Darvaza gas crater

Coordinates: 40°15′09″N 58°26′23″E / 40.2525°N 58.4396°E / 40.2525; 58.4396
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Darvaza gas crater
Ahal Province
Coordinates40°15′09″N 58°26′23″E / 40.2525°N 58.4396°E / 40.2525; 58.4396

The Darvaza gas crater (

cavern near Darvaza, Turkmenistan.[2] Hundreds of natural gas fires illuminate the floor and rim of the crater. The crater has been burning since the 1980s. How the crater formed is unknown, but engineers ignited the crater to prevent poisonous gases from spreading.[3]

A crater filled with water; gas bubbles are visible.[4] About 23 km from the Darvaza Gas Crater.[4]

The gas crater is near the village of Darvaza in the middle of the Karakum Desert, about 260 kilometres (160 mi) north of Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, it has a diameter of 60–70 metres (200–230 ft)[5][4] and has a depth of about 30 metres (98 ft).[6] Another nearby gas crater is fenced off and has a distinct odor.[4]

The mud crater. About 10 km from the Darvaza Gas Crater.

History

The early years of the crater's history are still being determined.[3][5] Relevant records are either absent from the archives, classified, or inaccessible.[1][3]Some local geologists have claimed that the collapse of a crater happened in the 1960s; it was set on fire only in the 1980s to prevent the emission of poisonous gases.[7] Others assert that the site was drilled by Soviet engineers in 1971 as an oil field but collapsed within days, forming the crater, with the engineers choosing to flare the crater to prevent the emission of poisonous gases but underestimating the volume of the gas.[8]

Controlling the burn

In April 2010, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow recommended that measures be taken to limit the crater's influence on the development of other natural gas fields in the area.[9] In January 2022, Berdimuhamedow announced plans to extinguish the crater, citing deleterious effects on local health, the environment, and the natural gas industry.[10][11] A commission was established to find the optimum technique.[6] Despite Berdimuhamedow's intentions, the crater remains open and burning.

Tourism and culture

The Darvaza gas crater and the surroundings. Tents are visible, which facilitate nocturnal trips to the site.[4]

In post-Soviet Turkmenistan, the crater has become a major tourist attraction,

signage runs out to the crater, and yurts have been set up nearby.[8][11] In 2018, the gas crater was used as an overnight stop in the Amul-Hazar automobile rally.[12] In 2019, Berdimuhamedow appeared on state television doing doughnut stunts around the crater to disprove rumors of his death.[13]

Exploration

In 2013,

National Geographic Channel series Die Trying.[7]

I describe it as a coliseum of fire—just everywhere you look it's thousands of these small fires. The sound was like that of a jet engine, this roaring, high-pressure, gas-burning sound. And there was no smoke. It burns very cleanly, so there's nothing to obscure your view. You can just see every little lick of flame.

George Kourounis, Interview with National Geographic[7]

Kourounis used a custom-made Kevlar harness and multiple Technora ropes attached to a full-body aluminized suit with a self-contained breathing apparatus.[15] He has since wished to descend into the crater again, carrying more equipment for better profiling of the local biome.[15]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Derweze gas fire.

References

  1. ^ a b Davies, Elliott (2017-01-26). "I traveled to the middle of the desert to see 'The Door To Hell'". Business Insider. Retrieved 2017-01-28.
  2. Vice.com
    . Retrieved 2017-01-28.
  3. ^ a b c "How the Soviets accidentally discovered the 'Gates of Hell'". BBC. 2020-10-23. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  4. ^
    ISBN 978-1-84162-144-9
    .
  5. ^ a b c Shearlaw, Maeve (2014-07-18). "Dropping in on Turkmenistan's 'door to hell' – in pictures". The Guardian. Retrieved 2017-04-29.
  6. ^ a b Marcus, Lilit (10 January 2022). "Gates of Hell: Turkmenistan's President wants to close Darvaza gas crater". CNN. Archived from the original on 28 April 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d Nunez, Christina (2014-07-14). "Q&A: The First-Ever Expedition to Turkmenistan's 'Door to Hell'". National Geographic. Archived from the original on March 5, 2021. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  8. ^ a b c "Turkmenistan hopes 'Door to Hell' will boost tourism". CTV News. Relaxnews. Agence France-Presse. 2014-06-22. Retrieved 2017-01-28.
  9. ^ Gurt, Marat (2010-04-20). "Turkmen president wants to close "Hell's Gate"". Reuters. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  10. ^ "Turkmenistan plans to close its 'Gateway to Hell'". BBC News. 2022-01-08. Retrieved 2022-12-28.
  11. ^ a b Galer, Sophia Smith (10 January 2022). "The 'Gates of Hell' Could be Closed After Blazing for 50 Years". VICE.
  12. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan
    .
  13. ^ "Turkmenistan's leader does doughnuts next to the flaming crater to prove he's not dead". ABC News. 2019-08-07. Retrieved 2019-08-08.
  14. PMID 28337070
    .
  15. ^
    S2CID 253413420
    .
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