its geological, climate, flora and fauna. How much time will be spent on this transformation, it is difficult to say. The scientists differ considerably – from a few to tens of millions of years. But the fact that the face of the planet and its biological world of the time quite change, no doubt. And it is likely that humanity, as a species, simply do not live to see this transformation.
Yaroslav Gorbunov
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