DAMAVAND, THE SILENT VOLCANO

Mt Damavand Iran is a giant volcano located in the central AlborzMountains on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea and surroundedby beautiful mountains, valleys and forest. It is located 70 km NE of Tehran and 70 km south of the Caspian Sea. 

This silent dormant volcano is 5,671 m, 18,605 ft high; it is thehighest summit in the Middle East and the highest volcano in Asiaand the second highest volcano in Northern Hemisphere.

Snow covers the entire mountain in winter and the upper parts in other seasons. Its permanent snowy white peak with its regular clouds is the most beautiful sight of Iran.

At the height of 5400 meters there are some sulfuric rocks and gas making a little problem for mountaineers.

Damavand is a perfect cone-shape volcano, its appearance looks like Fujiyama in Japan but it is much bigger. The summit has a crater about 150-200 meters across with yellow sulfurous rocks and pumice stones, the crater also contains a small pool.

It is not volcanically active and no eruption has been recorded in historical times so that’s why they call it silent, but it is not entirely an extinct volcanic cone.

There are dozens of hot springs on the lower slopes and hot sulfur gases (fumaroles) emerging near the crater. These thermal springs at the base and steam vents on the top indicate that a hot magma body is present beneath near the surface of the earth which indicates that this volcano is a little active and it is a dormant stratovolcano rather than being extinct.

Volcanic Activity

Since spring 2007, there has been some extraordinary activities such as significant emission of gas, steam, sulfurous materials and increase in hot spring temperature. There was some unverifiednews about new volcanic activity of Damavand Volcano Iran in April 2012.

HISTORY

The oldest known name of this peak dates back to the Sassanid erawhere it was known as Donbavand (meaning mountain of many faces).After several intermediate names (including Donyavand in the spoken dialect) the name Damavand was established by Ferdosi, whoabandoned the root donb for the root dama, meaning snowstorm.

Damavand has, as any cursory reading of Persian literature will indicate, a special place in the Persian mythology and folklore. The popular traditions of the villages around the mountain are filled with legends and superstitions of which traces can be found in place names, as in the upper valley of the Lar, where a small ravine sprinkled with marshes, warm springs, and geysers isnamed Div Asiab (the devil’s mill).

Damavand is located on the tectonically active thrust and fold belt of the Alborz Mountains.

It is a massive stratovolcano with a volume of about 400 cubic kilometers and consists of a younger cone that was constructed during the past 600,000 years above an older, 1.78 million years old edifice, remnants of which were previously thought to be partof a caldera.

Damavand has only a few flank vents. Most activity has been from the summit crater, which has erupted a series of radial lava flows, mostly of trachyandesite composition. Most eruptions of Damavand seen to have been effusive, and only one significant explosive deposit is known, a welded ignimbrite that was producedabout 280,000 years ago.

The latest activity occurred about 7300 years ago and produced lava flows from the summit crater that cover the western flank.

GEOLOGY

Volcanoes grow by intrusion and extrusion.

An intrusion is magma that moves up into a volcano without erupting. Like a balloon, this causes the volcano grows on the inside.

An extrusion is an eruption of material that causes the volcano to grow on the outside.

Volcanoes are constructed this way mainly of two materials: lava and ash. Both of these volcanic products come in many different variations and different volcanoes have different proportions of

them. For example, shield volcanoes (such as those in Hawai'i andthe Galapagos) are probably 95% lava and only 5% ash (in the formof cinder). Furthermore, the basaltic lava that makes up shield volcanoes is very fluid and cannot be piled up into steep mounds.This is why shield volcanoes have very gradual slopes.

Another kind of volcano is called either a stratovolcano or composite-volcano. Mt. St. Helens, Pinatubo, and Fuji are all stratovolcanoes. Stratovolcanoes have a higher proportion of ash,and perhaps are up to 50/50 lava and ash. Ash is loose and can bepiled up to slopes up to 30 degrees. Additionally, these stratovolcanoes erupt much more viscous lava than basalt, and this highly viscous lava doesn't flow very well (the Mt. St. Helens lava dome is an example of this lava). Because of the combination of viscous lava and ash, stratovolcanoes are much steeper than shield volcanoes.

Mount Damavand first erupted in the Pleistocene almost 1.78 million years ago. After several known eruptions around 600,000 and 280,000 years ago, it finally erupted about 7300 years ago in

the Holocene. Its steep cone is formed of ash and lava flows thatare mainly made of trachyte, andesite and basalt. The Quaternary lavas are directly located on the Jurassic sediments. The volcano is crowned by a small crater with sulfuric deposits. There are also fumaroles, hot springs, and mineral deposits of travertine. Mount Damavand could be considered as a potentially active volcano, since there are fumaroles near the summit crateremitting sulfur, which were known to be active on July 6, 2007.

VOLCANIC LANDFORMThere are different types of volcanic landforms. Shield volcanos,Composite volcanos and Cinder cones. Damavand is the composite type and surrounded by a linear set of mountains which are calledAlborz Mountains. Composite volcanos are generally made from intermediate lava and when it gets out from the vent it does not travel a long distance before it colds down and turn to rocks andcinders therefor it creates a steep pile.

The term “Alborz Mountains” has been loosely used in reference toall of the mountains of northern Iran, from the Turkish border tothe northwest, to the border with Afghanistan to the northeast (adistance of more than 1500 km). The Alborz Mountains gain their maximum height and density along the southern shores of the

Caspian Sea where they create a formidable barrier that separatesthe coastal plains from the internal plateau of Iran. Close proximity to the Caspian coast has created a steamy lush environment on the coastal plains and the northern-most slopes ofthe mountains. In some places (near the coastal towns of Ramsar and Noshahr), the strip of land between the mountains and the seais no more than one kilometer wide.

