Volcanic Crater in Racos EarthCache
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[Ro]In zona comunei Racos au avut loc cele mai recente activitati vulcanice de pe teritoriul tarii noastre. Recente, vorbind la scara geologica. Adica in Cuaternar, adica acum aprox. 10 mii de ani, poate mai putin, in zona au existat vulcani, care la Racos au lasat urme atat de vizibile si de "proaspete" incat ai zice au au erupt in urma cu cativa ani. Nu degeaba in capatul dinspre secuime a muntilor Persani se afla cele mai multe ape minerale, mofete, ape termale, chestii de astea.
La Racos a existat un vulcan din al carui crater s-a exploatat mult timp zgura. Acum nu se exploateaza deoarece e zona protejata si e rezervatie. Insa peisajul ramas e fantastic si deosebit de pitoresc. Iar pentru un pasionat de geologie, locul e perfect pentru a studia toate tipurile de zgure, cenusi, piatra ponce, bombe vulcanice, bazalturi, lave intarite etc. Toate arata de parca s-ar fi racit ieri.
Toata comuna Racos, inclusiv castelul este construita cu piatra ponce si tuf vulcanic. La fel de solid ca orice piatra masiva dar mult mai usor, datorita structurii spongioase produsa de bulele de gaz din timpul racirii lavei. Seamana destul de mult cu structura painii bine crescute. In apropiere de craterul - fosta cariera se afla si un impresionant perete cu coloane de bazalt.
Acestea ar fi explicatiile 'tehnice' pe care le puteti citi pe panoul rezervatiei:
"Acest afloriment pus sub protectie de Academia Romana reprezinta o superba curgere de lava. El expune vederii o sectiune transversala, specifica curgerilor de lava, care prezinta in partile ei marginale brecii si sisteme de fisuri cvasi-parelele cu suprafata curgerii, iar in partea mediana o serie de coloane poligonale. Astfel de structuri sunt rezultatul racirii diferentiale a magmei, care in partea centrala a curgerii conserva mai bine temperatura si permite o racire de lunga durata reflectat de fisura poligonala, perpendiculara pe suprafata curgerii."
Ca sa puteti loga acest EarthCache: 1. publicati pe site o fotografie cu voi si GPSul vostru in zona craterului
raspundeti prin email la urmatoarele intrebari:
2. ce suprafata are zona protejata?
3. cat de inalte sunt coloanele de granit
PS. Multumesc frumos lui Radu Olteanu ca mi-a dat voie sa folosesc parte din povestea de pe blogul lui -- puteti vedea aici si o interesanta comparatie cu vulcanul Etna(Sicilia)
Informatii peste 'profesionisti':
- www.geo.edu.ro
Povesti de la fata locului:
- art-historia.blogspot.com
- dor de duca
Panorame profesioniste:
- link1
- link2
[En]Near Racos village you can find the results of the last volcanic manifestations in Oriental Carpathians. These volcanic activities are dated back around 10 thousands years ago, in Quaternary age. As a result, you can find in the area a lot of springs with mineral to thermal water.
The volcano's crater was a quarry for slag for many years. Now the mining activity was stopped and the whole area was declared a natural reservation. But these excavations did bring also a good part: the landscape looks now almost out of this world. It's the ideal place for the ones passionate about geology as they can view all types of slag, ashes, pumice, basalt or 'stoned' lava. All looks like they were 'frozen' yesterday.
Close to the crater there is an impressive wall with basalt columns. Below, you can read the 'technical' explanations written on an explanation board in the reservation:
"This outcrop, set under protection by the Romanian Academy, represents an impressive lava flow. A transversal section, specific to lava flows, can be observed. This section presents, on both of its margins, breccias and systems of fissures which are quasi-parallel with the flow's surface and, in the middle, several polygonal columns. Such structures are the result of a differentiated cooling of the magma which better preserves the temperature in ht middle part of the flow allowing a long cooling time whose proof is the polygonal fissure, perpendicular on the flow's surface."
To log this Earth Cache
1. Take a photo of yourself and your GPS in the 'crater'
Answer by email the following questions
2. How big is the reservation area?
3. What is the height of a basalt column?
PS. Thanks a lot to Radu Olteanu for letting me use part of the text from his blog -- here you can also see a very interesting parallel with Etna volcano (Sicily)
Information for the one passionate of geology:
- www.geo.edu.ro
Stories from the one traveling in the area:
- art-historia.blogspot.com
- dor de duca
Panorame profesioniste:
- link1
- link2
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
["Cutie a pamantului". Nu lasa urme. Ia cu tine decat amintirile]
[EarthCache. Leave - No trace. Take - Only measurements, pictures and memories!]