The mystery of the natural eternal flame

Interestingly, and in fact the world only a few hundred of these natural eternal flames.
What kind of conditions created by nature to the fire is not extinguished? Try to understand.




Researchers from Indiana University found that the rocks under the Chestnut Ridge area of ​​the park in the state of New York, do not have sufficient temperature necessary to develop the gas supply natural eternal flame. This means that some other mechanism produces gas, but what kind of experts do not yet know.

The eternal flame is directly under the waterfall, it is believed that it lit by Native Americans thousands of years ago. Such natural eternal flames on the planet only a few hundred previously, scientists believed that they do not decay due to the natural gas stream produced by the rocks. However, study author Arndt Shimmelmann came to the conclusion that the temperature of rocks under the so-called "Waterfall of eternal fire" is not greater than the temperature of tea in a cup. In addition, the shale rock there are not that old as previously thought. These two factors indicate that origin of another gas than previously thought, the mechanism of its occurrence is not yet known.



Schimmelmann said: "We believe that there is another way of gas generation in the area, probably a unusual way to exist somewhere else. If this is so, and the gas is produced in a similar manner in other places, we have much more shale gas resources than we previously thought, "he was quoted as LiveScience.

Natural eternal flames, such as in the nature reserve in the state of New York, a rare phenomenon. In most cases, gas is released soil, wherein methane bacteria absorb and convert it into carbon dioxide. Gas, which quickly dissipated, can not provide a flame retardant. In the case of New York natural gas leaks from the stone chamber with an opening. This allows the gas is not converted, and not be dissipated kind of fuel for the fire. It is interesting to note that the gas leak is the highest in the world (from all studied similar leaks) the concentration of ethane and propane.



Typically, the gas temperature is around the boiling point of water, such a temperature capable of cleaved carbon molecule in shales, the reaction gas is released. Schimmelmann and his colleague Maria Mastalerz made this discovery is in the process of calculating the amount of methane that is released land along the east coast of America. In addition, they have carefully studied the "burning a hole" in Pennsylvania Park Cook Forest State Park, although it is not as unique as there is an eternal flame fed by the old gas wells. The results of their study, the researchers published in the scientific journal Marine and Petroleum Geology.

Source: www.liveinternet.ru