quick Facts
where is? Mount Nyamurgira and Mount Nyiragongo, Congo (-1.46079851, 29.22711414,
What’s in the photo? Lava lakes that emerge during volcanic eruption
Which satellite took the photo? Landsat 8
When was it taken? June 30, 2014
This striking, false-colored satellite image reflects the intense heat coming from a pair of lava lakes that emerged together on erasing volcanoes in the Congo. Neighbors peaks are among Africa’s most active – and deadly – volcanoes.
Mount Nyamurgira (Top of image) and Mount Nyiragongo (Under the image) about 6 miles (10 kilometers) are different and Goma is located in the north of the city, which is a home of over 1 million people.
Nyamuragira is a dome -shaped shield volcano that is 10,033 feet (3,058 m) long, while Nyiragongo is a stratovolkan, with a steep cone that is with towers up to 11,385 feet (3,470 m) from the ground level.
Satellite photo was taken a few weeks after Nyamuragira started for the first time since March 2012. The explosion closed in May 2016, but two more explosions have occurred since the volcano: from November 2016 to May 2017, and again in April 2018, which is still going on. Meanwhile, Nyiragongongo has been continuously provoking since May 2002.
Connected: See all the best images of Earth from space
During the explosions simultaneously, large lava lakes were seen on the summit of both volcanoes. Lava Lake in Nyiragongo is particularly interesting because stratovolcanoes typically do not support these features. At various points in the last two decades, this fierce pool has been the largest lava lake on earth, according to A 2021 study,
The image was captured into the infrared, which shows lava lakes in red and gives the surrounding flora a bright green color, NASA means observatory,
Dual trouble
According to a 2021 study by both Nyamuragira and Nyiragongongo, the Commeronz formed about 12,000 years ago during an increased activity period with a fault line. As a result, their activity is partially connected despite having different institutions.
The volcanoes are highly active and have been jointly burst about 60 times since 1900. Together, the pair is attributed to about 40% of Africa’s recorded volcanic explosions. And some of their most recent outbreaks are particularly intense.
Nyamuragira is more active in two volcanoes and has often given birth to small, temporary volcanoes on its flank. The most recent “Murara,” was a cinder cone that emerged between 1976 and 1977. The mountain is also surrounded by the old lava flow that drops its slopes down (and satellite appears in the photo).
In November 2011, Lava’s 1,300 feet high (400 meters) fountain shot out of a volcanic Local reportIt is believed that at least one century has been the largest single outbreak.
However, Nyiragongongo is closest to Goma and therefore, the pair is more dangerous. When the lava flows down from the steep slopes of the volcano, they can reach the higher speed by giving a little warning to the locals.
In January 1977, the volcano highlighted the fastest lava flow in the recorded history, which reached 62 mph (100 km/h) speed, in which about 2,000 people were killed in goma and surrounding areas, Guinness World Records,
In January 2002, a similar explosion killed about 250 people and caused widespread damage to the houses, causing more than 100,000 people to become homeless and triggered a refugee crisis, according to which according to which BritannicaThe most recent incident occurred in May 2021, when at least 31 people died, according to this CNNHowever, in this case, traffic confrontation caused several deaths as people tried to vacate the area.
