Muddy Volcanoes

Volcanoes probably don't need any introduction, but we'll just tell you a little, little bit about how they form, okay?

Mud volcanoes are formations created by natural gas coming from 3,000 metres down through clay soil in combination with groundwater. Gases push to the surface water mixed with clay. The sludge formed by them rises to the surface and, in those places, dries out in contact with the air, forming conical volcano-like structures. The sludge that comes to the surface is cold because it comes from the clay layers.

A total of about 1,100 mud volcanoes are known around the world. In Europe there are very few mud volcanoes on the continent, such as those in Buzau, Romania and in AzerbaijanHowever, there are many more under the sea, such as the mud volcanoes in Norwegian waters and those in the Caspian and Barents seas. Outside Europe, similar phenomena can be seen in Siberia, Australia and the island Trinidad from Caribbean. (Wikipedia)

Water from either precipitation or groundwater penetrates through the cracks in the clay mass and, mixed with the clay, creates a compost that will be lifted to the surface by gas pressure.

This material (water-soaked rock) is pushed by gases to the surface and gives rise to a cone through successive accumulations. When the mud has a thin consistency, flattened cones will form.

When gases flow through rocks that do not mix with water, round depressions form in which water bubbles continuously.

Such shapes are called 'kettles'.

The main landforms that occur in the area of mud volcanoes are gullies (grooves in the rock mass) and gullies (deeper gullies) that give the area a wild appearance. The development of these forms is also accelerated by the lack of vegetation in the area due to the presence of salts.

Mud volcanoes occur on the Berca-Arbanas alignment on fault lines. The best known ones are called "Big Beaks", "Small Beaks", "Beciu", "La Fierbători". 

The mud volcanoes of Berca were first analysed by the Frenchman H. Cognand in 1867. The first description of these phenomena was made by Grigore Cobălcescu (1883), followed by Grigore Ștefănescu (1890) and Mircea Peaha (1965). (https://www.profudegeogra.eu/vulcanii-noroiosi-din-romania/)

How do we get there?

The Small Pellets (where Vlad is waiting for you): https://goo.gl/maps/d1ShBFxaRZpZ1Cwy6

The Big Pastel: https://goo.gl/maps/4oXARHYpXBLsjdVU6

The The Beciu Boils: https://goo.gl/maps/uVhg7HwsA7Cbbn3V9

The The Berca Feast: https://goo.gl/maps/hYnrcND7S1SRxbz89