Hawaiian mountains. Height, depth and temperature: the most extreme places on Earth

According to official calculations, the height of Mount Everest is 8848 meters above sea level. The first to establish that Everest is the world's highest mountain peak was the Indian mathematician Radhanath Sikdar. This happened in 1852. At the top of Everest, strong winds blow, the speed of which can reach 200 kilometers per hour.

Taking into account acclimatization and setting up camps, climbing to the top of Chomolungma, on average, takes about two months. The most difficult section of the climb is said to be the last 300 meters, nicknamed "the longest mile on Earth" by successful Everest climbers. The difficulty of this section lies in the fact that a person needs to overcome a very steep and smooth rock slope, which is covered with fine slippery snow. In addition to the obvious dangers of mountaineering, the difficulties in climbing Everest also lie in the high rarefaction of the atmosphere; in low temperatures down to -60°C and in high solar radiation at altitudes.

Chimborazo is the farthest point from the center of the Earth

Chimborazo is an inactive volcano located in the Andes mountain range in Ecuador. The peak of Mount Chimborazo is located at an altitude of 6267 meters, but since it is not a perfect sphere, but a geoid, the peak of Chimborazo is the farthest point from the center of the Earth. Even though Chimborazo is 2,580 meters lower compared to Everest, it is still 2,168 kilometers further from the center of the Earth than the highest point of Mount Everest. Until the early 19th century, Chimborazo was considered the highest peak on Earth.

Mauna Kea is the highest mountain, taking into account the base located on the ocean floor

The height of Mauna Kea, which is located on the island of Hawaii, is 4205 meters above sea level. However, most of this mountain is under water: if you take into account its height, taking into account the foot, which is located on the ocean floor, the height of Mauna Kea is about 10 kilometers. Additionally, due to the altitude and lack of light pollution in the area, Mauna Kea is one of the most best places in the world for astronomical observations. There are 13 telescopes from 11 countries located on the mountain.

The Mariana Trench is the deepest place on Earth

According to recent research, the deepest point of the Mariana Trench, called the Challenger Deep, is located at a depth of 10,994 meters. If you place the highest peak in the world, Everest, at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, it will be covered by another two-kilometer layer of water. The Mariana Trench is in the west Pacific Ocean near the Mariana Islands.

The Dead Sea coast is the lowest landmass on Earth

The Dead Sea coastline is 430 meters below sea level, making it the lowest landmass on Earth. In addition, the Dead Sea is one of the saltiest lakes in the world - it is 9.6 times saltier than the ocean. This salinity creates harsh conditions in which the familiar species of plants and animals in the waters of the Dead Sea will not be able to thrive. This is where its name comes from.

Bouvet Island is the most distant island in the world from the mainland.

Bouvet Island is an uninhabited volcanic island located in the South Atlantic Ocean. 93% of its territory is covered by glaciers. The closest landmass to the island is Gough Island, located approximately 1,600 kilometers from Bouvet Island. The closest mainland to Bouvet Island is the coast, which is 1,700 kilometers away. The average annual temperature in this place ranges from 0°C to -3°C.

Death Valley is one of the hottest places in the world

Death Valley is a desert valley located in the western United States. On July 10, 1913, the highest air temperature on Earth was recorded here - +56.7 °C. Average maximum temperature in July it reaches 46 °C, at night it drops to 31 °C. The valley is surrounded by mountains, and its surface, practically devoid of plants, is mostly flat. When the air at ground level warms up, it begins to rise, moving up steep, high mountain ridges, which then cools slightly as it moves back toward the ground. This heated air forms hot wind currents that prevent large amounts of clouds from passing over the valley.

No, I haven’t forgotten about Everest, but what they tell us at school is not entirely true. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the highest mountain in the world is not Chomolungma, but Mauna Kea.

REALLY HIGH

It is also the highest point in the Hawaiian Islands. This mountain is an inactive volcano. Mauna Kea rises proudly above the Pacific Ocean, its height from the water is 4,205 meters, but its most big secret. What appears before our eyes is only a small part of this majestic mountain. Its height, when calculated from the ocean floor, is neither more nor less 10,203 meters.

WHITE MOUNTAIN

Since ancient times, Mauna Kea has had a particularly great value For local residents, the mountain appears in local mythology as the most sacred of all peaks; at one time only tribal leaders and no one else could climb here. In Hawaiian, “Mauna Kea” means “white mountain”; it is so called because in winter its peaks are always covered with a dense layer of snow. At the top of the volcano, at an altitude of 3730 - 4190 meters above sea level, there is one of the most effective observatories in the world - the Mauna Kea Observatory. Due to its high altitude and isolation in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, it is recognized as one of the best places in the world for astronomical observations.

