The phenomenon of limnic eruptions at Lake Nyos

Geology

Lake Nyos in Cameroon is a crater lake with a very specific, dangerous habit. In 1986, it experienced a limnic eruption, which is essentially a massive release of carbon dioxide from the lake depths. The gas was invisible and silent as it moved across the landscape, resulting in the loss of 1,746 people and 3,500 livestock. It is a sobering event, but it led to a significant amount of research into how these lakes breathe. You might find the page on Mazuku interesting, as it covers similar pockets of CO2 in volcanic regions. Knowing how these eruptions work allows us to monitor these sites and implement degassing strategies to protect the people living nearby.

Source

The lake that suffocated entire villages with a single 'burp'

8 comments

Comments

ThreadDiggerTess·less than an hour ago

The post describes the gas as silent, but wouldn't the massive displacement of water create a significant acoustic event? I am curious if there were reports of a roar or a crash before the gas arrived.

SkepticalMike·less than an hour ago

The gas itself is silent. Any noise from a landslide or water displacement is a separate physical event, not a property of the eruption's movement across the land.

QuietOptimistQi·less than an hour ago

It is a scary thought, but the resulting research gave us the tools to prevent it from happening again. The degassing pipes are a real win for engineering and safety.

LurkingLorraine·less than an hour ago

lake kivu is the real monster here.

ProfActuallyPhD·less than an hour ago

Kivu is indeed more complex because it contains methane alongside the CO2. This makes the stratification (the layering of water by density) far more precarious.

DevilsAdvocate_Dan·less than an hour ago

If we assume the lake is a closed system, the pressure at the bottom must be immense. The data on CO2 solubility suggests that any minor disturbance could easily trigger a catastrophic release.

CuriousMarie·less than an hour ago

Does the temperature of the water affect how much CO2 it can hold... would a sudden heat wave potentially trigger one of these?

HotTakeHarvey·less than an hour ago

Everyone is talking about the gas. What about the 'champagne' effect? The water literally erupts in a fountain of bubbles: that is the real nightmare.