El Tatio Research Paper

670 Words2 Pages

The enormous Geyser field known as El Tatio can be found in the north of Chile. It is located at a height of 4,320 meters on the western slopes of the Andes Range, near the famous archaeological site of San Pedro de Atacama, situated in the heart of the impressive desert of that same name. El Tatio is considered to be one of the highest geothermal fields in the world, as well as one of the largest. As the dawn starts to lighten the desert sky, enormous fountains of hot vapor and water can be seen emerging from within the ground. The explosive force causes the columns of hot steam to rise several meters high, clearly outlined against the crystal cold air of the “pampa”, as the desert is generally called. Fumaroles spouting hot water and vapor, El Tatio, Chile Source: Caroline Fuhmann, CC BY 2.0 Generic, Wikimedia Commons These columns of steam …show more content…

There are pools on the surface that show an adequate temperature for human use and one of the attractions for the many tourists that visit all year round, is to bathe in one of these pools after having observed the early morning show of the fumaroles and fountains. However, the area can be dangerous, as the ground around the mouths of the fumaroles is very fragile and if people get too near these pools, the crust can suddenly give way, plunging the unwary into the boiling abys below. Death would be instantaneous, but also probably very painful. The place is not easy to reach, there are no clear indications on road maps, but local guides usually accompany the groups of tourist who leave at about 4.00 AM from San Pedro de Atacama when it is still dark and also very, very cold. The desert does not start to heat up until after the sun

More about El Tatio Research Paper

Open Document