Geomunoreum lava tube system
| Geomunoreum lava tube system | |
|---|---|
| Korean alphabet : | 거문 오름 용암 동굴계 |
| Hanja : | 거문 오름 鎔 巖 洞窟 系 |
| Revised Romanization : | Geomuneoreum Yongamdonggulgye |
| McCune-Reischauer : | Kŏmunŏrŭm Yongamdonggulgye |
The Geomunoreum lava tube system is located on the South Korean island of Jeju . It belongs - with the volcano Hallasan and the tuff cone Seongsan Ilchulbong - since 2007 the World Heritage Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes of UNESCO .
The lava tube system is characterized by its wealth of lava formations and mineral deposits. The tubes have multi-colored ceilings and floors that are colored by different carbonates . The walls are dark in color, formed by lava and are partially decorated with carbonate deposits. In addition, the Geomunoreum lava tube system contains a large number of different speleothems .
Emergence
The Geomunoreum lava tube system probably originated between 100,000 and 300,000 years ago. During this period of time there were repeated eruptions of the flank volcano Geomunoreum, which is located at a height of 456 m on the eastern flank of Hallasan. The spit out lava flowed in a north-northeast direction down the slope of the Hallasan and covered a distance of approx. 13 km to the sea.
Individual lava tubes
The system consists of the previously known single tubes Seonheul-sujikdonggul , Bengdwi-gul , Bukoreum-donggul , Daerim-donggul , Mangjang-gul , Gimnyeong-gul , Yongcheon-donggul and the Dangcheomul-donggul .
Bengdwi-gul
The 4,481 m long lava tube was discovered in 1987 and explored for the first time by Dongkuk University from 1988 to 1994. The labyrinthine tube was formed by repeated eruptions of the Geomunoreum volcano and has the most complex shape of the known lava tubes on Jeju. When the volcano erupted, its Pāhoehoe lava flowed north, northeast and northwest. There were many tributaries and tributaries - some on several levels - of the lava flow, which later merged again in one stream. In the tube, which is not open to the public, there are well-preserved structures, including a. Chambers and lava stalactites . The tube is located approximately 300 to 350 m above sea level, close to the earth's surface. Due to the proximity to the earth's surface, the cave ceiling has collapsed in 16 places. 13 of the penetrations serve as an entrance into the tube. The tube is the habitat of 37 species.
Mangjang-gul
The 7416 m long, up to 23 m wide and up to 30 m high lava tube was first explored in 1946 by Boo Jong-hyu. But it was not until 1970 that the approx. 200,000 to 300,000 year old tube was measured and examined by various Korean and Japanese research teams. The tube runs on two levels. The lower tube has a length of 5296 m and is the main tube. The upper tube is 2120 m long. A section of the tube about 1 km long was opened to the public in 1967. It contains many well-preserved structures formed by lava, such as stalactites and columns, etc. a. the world's largest lava column can be found in the tube. 38 species and at least 30,000 bats live in the tube. This population is the largest known bat population in South Korea.
Gimnyeong-gul
The entrance of the 705 m long, 4 m wide and up to 12 m high lava tube (also called Gimnyeong-sagul or Sagul (snake cave )) is only 90 m below the exit of the Manjang-gul. There is a collapsed piece between the two tubes, so it is assumed that both tubes once formed a tube. The end of the S-shaped lava tube is closed by lava rock. Carbonate deposits and sand are found at the bottom of the tube. This comes from sand dunes that are near the entrance to the end of the tube. The tube was open to the public until 1991, but then closed for safety reasons.
The term sagul comes from a legend. According to legend, a large snake that brought natural disasters across the country lived in the tube. To prevent the catastrophes, a 15-year-old girl had to be offered as a sacrifice to the snake every year. Judge Lin Seo killed the snake in 1515 and people have lived in peace ever since. A memorial was erected at the entrance to the tube in honor of Lin Seo.
Yongcheon-donggul
The approx. 2500 m long, 7 to 15 m wide and 1.5 to 20 m high lava tube was discovered by chance during construction work in 2005. Its end upstream is blocked by sand and was presumably connected to the Gimnyeong lava tube, so that both tubes originally formed one lava tube. The 100,000 to 300,000 year old tube runs from northeast to southwest, in part on two levels. Various rock formations formed by lava, lava stalactites and stalagmites , lava falls and spring water lakes can be found in the tube. At the bottom of the last lava fall there is a lake with a length of 200 m, a width of 7 to 15 m and a depth between 6 and 15 m. There are secondary speleothems on the floor and ceiling, such as stalactites, stalagmites, and much more. The speleothemes were formed by calcium and carbonates that were washed out of the sand above the tube by rainwater.
But not only speleothems were found in the lava tube, but also a variety of historical, man-made objects, such as. B. Clay pots, tools and torches. On the basis of the vessels and by determining the age of the torches using the radiocarbon method, it could be shown that people entered the tube around 605 AD, at the time of the Silla Empire. The tube probably had a special meaning due to the freshwater lakes, as freshwater is difficult to find on Jeju. It is also believed that the tube was a sacred place for the people of that time, where religious ceremonies were also performed. The sand closure later prevented entry into the tube.
