Danger Lurks Beneath Lake Baikal: Scientists Probe Earthquake Risk

7th April, 2024 CHIRANJIT MITRA CHIRANJIT MITRA

[{"selector":"#anim-f27afd43-7688-4bd2-8841-adbb303bd61a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6819ca6a-8d7a-429d-883f-71a3d343fdc5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cddef9de-d138-4d9a-bbd7-a58d646bc63a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] New research reveals a network of faults and volcanoes under the world's deepest freshwater lake.

Where Is Lake Baikal?

[{"selector":"#anim-49bf8a42-b47f-453f-93ea-6282ee51f402 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(28.251250919739203%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-faf4f7b7-8c20-400f-a403-bee6742154cf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-53a7371d-9588-4fc2-a049-e5402834574a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bb3dc118-e9b4-4e31-9135-fa9ed5b4fcd3","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8aa3c193-c4cf-43bc-a7bf-78d1c1792bfe","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Located in Siberia, Russia, this vast lake holds an incredible 20% of Earth's unfrozen freshwater.

Secrets Revealed

[{"selector":"#anim-bc72709d-294d-4cdc-ae32-3d2ee574de57 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-79d6ed6a-7095-41ad-aae0-23679af9d942","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f2fc75a5-02d2-4b61-b41c-e8b36256bd6d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a60b7241-f4bb-403d-a268-8ca6779f1e82","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8cf0732b-e4a2-4305-ad0f-8fa0f86dfc47","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Recent studies using sonar mapping have uncovered underwater volcanoes and fault zones.

What Does This Mean?

[{"selector":"#anim-fa897b0b-ab9a-452e-95e7-11f724f870ad [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-20.147884859882627%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-24c86285-fba2-4ab1-95be-b0c65dae4e9d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1d2697c7-f2a6-42c7-9870-883c6fe4a25e","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b734d4f9-b19c-4965-bdfe-471d88eecae7","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-068b05c2-4985-4806-ab03-d84030e5cbdf","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] The geology under Lake Baikal is more dynamic than previously thought, suggesting earthquake risk.

Historic Earthquake

[{"selector":"#anim-8d784f8c-5b22-45db-aa38-62e8b4e9b4cb [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-7.8571428571428665%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-18382365-dbbe-49b4-b407-23a8f959560e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f7a6dbbc-c9d2-4e82-a286-6f3664f44951","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fca26b1d-1618-4d69-8ce4-1f71bc468823","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c3e715df-ca89-4466-bd80-00296bdb8faf","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] A powerful quake in 1959 caused significant tremors and changes to shoreline around the lake.

Why It Matters

[{"selector":"#anim-be6fa197-1013-4e46-8cdc-29a0bafdb914 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-55.21936988384173%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b19e2680-6d55-4e09-8ba1-65a19bd509b2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-71327291-7f17-4fc2-91c4-d3b2e82f1761","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a6579187-c874-42b3-947b-bed63deb32a8","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-24cee244-264d-4faf-a6bd-f93aacd7004a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Lake Baikal is not only deep, but home to unique species found nowhere else on Earth.

What's Next?

[{"selector":"#anim-a0adf882-9f88-400c-8e49-9f387308364c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-0.054324206866572605%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fece9ecc-f009-4fe7-9884-9bd7eebf2080","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-31a6aee7-0dcc-40d2-96c5-68113b89acac","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7955a32b-5e64-40ec-9084-ee6e0d0e8ec6","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-861f622e-c207-4a5e-bb13-f100ad309e79","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Scientists plan further research to understand the fault system and potential for future quakes.

[{"selector":"#anim-b65ad7f7-541c-4560-99e3-44b6994268bd [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-48.0613622530202%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e7b476ed-bce5-47b1-9dd0-394f18e49e65","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e41427a9-6526-41ff-9722-810f23984b77","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] This study highlights how even Earth's most placid-looking environments can hold hidden geological forces.