Erta Ale

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Erta Ale Facts

The short term of Erta Ale serves as the english language name for this spellbinding creation of naturally occurring geological forces. Like many such incredible features located around the globe, this natural marvel does have another, previously used moniker, though.
It orginally bore the name of Irta’ale in the native language of the indigenous population inhabiting its region. The commonly used title for the feature roughly translates as smoking mountain. It comes from the ancient tongue of the local Indigenous People, named the Afar.
Obviously, the original inhabitants of the area have known of its existence for untold centuries. It remains unclear precisely when the first non-natives first spotted it, though. However, unconfirmed reports of sightings by various European explorers date back to the 16th century.
Those reports, however, only ever mentioned the volcano itself. The most utterly remarkable individual characteristic of the mountain, though, wasn’t reported until the year 1960! It’s believed that this, an extraordinary lava lake, formed approximately 107 years ago.
Unfortunately, researchers still possess only a very limited knowledge of the otherworldly wonder of Erta Ale. The terrain in the immediate area remains considered some of the most inhospitable in the world. This makes access to the site both extremely difficult and dangerous.

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Erta Ale Physical Description

The eerily magnificent Erta Ale constitutes an indescribably unique location. In some ways itforms an incontrovertibly unique formation. It therefore draws a great deal of interest for its natural wonders. The site garners such intense interest due to a combination of remarkable aspects.

Though certainly not the tallest volcano currently known to human science, it nonetheless boasts a fully respectable size. In its present state, the mountain stands roughly 2,011 ft (613 m) tall. The base of the impressive formation also has an astonishing diameter measuring 31 mi (50 km)!

The caldera of this natural product of Nature and time further holds correspondingly attention-grabbing dimensions. Incredibly, this part of the awesome site’s roughly rectangular in shape. It also measures about 1 mi (1.6 km) in length. Its width even stands out, at about 0.43 mi (0.7 km).

Simple size isn’t the only tantalizing aspect of the caldera, though. That’s true because this part of the formation itself holds two pit craters within it. Evidence indicates that both of these often held lava lakes throughout their history. Only seven other volcanoes on earth host such active features.

The largest of the two of these within Erta Ale possesses a width equaling roughly 1,148 ft (350 m). It’s also about 656 ft (200 m) deep. The southern of the two ranks as the smaller of the pair. It’s about 328 ft (100 m) in depth. The most recently measured diameter equals about 213 ft (65 m).

Though significantly smaller than its companion, it’s by far the most famous. This stands out as the longest continually active feature of its kind known to science. Its longevity and unearthly appearance remain unlike any other. This garnered it the popular name of Gateway to Hell.

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Erta Ale Location, Formation, and History

The location of the haunting creation of time and geological activity known as Erta Ale doesn’t surprise many people who learn of it. That’s due to the fact that the site formed in a part of the world widely known for its natural wonders. Nature provided the region with countless such.

More precisely, the volcanic mountain formed on what’s now known to science as the continent of Africa. It’s centered over what’s popularly known as the East African Rift. That places it in the Afar Region of northeastern Ethiopia. That setting additionally locates it within a local desert.

It’s very formation further distinguishes the mountain from other sites of its kind across the globe. That’s due to the fact that it’s the product of a triple junction of tectonic plates. To the present knowledge of geologists, this is the only place on earth where such a conjunction happens.

The movement of these plates creates the powerful forces responsible for its many unique traits. This truly distinctive mount lies 246 ft (75 m) below sea level, because of the downward thrust of one of the plates. The mountain itself’s comprised of material inexorably pushed upward.

Ethereal yet undeniably captivating Erta Ale holds its share of perils, though, to be certain. Though far less common than its continued slow activity, active eruptions do occur sporadically. In August of 2007, a flow escaped the crater, forcing an evacuation of hundreds of numerous local residents.

Explosive eruptions also happen on rare occasions. In both the years 2008 and 2017, scientists reported these occurring. The last major eruption took place on September 25, 2005. During this event, thousands of inhabitants fled, two disappeared, and several hundred cattle perished.