HER AGE IS 1,000,000 YEARS OLD!

According to scientists, Mauna Kea is about a million years old, but the period of high activity of the volcano passed hundreds of thousands of years ago. Scientists believe that the last eruption of Mauna Kea occurred 4-6 thousand years ago. The volcano currently has a minimum rating according to the US Geological Survey. IN recent years Experts are of great concern about the environmental situation on Mauna Kea.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Since Europeans settled here in the 18th century and began raising livestock, the volcano's native flora and fauna have suffered serious damage, with many species now on the verge of extinction. In an effort to save Mauna Kea, the Dept. natural resources Hawaii even decided to eradicate plant and animal species brought here in order to return the volcano to its true appearance and preserve unique representatives of flora and fauna. In particular, Mauna Kea is home to forests of Goldenleaf Sophora, a leguminous tree that remains only in Hawaii. Complete extinction threatens 8 bird species and 12 plant species in the lower Mauka Kea zone within a 2-kilometer belt. The wolf spider lives here, which can live at an altitude of 4,200 m. A local attraction is the Forest Scarf butterfly, which hides in the crevices of stones that are heated and retain the heat received during the day.

WORLD OBSERVATORY

Due to its close location to the equator, Hawaii is considered an ideal place to conduct astronomical observations. Therefore, no one is surprised by the fact that Mauna Kea is a real center for the study of astronomical objects that emit their own or reflected light. Today, thirteen telescopes from different countries are installed on the top of Mauna Kea. The most important are the Keck Observatory of Hawaii, the US NASA Infrared Space Telescopes and the Subaru 8.2-meter optical telescope. The absence of clouds at this altitude allows year-round stargazing.

MAIN ATTRACTION

Today Mauna Kea is the most popular attraction in Hawaii; about 100,000 tourists from all over the world come here every year. They climb the slopes of the volcano, can get to the top by SUV along the road laid to it, visit the observatory, and in the winter months go skiing.

The most convenient way to get to the Hawaiian Islands is by plane; the first-class Kona International Airport is located in the western part of the island. I think we would have plenty to do on these islands.

Few people know that Mauna Kea, located in Hawaii, is considered higher than Everest. True, only the peak of this giant can be seen above sea level, since it protrudes from the water at 4205 meters. The rest of the mountain is hidden from view, so it is rare that this mountain is among the highest. The absolute height of the peak is 10,203 meters, which exceeds Everest by more than a kilometer.

Mauna Kea - a dangerous volcano or a calm mountain?

The volcano is classified as a shield volcano due to its shield-like shape. In pictures the crater is not clearly expressed and more often it looks like a caldera. This species appears due to frequent eruptions of liquid lava high temperature. The magma flow in this case covers the entire surrounding area and forms a slightly sloping slope.

Mauna Kea appeared a million years ago, and its peak activity ended 250,000 years ago. Currently, researchers classify it as extinct and set minimum values ​​for the probability of awakening. Shield volcanoes typically go through several stages:

• pre-panel - occurs from the moment the hot spot is formed;
• shield period – is the most active period;
• post-shield – the form is finally formed, but the behavior is already predictable;
• inaction.

Today it is the highest mountain in the world, most of which is under water. It is part of the Hawaiian archipelago and one of Hawaii's most striking attractions. What makes Mauna Kea special is its snow cap, which is rare to see in tropical climates. That is why the name appeared, meaning “White Mountain”.

Tourists come here not only to soak up the beach, but also to go skiing or snowboarding. The view from the mountain is stunning, so you can do beautiful photos or just take a walk around the surrounding area, because there are several nature reserves here due to the presence of dozens of endangered endemic species.

World Observatory

Since Hawaii is located close to the equator, the island becomes an ideal place for astronomical observations. It is not surprising that the highest mountain in the world has become a real center for the study of celestial bodies. Mauna Kea is located far enough from the city that the lights are not likely to spoil the view, resulting in ideal atmospheric clarity.

Today there are 13 telescopes on the mountain from different countries. Among the most significant are the Keck Interferometer Telescope, NASA Infrared Telescopes and the Japanese Subaru Telescope. If you want to take a look at this large-scale center for astronomical research, you can connect to a webcam that allows you to watch the work of the observatories online.

Not everyone knows that Mauna Kea is famous for another record. Not only are telescopes from eleven countries gathered at the summit, but they are also located at the highest point, exceeding 40% of the atmospheric layer. At this altitude, relative dryness is achieved, so no clouds form, which is ideal for year-round stargazing.

