Prof. Henryk Świdziński's Mofette

The Professor Henryk Świdziński Mofette, located on the border of the villages Jastrzębik and Złockie in Lesser Poland, is a unique monument of inanimate nature, discovered in 1938 by Professor Świdziński. It is the largest and most productive mofette in Poland, with a surface area of approximately 25 m² and a gas emission estimated at 10 m³ per minute. The gas, primarily carbon dioxide (95%), escapes in the form of bubbles, and its presence influences local mineral water springs, including the St. Luke's Spring. The rusty hue of the water comes from a colloidal sediment resulting from the hydrolysis of iron carbonate with the involvement of iron bacteria. The mofette is well-developed for tourism; the Muszyna municipality has installed information boards, stairs, a footbridge, and has enclosed the gas emission sites, known as "Bulgotka" (Gurgler) and "Dychawka" (Wheezer). The mofette attracts attention not only due to its unique structure but also because of the dangers posed by the accumulating carbon dioxide. The gas, which is heavier than air, can lead to the death of insects and birds, and in the past, it caused tragic cases of people suffocating in enclosed spaces. Nowadays, this problem has been minimized thanks to the modernization of cellars. The Professor Henryk Świdziński Mofette is therefore not only a geological curiosity but also an important element of local culture and history.