Antarctica Has an Active Volcano

The stark, frozen (Review) landscape of Antarctica seems an unlikely place for molten rock, yet the continent is home to Mount Erebus, the southernmost active volcano on Earth. Towering nearly 12,500 feet over Ross Island, it was first discovered in 1841 by explorer Sir James Clark Ross, who named it after one of his expedition ships. This juxtaposition of fire and ice makes Erebus a site of intense scientific interest, where superheated gas and rock meet sub-zero temperatures. The volcano's constant activity is powered by a deep magma plume that has kept it erupting for over a million years.

What makes Mount Erebus scientifically remarkable is its persistent summit lava lake, a rare phenomenon where molten rock remains exposed at the surface. This churning cauldron experiences frequent Strombolian eruptions—small but dramatic bursts that fling gas and blobs of lava into the polar air. These ejections are not just rock; they are a geologist's treasure chest.

Encased within the volcanic bombs launched from the crater are unique, shimmering crystals of anorthoclase feldspar. Known as Erebus crystals, these large, champagne-to-gold-colored formations grow within the specific chemical environment of the volcano's magma chamber. Once hurled out and cooled, they provide scientists with a direct sample of the volcano's inner workings. As these pristine crystals are found nowhere else on the planet, they make Mount Erebus a truly singular geological wonder.