The mysterious "forbidden zone" Ailao Mountain has anomalies in geomagnetic fields, releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide at night. In fact, it is...

Audit expert: Kang Kaizheng, senior engineer, registered civil engineer (geotechnical)

Recently, a video about Ailao Mountain has continued to attract attention.

Related topics are trending

Let the mysterious Ailao Mountain enter everyone's vision again

#There is an abnormal magnetic field intensity in Ailao Mountain#

#Ailao Mountain releases a lot of carbon dioxide at night#

The discussion on the Internet is even more intense.

So, why do these "mysterious" phenomena occur in Ailao Mountain?

Why is it called a "forbidden zone"?

Ailao Mountain Source: CCTV Video

Wang Yu, a geological survey expert, said that the Ailao Mountains are the product of the collision and subduction of the Indian Plate to the Eurasian Plate , coexisting with the Red River Deep Fault, and have strong neotectonic movements. Under the combined action of internal and external forces, the fault structure is developed, the mountain rises greatly, and the river cuts down sharply, forming a deeply cut high and medium mountain landform. This means that the Ailao Mountains are high and steep, with strong terrain fluctuations and changes, making it difficult to travel .

In addition, due to the large relative height difference of the Ailao Mountain, the climate has a distinct vertical distribution. There are six climate modes from the top of the mountain to the foot of the mountain, including the southern subtropical, mid-subtropical, northern subtropical, warm temperate, temperate, and cold temperate climates . This makes the Ailao Mountain one of the most concentrated treasure troves of animal resources in China, with changeable weather, dense forests, and forest animals of various flora.

Abnormal geomagnetism is not that mysterious

Tang Xiaochun, professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Geography and Tourism of Guangdong University of Finance and Economics, said that there are indeed geomagnetic anomalies in some places. This is mainly caused by strata or rocks with magnetic minerals exposed in this area . It is actually a quite common thing.

The most magnetic rock type is igneous rock, which is formed by the cooling and solidification of magma. It contains a large amount of ferromagnetic minerals, such as magnetite, which give igneous rocks extremely strong magnetism. The most common rock with magnetic minerals is basalt, which belongs to the basic rock . Basalt is a type of igneous rock. There should be large areas of exposed basalt in the Ailao Mountain area, so it is normal to have geomagnetic anomalies.

Tang Xiaochun said that the strength of the geomagnetic anomaly in a place depends on the amount of magnetic minerals in the rocks, that is, the strength of the stratum magnetism . In places with strong magnetism, ordinary compasses will be significantly affected, and in serious cases, the compass will completely fail.

Large amounts of carbon dioxide are released at night

Carbon dioxide is a colorless and odorless gas. Plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen during photosynthesis during the day, while at night, plants absorb oxygen and release carbon dioxide during respiration. In addition, animals and soil microorganisms in the forest also release carbon dioxide .

The geographical environment of Ailao Mountain is complex , with large-scale ground uplift and rapid river cutting, forming a deeply cut mountain landform, making it difficult for the fog in the mountain to dissipate. In addition, the climate conditions in Ailao Mountain are changeable , with frequent rain and fog. Under severe weather conditions such as rain, fog, etc., the visibility in the mountain is reduced, the air circulation is poor, and the dense fog and closed environment further aggravate the accumulation of carbon dioxide.

Ailao Mountain River Source: CCTV Video

In addition, the vegetation in Ailao Mountain is dense and the forest coverage rate is high . Plants also release a lot of carbon dioxide when they breathe at night. As mentioned earlier, the geomagnetic anomaly in Ailao Mountain may cause compass failure, increasing the risk of getting lost. Explorers and tourists are more likely to wander in the mountains for a long time due to getting lost, thus being exposed to a high concentration of carbon dioxide.

Ailao Mountain is shrouded in fog. Source: CCTV Video

Danger lurks on every side!

The hinterland of Ailao Mountain is high and densely forested, with steep slopes and many cliffs. There are no roads for normal traffic. There are many wild animals in the primeval forest, and bears, leopards, poisonous snakes and other animals are often seen.

In fact, some areas of Ailao Mountain have been developed into scenic spots, such as the Ancient Tea-Horse Road in Xinping County, Yuxi City, Shimen Gorge of Nanen Waterfall and Jinshan Primeval Forest Park . These scenic spots are distributed along National Highway 323, and tourists can enter and exit more conveniently and safely, so they can check in and play reasonably and moderately.

But please note that

Never enter undeveloped areas!!!

Always pay attention to your surroundings when climbing

Don't go down unexplored paths

Please remember these mountain climbing safety tips