Flora and fauna of the giant mountain

Mauna Kea – amazing place, where several nature reserves are located. Each of them occupies a certain area depending on the height of the mountain. The summit is a rather aggressive environment with high illumination and solar radiation. This is an alpine zone characterized by low temperatures and strong winds.

The flora in this zone consists of perennial low-growing grasses, most of which are evergreen. In the Alpine Belt Nature Reserve, they are trying to monitor an endangered species of wolf spider, which chooses altitudes of more than 4,000 meters as its habitat. Forest scarf butterflies are also found here; they hide from the cold between the stones.

The second layer is occupied by a reserve protecting the Golden-leaved Sophora. These leguminous trees grow exclusively in Hawaii, but their population declined significantly after Europeans arrived on the island in the 18th century. Currently, the number of trees is 10% of the original size of the forest. The area of ​​the reserve is estimated at 210 square meters. km.

The lower elevation of Mauna Kea is the third reserve, which is home to endangered species of plants and birds. Ecosystems have been severely damaged by imported cattle and sheep, as well as extensive clearing for sugar plantations. To preserve endangered species, it was decided to eradicate introduced species from the island.

What is the highest mountain on Earth? Any of us will answer that this is Everest (aka Chomolungma and Sagarmatha (translated from Nepali)). But that's not true. There is a mountain that is 1000 m higher than Everest.

10040 (ten thousand forty) meters - this is the height of the mountain Mauna Kea(translated from Hawaiian - “ white mountain") is a dormant shield volcano on the island of Hawaii. Coordinates: 19.816667, -155.46666719°49′00″ N. w. 155°28′00″ W. d. / 19.816667° s. w. 155.466667° W d. (G) on the island of Hawaii. Volcano Mauna Kea- the largest mountain on Earth, if you measure its height from its underwater base, located in the Hawaiian Trench at a depth of 6000 m, to the top of the peak on the island. Hawaii. The total height of the mountain is 10,205 m, of which only 4,205 m are above sea level, which ultimately gives a height of a kilometer greater than Everest (from the Guinness Book).

The crater of the volcano has not been preserved. The peak was previously almost constantly covered with snow (hence the name), now the snow cap persists from November to March. Geologists have been studying the glaciers of Mauna Kea for a long time. Latest works indicate that the remains of ice from three ice ages(from 150 thousand to 200 thousand years ago) were preserved on the volcano. The ice cap formed approximately 70 thousand years ago. Of course, ice lay on the volcano before, but all of it was destroyed by young lava flows. Mauna Kea is currently an inactive volcano; its last eruption took place about 4.5 thousand years ago.

View from the top of Mauna Kea

Due to its position, Mauna Kea is a convenient place for atmospheric and astronomical observations; the observatory of the same name is located there.

Mauna Kea is one of the most amazing mountains in the world. It begins at the bottom of the ocean and reaches an altitude of 10,205 meters. However, a significant part of this rock formation is hidden under water. On the surface, only a peak with a height of 4205 meters is visible. As a result, Mauna Kea holds the world record for height.

The highest mountain in the world, Mauna Kea, is a shield volcano that was completely inactive more than 4.5 thousand years ago. This makes it absolutely safe for travel, hiking, climbing attempts and exploration. It is located on the island of Hawaii. It is interesting that even the part that is visible above the water surface is considered the highest in this region.

The name Mauna Kea itself is also interesting. Translated from Hawaiian, it means “White Mountain”. It was no coincidence that this “name” was given to the rocky formation. This happened back in those distant times, when there was always snow and ice blocks on the top. Today this occurs from October to March, and the rest of the year depends solely on weather conditions.

The local population is sure that the peak of the mountain is sacred. That is why there is an opinion that only tribal leaders and high-ranking representatives have the right to climb to the top. For everyone else, the routes should be completely closed. However, the climbers, of course, did not adhere to local customs. This is why the local population did not like them. The Hawaiians themselves blame climbers for many of the troubles associated with Mauna Kea, for example, avalanches, extinction of flora and fauna. Today they look more favorably on attempts to reach the summit.

Since ancient times, the forests that grow on the slopes of the mountain have been used by the local population for food. However, with the arrival of foreigners here, the flora and fauna began to change. Many animals and plants were brought here. They took root, but local plants began to “survive.” As a result, the introduced plants had to be abandoned in order to preserve the Hawaiian ecology and restore the natural balance.

Today, there are also observatories on the slopes of Mauna Kea. various countries peace. This is due to the fact that there are the most comfortable conditions for conducting research and astronomical observations - a mild climate and low humidity. This is where NASA does research. There is also a unique observatory at the top, located above 40% of the earth's atmosphere. One of the observatories has the largest telescope with a mirror, the equivalent of which is not found in any other place on Earth.