Baikal is one of the giant closed reservoirs on the planet. No lake can compare with it in depth. Baikal has a significant share of the world's fresh water reserves. Its flora and fauna are extremely diverse. Baikal water is remarkable for its amazing purity and transparency. The history of the study of the lake has been going on for more than three centuries, but many mysteries remain related to its age and the reasons for its origin.
Geographic location
Baikal is located in the southern part of Eastern Siberia, on the border separating the territories of the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia. The lake is located in a crescent-shaped hollow surrounded by rocks and hills. Its length is 620 km, the width varies from 24 to 79 km. The east coast is less rocky and steep than the west coast. The area of the water surface is comparable to the territories of some European states. It is 31722 km2. According to this indicator, Baikal ranks seventh on the planet. Only a few of the largest lakes in the American and African continents surpass it in terms of water surface area.
Depth
The geological history of Baikal has become the reason for its unique characteristics. Scientific studies confirm that this lake is the deepest in the world. It is worth taking into account that its water mirror is located at an altitude of 456 m above sea level. Hydrographic expeditions recorded and plotted on maps the maximum depth of the lake at 1642 m. Consequently, the bottom point, which is extremely remote from the surface, is located 1187 m below the level of the world ocean. This record figure allows Baikal to be included in the list of the deepest depressions on the planet. It can only be compared with Lake Tanganyika in Central Africa and the Caspian Sea, which is officially considered a closed body of water, since it does not have access to the oceans. Their depth exceeds 1000 m.
Water volume
The long history of Baikal exploration has brought many surprises. It has been proven that it has the largest reserves of lake fresh water in the world. Its volume is 23615 km3. This is about 20% of the world's reserves. Only the volume of the Caspian Sea exceeds this value, but the water in it is s alty, unlike Baikal. The history of the emergence and development of special flora and fauna has made the lake a unique ecological system. The fresh water of Lake Baikal is distinguished by its rare purity. The lake is a world record holder not only in its quantity, but also in quality.
Water characteristics
In the history of Baikal, a special place is occupied by the study of its flora and fauna. As it turns out, waterThe lake owes its unique purity to the local flora and fauna. All elements of the natural system are interconnected and influence each other. Baikal water is highly saturated with oxygen. It contains a negligible amount of dissolved minerals and organic impurities. Even pollution resulting from human activity does not lead to a significant deterioration in water quality. The development of industry and the tourism industry does not go unnoticed for the ecological state of the lake. However, in terms of its characteristics, the water remains close to the distillation product obtained in the laboratory. One of the reasons for its amazing purity lies in the vital activity of a microscopic crustacean. This representative of the fauna played an important role in the history of Baikal. The crustacean reproduces in huge numbers and consumes organic matter, naturally purifying the water of the lake.
Hypotheses of occurrence
The story of the origin of Baikal causes some controversy. The lake is located in a large depression that appeared at the site of a break in the earth's crust. The emergence of Baikal is due to tectonic causes. Some researchers put forward a version that the depression was formed as a result of the interaction of two continental plates - the Eurasian and Hindustan. Others argue that the lake is located in a transform fault zone. This type of rupture of the earth's crust occurs along the boundary of the lithospheric plate. In addition, there is a poorly substantiated from a scientific point of view hypothesis about the appearancevacuum pockets due to ejection of volcanic rock to the surface. According to this version, this caused the depression to subside.
Disputes about the history of the origin of Lake Baikal continue. However, increased seismic activity in this region leaves no doubt about the tectonic nature of the reservoir.
Age
The opinions of scientists differ greatly about the duration of the history of Baikal. The traditional version claims that the lake has existed for over 25 million years. This hypothesis raises some doubts. Usually lakes remain in their original form for no more than 10-15 thousand years. After that, due to the accumulation of a significant amount of silt at the bottom, they turn into swamps. A natural question arises: why, despite many millions of years of history, Baikal did not suffer the same fate?
There is an alternative version, indirectly confirmed by some research. According to her, the age of the lake is about 8 thousand years. Of interest is the huge discrepancy between traditional and alternative theories. At present, the question of the age of Baikal remains open.
Freezing
Even in summer, the water in the lake does not heat up above 10°C. The maximum temperature recorded throughout the history of observations is 23°C. In winter, the water mirror freezes almost completely. The thickness of the ice reaches 1 m, and in some places it can reach up to 2 m. In winter, the fish in the lake do not suffer from a lack of oxygen. Cracks form in the ice due to severe frostsseveral meters wide. Their length is 10-30 km. Through the cracks, water is saturated with oxygen. This saves a lot of fish from dying. The period of complete freezing of the lake usually lasts from January to May. Passenger and cargo navigation starts in June and ends in September.
Flora and fauna
About half of the species of living organisms living in Baikal are not found anywhere else on the planet. This fact is explained by the isolation and antiquity of the ecological system of the lake. According to scientists, the Baikal fauna consists of 2600 species of animals. The reason for this diversity is the high concentration of oxygen in the water. This makes the lake a favorable habitat for all representatives of the animal world. The presence of a significant amount of oxygen persists even at great depths.
Of the fish living in the reservoir, the most famous is the Baikal omul. It has become somewhat of a symbol of the lake. The water column is inhabited by hundreds of species of flatworms, molluscs and crustaceans. At the bottom there are sponges that cover the stones with a continuous growth. They serve as a refuge for many living organisms.
Check in
The history of Baikal exploration began around the 2nd century BC. The first mention of the lake is contained in a Chinese manuscript of that era. According to archaeologists, 3 thousand years ago, the Baikal region was inhabited by Mongoloid tribes, the ancestors of modern Evenks. In the early Middle Ages on the territory of southern Siberiaa nationality appeared, which in Chinese written sources was called "guligan". Its representatives were engaged in cattle breeding and agriculture, they knew how to smelt metals. In the 17th century, the formation of the Buryat people began from the Mongol-speaking tribes who migrated to southern Siberia from the west.
The Russian history of the discovery of Baikal is associated with the name of the Cossack Kurbat Ivanov. The expedition under his leadership reached the lake in 1643. The reports received by the tsarist government about the we alth of this region predetermined the further development of the history of Baikal. The famous archpriest Avvakum briefly described the lake in 1665, who visited its shores on the way to exile.
Research
Geographic maps of Baikal appeared at the beginning of the 18th century. By order of Peter I, a scientific expedition headed by physician Daniel Messerschmitt was sent to Siberia. It became the source of the first reliable information about the lake and its environs. Scientists who were part of the Great Northern Expedition led by Vitus Bering made their contribution to the study of Baikal. They made a detailed description of the lake and collected extensive information about its flora and fauna.
The first hydrometeorological stations on Baikal were founded in the second half of the 19th century. Their task was to conduct continuous monitoring of fluctuations in the temperature of the surface of the lake and changes in the water level in it. In those years, the study of the bottom topography also began.
Climate
In addition to many other uniquefeatures, Baikal is known for its unusual weather conditions. The rocky terrain and the presence of a giant mass of water in the lake soften the East Siberian continental climate. The air temperature in the vicinity of Lake Baikal is stable. Summers in the coastal zone are on average cooler than in adjacent areas, and there are no severe frosts in winter. The Baikal climate is characterized by a long autumn and a late onset of spring.
