Lake Monoun

The Manoun Lake ( Lac also Monoun ) is a lake in the west of Cameroon, in the French-speaking province Ouest, about 20 km as the crow east-northeast of the provincial capital Bafoussam. He is a Maar and is part of the Oku volcanic field

On August 15, 1984, was an explosion from the lake were suddenly large amounts of carbon dioxide ( CO2), 37 people died. The cause of this explosion gave scientists initially puzzling; you thinking more of a terrorist attack as a natural phenomenon.

Only by a similar tragedy on also located in the Oku area crater lake Nyos was found a plausible explanation: A magma chamber under the field is the source of excess carbon dioxide, which rises through the seabed upwards. Thus, an estimated 90 million kilograms of CO2 annually dissolve in the water of the lake and lead to over- saturation of the lake with CO2. Since the lake water is thermally stratified ( layers of warm, less dense water lying on the surface over cold, dense layers on the lake floor ) enters the CO2 from immediately. Thus, large amounts of carbon dioxide are dissolved in the water of the lake for long periods.

Initially, although the CO2 remains dissolved in the lower layers. Eventually, however, the water is supersaturated. Then, when an event such as a landslide, a small earthquake or volcanic activity occurs, occur abruptly from large amounts of CO2 from the water.

Since 2003 there is a degassing project, in which through a pipe the water saturated with CO2 is shot from the lake in a fountain. In this there is no controlled venting hazardous CO2 levels.