Formation of the Messel Lake

With a diameter of approximately 1.5 kilometers, the Messel Lake was not particularly large, yet it reached a considerable depth of approx. 300 meters. This shape can be traced back to the lake’s volcanic origins as a maar crater lake. When hot, rising magma from the center of the earth met cold groundwater about 48 million years ago, this led to steam explosions that catapulted hot gases, volcanic ash and rocks to the earth’s surface through a small vent. The pressure waves from the volcanic eruption destroyed the vegetation in a wide radius and formed a deep crater surrounded by a circular wall. Following the explosion, this crater slowly filled with ground water and rain, eventually forming a fresh-water lake.