Dangcheomul-donggul
The lava tube discovered during work in 1995 is 110 m long, between 5.5 and 18.4 m wide and between 0.3 and 2.7 m high. A farmer broke through the ceiling of the 100,000 to 200,000 year old tube with heavy equipment. It has a flat bottom and an arched cross section. Its ceiling is covered with lava eccentriques . In addition to the eccentrics, there are various speleothems in the tube. These speleothems were formed by carbonates that were washed out of sand dunes and entered the tube through crevices and tree roots. There are soda straws, stalactites, stalagmites, columns, flowstone, sinter basins and moon milk in the tube. 13 species live in the tube. The tube is not open to the public. Scientific studies were carried out in 2000.
Ecosystem
The tubes of the Geomunoreum lava tube system provide diverse habitats for living beings. To date, 64 species have been discovered in the lava tubes. Of these 64 species, 23 are spider species and 11 are insect species .
Have special meaning:
- the double-footed Epanerchodus clavisetosus ,
- the Seonggul harvestman Opilio pentaspnulatus ,
- the jeju cave spider Nesticella quelpartensis ,
- the Korean harvestman Heteropoda koreana and
- the jeju salamander Hynobius quelpartiens .
Of these living beings, the spiders and the double-pod are only found on Jeju.
Three species of bats live in large populations in the Bengdwi and Manjang lava tubes. Around 30,000 bats of the species Miniopterus schreiberisi fuliginosus live in the Manjang lava tube . This population is the largest bat population in South Korea. In addition to the large populations, small populations of two bat species are found in the Gimnyeong lava tube.
UNESCO World Natural Heritage
The Geomunoreum lava tube system was added to the list of World Heritage Sites in 2007. In the reason for accepting the application, the special beauty of the lava tubes is emphasized.
“The Geomunoreum lava tube system, which is regarded as the finest such cave system in the world, has an outstanding visual impact even for those experienced with such phenomena. It displays the unique spectacle of multi-colored carbonate decorations adorning the roofs and floors, and dark-colored lava walls, partially covered by a mural of carbonate deposits. "
literature
- CULTURAL HERITAGE ADMINISTRATION (Ed.): JEJU VOLCANIC ISLAND AND LAVA TUBES . A CANDIDATE FOR WORLD HERITAGE INSCRIPTION. Republic of Korea 2007 (English, unesco.org [PDF; 250.0 MB ; accessed on July 5, 2012] Application for inclusion as a UNESCO World Heritage Site).
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ UNESCO: Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes. Retrieved January 10, 2012 .
- ↑ CULTURAL HERITAGE ADMINISTRATION (ed.): JEJU VOLCANIC ISLAND AND LAVA TUBES . 2007, Description, p. 30th ff .
- ^ Jeju World Natural Heritage: Geomunoreum Lava Tubes Introduction. (No longer available online.) Formerly in the original ; Retrieved July 26, 2012 . ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b c CULTURAL HERITAGE ADMINISTRATION (ed.): JEJU VOLCANIC ISLAND AND LAVA TUBES . 2007, Bengdwigul Lava Tube, p. 32 f .
- ↑ Jeju World Natural Heritage: Bengdwigul Lava Tube. (No longer available online.) Formerly in the original ; Retrieved July 26, 2012 . ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b CULTURAL HERITAGE ADMINISTRATION (ed.): JEJU VOLCANIC ISLAND AND LAVA TUBES . 2007, Mangjanggul Lava Tube, p. 34 f .
- ↑ a b Jeju World Natural Heritage: Manjanggul Lava Tube. (No longer available online.) Formerly in the original ; Retrieved July 26, 2012 . ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b c CULTURAL HERITAGE ADMINISTRATION (ed.): JEJU VOLCANIC ISLAND AND LAVA TUBES . 2007, History of Lava Tube Research, p. 58 ff .
- ↑ Jeju World Natural Heritage: Gimnyeonggul Lava Tube. (No longer available online.) Formerly in the original ; Retrieved July 26, 2012 . ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ CULTURAL HERITAGE ADMINISTRATION (ed.): JEJU VOLCANIC ISLAND AND LAVA TUBES . 2007, Yongcheondonggul Lava Tube, p. 38 ff .
- ↑ a b CULTURAL HERITAGE ADMINISTRATION (ed.): JEJU VOLCANIC ISLAND AND LAVA TUBES . 2007, Dangcheomuldonggul Lava Tube, p. 42 ff .
- ↑ Jeju World Natural Heritage: Dangcheomuldonggul Lava Tube. (No longer available online.) Formerly in the original ; Retrieved July 27, 2012 . ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b c CULTURAL HERITAGE ADMINISTRATION (ed.): JEJU VOLCANIC ISLAND AND LAVA TUBES . 2007, Biodiversity in Geomunoreum Lava Tube System, p. 212 ff .
- ↑ The World Heritage Committee: Decision - 31COM 8B.12 - Nomination of natural, mixed and cultural properties to the world heritage list - Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes. UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION, accessed on July 26, 2012 .
Coordinates: 33 ° 31 ′ 30 ″ N , 126 ° 46 ′ 21 ″ E