The southern slopes of the Alborz drop onto the central plateau of Iran. The average elevation of this plateau at the base of themountains is around 1500 m (Please be ware that the plateau itself is covered by other scattered mountains. In fact, there are few places in Iran where mountains cannot be seen in the horizon). In contrast to the lush northern slopes, the southern slopes of the Alborz Mountains are barren. Trees can be found only on stream banks at the bottom of the valleys. Grasslands, alpine tundra and permanent snow cover the higher slopes of the Alborz. Evidence suggests that in the past, glaciers used to cover a much larger area of the Alborz Mountains than they do today. At the present time, glaciers can be found on Mt. Damavand, Takhte Soleyman Massif,Mountain. Sabalan and to a much lesser extent on some of the higher peaks of the range. Winter brings a heavy coat of powdery snow that creates an ideal environment for skiing. The abundance of snow gives rise to fairly large mountain streams that provide fresh water for the nearby cities including the 10 million plus mega-city of Tehran. When viewed from space, some of these streams appear to have dug deep gorges that penetrate into the heart of the mountains. The distance between the 5671 m Mt. Damavand and the bottom of the Haraz Valley to the northeast of it where the elevation is only 1000 m is no more than 17 kilometers. 

CLIMATE OF MOUNTAIN DAMAVAND

Generally speaking Mt Damavand has only two seasons, summer and winter! Spring and autumn are too short and are considered as cold weather for climbing. Summer has an ideal climate for mountaineering and the other seasons are considered as tough climate and off-season for trekking and climbing.

Spring (April & May)

The weather is unstable and cold. However the mountain nature is imaginary in spring specially for its beautiful natural red poppyfields which start blooming in May in lower slopes and gradually covers the upper parts. May and June are the best months for natural and eco hiking & trekking tours.

Summer (After mid-June, July, August, before mid-September)

Damavand is a popular mountaineering peak for summer. Climbing season starts from mid June, and lasts to mid September. July andAugust are the best and recommended climbing months for the mountain. During these months, footpaths are usually free of snow, the weather is relatively mild, access by public transportation to base camp is easy, but the mountain shelters are crowded.

Ordinary climbers are strongly advised to tackle Damavand during this climbing season only. Remember the weather is fine mostly insummer, but it could change quickly, and the temperatures may drop to far below zero, so bring enough Gears even during a good weather.

Autumn (September, October)

Autumn is usually cold and windy, no running water is available in the area. The mountain shelters are not crowded. You are advised to bring good winter Equipment with you. Due to icy footpath ascend and descend is difficult.

Winter (November, December, January, February, March)

The winter climate may begin from October and last to April. Climbing to the Damavand summit is very tough and highly dangerous, due to excessive wind and severe weather conditions, snow, ice and other risks, ascend and descend is graded very difficult. The south route is the best side in winter for mountaineering and ski touring.

Due to vicinity of Caspian Sea, there are heavy snow falls in winter. The season for ski and snowboard is from December to mid May, the best ski months are March & April.

In winter you need a high skilled experienced guide. Cars can notgo up to the base camp and it is not possible to use mules in thearea, so you should carry all equipments yourself.

In winter, shelters need some cleaning from snow and garbage if you are luckky enough to find them under snow! To be successful in winter, you should be very experienced and well-equipped, you need a good timing and good weather too.

ECOLOGYIn the southern slope of Damavand, there are remnants of Wild Pistachia Tree (Pistacia atlantica) ; In its riversides different kindof Salix trees like Willow (Salix acomphylla) and Oleaster (Elaeagnus angustifolia) are found . Greek Juniper (Juniperus excelsa) is common all over the higher altitudes. In Northern slopes, because of higher humidity there are wild oak, beech and hazel trees like: Persian Oak (Quercus macranthera), Eastern Hornbean (Carpinus orientalis), and Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis). There are also many beautiful wild flowers like: Mountain Tulip (Tulipa montana) and Stone cress (Aethionema grandiflorum). In higher altitudes, shrubs tend to be sphere and cushion like, examples are: Astragalus species (likeAstragalus microcephalus), Mountain Sainfoin (Onobrychis

cornuta) and Prickly (Acantholimon erinaceum); Different kind of grasses between them, complete this alpine scene.

Symbolism and mythologyDamavand is a significant mountain in Persian mythology. It is the symbol of Iranian resistance against despotism and foreign rule in Persian poetry and literature. InZoroastrian texts and mythology, the three-headed dragon Aži Dahāka was chained within Mount Damāvand, there to remain until the end of the world. In a later version of the same legend, the tyrant Zahhāk was also chained in a cave somewhere in Mount Damāvand after being defeated by Kāveh and Fereydūn. The mountain is said to hold magical powers in the Shahnameh. Damāvand has also been named in the Iranian legend of Arash as the location he fired his arrow tomark the Iran border.

REFRENCES

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/damavand.html

http://www.damawand.de/Info/Info.html

http://www.damawand.de/Info/Activity.html

http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/what-are-volcanoes-made

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Damavand

http://geology.com/volcanoes/

http://www.summitpost.org/central-alborz-mountains/154322

http://twanight.org/newTWAN/photos.asp?ID=3003673

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jfa59jAj-3o

http://www.damawand.de/How/Climate.html

http://damawand.com/