| Gaet'ale Pond | |
|---|---|
General view
| |
  Gaet'ale Pond
| |
| Location | Afar Region, Ethiopia |
| Coordinates | 14°12′48″N 40°19′17″E / 14.21333°N 40.32139°E / 14.21333; 40.32139 |
| Type | Hypersaline lake |
| Primary outflows | None |
| Max. length | 60 m (200 ft) |
| Max. width | 40 m (130 ft) |
| Salinity | 433 g/kg |
Gaet'ale Pond is a small hypersaline lake located near the Dallol crater in the Danakil Depression (Afar Region, Ethiopia). It is located over a hot spring of tectonic origin and has no apparent inlet or outlet streams. The water of Gaet'ale Pond has a salinity of 43%, making it the saltiest water body on Earth.[1]
Gaet'ale Pond is the largest of a series of small ponds located approximately 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) southeast of Dallol springs. It is crescent-shaped with a diameter of about 60 metres (200 ft).
According to residents of the nearby village of Ahmed'ela, an earthquake in January 2005 reactivated a thermal spring and the pond was created.[2] For this reason, its temperature of 50–55 °C (122–131 °F) is hotter than the environment.[3]
The salts in the water of Gaet'ale Pond are mainly composed by calcium chloride at 2.72 mol/kg and magnesium chloride at 1.43 mol/kg. It also contains small amounts of Na+, K+ and NO−
2 ions. The total amount of dissolved solids content is 433 g/kg, or 43.3%. It also contains traces of iron(III) that form a complex with chloride, giving the water a characteristic yellow color.[1]
Bubbles of odourless gas are emitted from the lake surface. It is likely volcanically-produced carbon dioxide. Bird and insect corpses have been found around the pond, and it has been proposed that the gas may be harmful for small animals or humans.[3]
