REVIEW SHEET FOR KLING LECTURES IN GLOBAL CHANGE
The Killer Lakes of
Cameroon - Using science to solve natural hazards
Take home message:
Science is only one part of the solution to any problem, but you still have to get the science right.
* Stratification and lake stability (review the lecture on the "Blue Planet" to remind yourself about water density and stratification)
* Hydrostatic pressure and “degassing” (think of the dynamics of dissolved gases in soda bottles)
Why are the Cameroon Lakes killer lakes? Briefly explain what happened in 1986 when Lake Nyos exploded.
What are potential sources for CO2 in the lakes?
What two conditions are necessary for CO2 to accumulate in lakes, and why are the Cameroon Lakes favorable for CO2 accumulation?
Many scientists believed the explosion was the result of a volcanic event. What evidence do we have that this is not the case? What evidence or problem solving skills did scientists use to understand what caused the explosion of Lake Nyos?
What conditions led to the release of gas in the lakes?
Will these explosions happen again? Why or why not.
What solutions have been suggested and are being used? Explain how these plans will help to prevent future explosions.
How is Lake Kivu in East Africa different from the lakes in Cameroon?
What solution is possible to remove the methane from Lake Kivu? Do you think that this solution can be sustainable?
Be able to use the Cameroon lakes story as an example of the take-home message for this lecture, that there is more to applying scientific principles to real-world problems than meets the eye. (And that is what this lecture on the Killer Lakes has to do with everything else in the course…)