The phenomenon01
The scar
A thousand kilometres of lit crust cross Mexico from Nayarit to Veracruz. They do not run north to south. They cut across.
02of 09
The plate that dives
The Cocos plate slides under the continent, down to a hundred kilometres. That dive is the engine.
03of 09
Water that melts rock
Water carried down with the plate lets the rock melt at a lower temperature. Magma is born from that moisture.
04of 09
The radiator
The magma stalls a few kilometres beneath your feet. Sitting there, it heats everything above it.
05of 09
It is rain
The water in the pool fell from the sky. It seeped through fractured rock. It did not come out of the volcano.
06of 09
Why here
At the same depth, the water here already scalds. In quiet crust it would barely be warm.
An illustrated comparison, not a measured well.
Quiet crust
78°
scalding: for looking only
Here
134°
almost as hot as fresh brewed coffee
07of 09
The chimney
Once hot, the water weighs less and rises through the faults. That is why the springs stand in a line.
08of 09
Two waters
Touch volcanic rock and it smells of sulfur. Cross limestone and it dissolves the stone and comes out turquoise.
09of 09
You can go
What you just understood is a few hours' drive away. Thirty-three places where you can put your hand in it.
The phenomenon
The phenomenon01
The scar
A thousand kilometres of lit crust cross Mexico from Nayarit to Veracruz. They do not run north to south. They cut across.
02of 09
The plate that dives
The Cocos plate slides under the continent, down to a hundred kilometres. That dive is the engine.
03of 09
Water that melts rock
Water carried down with the plate lets the rock melt at a lower temperature. Magma is born from that moisture.
04of 09
The radiator
The magma stalls a few kilometres beneath your feet. Sitting there, it heats everything above it.
05of 09
It is rain
The water in the pool fell from the sky. It seeped through fractured rock. It did not come out of the volcano.
06of 09
Why here
At the same depth, the water here already scalds. In quiet crust it would barely be warm.
An illustrated comparison, not a measured well.
Quiet crust
78°
scalding: for looking only
Here
134°
almost as hot as fresh brewed coffee
07of 09
The chimney
Once hot, the water weighs less and rises through the faults. That is why the springs stand in a line.
08of 09
Two waters
Touch volcanic rock and it smells of sulfur. Cross limestone and it dissolves the stone and comes out turquoise.
09of 09
You can go
What you just understood is a few hours' drive away. Thirty-three places where you can put your hand in it.