Which the located on the Ross Island. The volcano is a unique combination of fire and ice in the expanses of snow-covered Antarctica. Operating since the 70s of the last century, at the moment it is in a state of volcanic activity. Its last eruption was in 1978. Erebus volcano height is more than 3,000 meters, and it is located as close as possible to the south pole. It was discovered in 1842 by English freight forwarders, they also gave it the name of the famous god of disorder and chaos - Erebus.
Ice towers on Mount Erebus, Antarctica.
The surface of the Erebus volcano is strewn with large ice towers, which were formed as a result of steam emission. The Ice Tower is the main attraction of the volcano and Antarctica in general. Due to volcanic activity, the towers gradually change their size, they increase and expand. The most incredible and breathtaking phenomenon appears to the human eye. Sometimes it seems that nothing can be more beautiful and majestic than these ice towers in Antarctica. This is the union of two powerful elements and the most incredible natural geological wonder of the world.
Icebergs, thick layers of ice, eternal snow, penguins and polar bears are all associated with Antarctica. There, where is Erebus always snowy and cold. The presence of both fire and heat in Antarctica is simply unimaginable. Nevertheless, this phenomenon exists, and it can rightfully be called one of the wonders of the world. Volcanic activity causes the appearance of steam on the surface of the volcano, the low air temperature in Antarctica forces this steam to freeze without rising high into the air and freeze to the walls of already high cylindrical ice floes. This is how high ice towers are formed, from which fairly large clouds of steam periodically appear. Max Height sights of Erebus can reach 20 meters. From some ice towers, steam goes on without stopping at all.
temperature difference Mount Erebus and environment in Antarctica also causes the appearance of many ice caves. From time to time, these caves release gas vapors that have methane and hydrogen in their chemical composition. These substances have a detrimental effect on the atmosphere, therefore, in this area of \u200b\u200bthe globe, the thinnest ozone layer is observed.
Considering how cold Antarctica, Mount Erebus it seems to be something impossible and unbelievable. On our planet, this phenomenon is the only one, similar ice towers can only be found on planets such as Mars, Neptune, Jupiter, as well as on their satellites. In the crater of the Erebus volcano is a large lake of lava, which is as unique as the entire volcano as a whole. The phenomenon of an ice volcano is so unusual and interesting that it involuntarily attracts the attention of both scientists and ordinary amateurs. beautiful places. The American Institute of Mining and Technology of New Mexico has set up a volcano monitoring station in Antarctica, they study its behavior and control the danger of an eruption.
Also, unpleasant incidents are associated with the Erebus volcano. November 28, 1979 New Zealand passenger Boeing collided with one of the slopes of the volcano and crashed. There were 257 people on board the plane at the time, all of whom died in the crash.
Travelers who made expeditions to the Erebus volcano in Antarctica, as well as polar explorers who observe the volcano from aircraft, report that “flames fly out of the volcano”, and the smoke plume turns crimson at night.
Erebus volcano exact coordinates in Antarctica- 72 degrees, 32 minutes south latitude; 162 degrees, 17 minutes East. By the way, there are three more volcanoes on the territory of Ross Island, but they, unlike Mount Erebus with his ice towers, are not valid.
Antarctica is a continent, and one of the best proofs of this is that the thickness of the earth's crust here is much greater than under the ocean floor. In geological terms, this is a rigid platform block surrounded by folded systems of different ages. Under the load of the ice sheet, the earth's crust in the region of the ice sheet sagged by 800-1000 meters. In the marginal parts of the mainland, a manifestation of modern volcanism is observed. The active volcano Erebus is world famous, on the slopes of which geysers are beating right from under the snow and ice.
Geysers, or hot springs, are common in many parts of the world. Giant geysers are known in Kamchatka, in North America, in Yellowstone Park, in Iceland and in a number of other places. One of the distinguishing features of Central Antarctica is that the continuous ice cover here is nowhere disturbed by outcrops of bedrock. Based on the latest data, scientists have come to the conclusion that the earth's crust in the Antarctic region has caved in under the enormous weight of ice, a cubic kilometer of which weighs about 900 million tons.
At present, most researchers adhere to this opinion that if the glaciers of Antarctica, the weight of which bent the earth's crust, melt, then the crust will straighten again and the surface level of the bedrock will rise by an average of 800 meters. The study of all sections of the East Antarctica glacier shows that the depth of most of the depressions of the bed does not exceed 400 meters below sea level. This means that with such a rise in the bedrock of Antarctica, all of it will be above sea level.
One often hears the question: what is Antarctica now - a mainland or an archipelago?
The most active volcano in Antarctica is Erebus. On the basis of gravimetric data, it has been established that the thickness of the earth's crust under Antarctica is several times greater than under the surrounding seas. The same thickening of the earth's crust is also characteristic of other continents of the globe. Now it is clear that in the past it was a continent, which later “collapsed” under the pressure of ice. Did Antarctica remain a mainland? A very definite answer can be given to this question: yes, Antarctica is still a mainland. The mechanism of the geyser eruption is related to the fact that in its channel, which goes to a great depth, in its bends and knees under the pressure of steam of boiling water, from time to time it breaks, accompanied by ejections of water and steam.
Fig.1. Erebus Volcano
In Antarctica, in addition to the Erebus region, hot springs on the Heard and Kerguelen Islands are well known. Since most of Antarctica is covered with a thick shell of ice, the possibility is not ruled out that in other areas there are also geysers hidden from us by the ice sheet. One of the interesting features of the mysterious continent is aseismicity. Until now, not a single seismic station has registered a single epicenter of earthquakes above the ice sheet. This is a very strange phenomenon, considering that the Earth's crust in the Antarctic region is under heavy loads and moves up and down as the mass of the glacier decreases and increases.
James Clark Ross and Francis Crozier on their ships Erebus and Terror on January 9, 1841, overcame the pack ice and found themselves in the open water of the Ross Sea. Three days later they saw a ridge whose peaks rose to 2,500 m, which Ross called the Admiralty Ridge. The ships continued to sail south, following the line of the mountains, and on January 28, 1841, the travelers were amazed at the sight, in the words of Robert McCormick, the ship's doctor on the Erebus, "a stupendous volcano in an extremely active state." The volcano was named Mount Erebus, and the smaller, dormant cone to the east, Mount Terror.
In those early days, when the science of geology was in its infancy, an active volcano in the midst of the ice and snow of a frozen continent seemed extremely mysterious. Today's geologists are no longer surprised by such phenomena and can easily explain the presence of volcanoes wherever they appear; The climate is not important here. Generally speaking, volcanic rocks are often found in Antarctica, although they are for the most part very old, from a geological point of view, and are the product of volcanic activity from the time when the continent did not yet occupy its present polar position.
Volcanic rocks are an important indicator of the movement of continents, useful for determining the routes of ancient movements of continents across the surface of the globe. The geologically young McMurdo Volcanic Region in the Ross Sea region and the associated Mary Byrd Land Volcanoes simply point to recent continental shifts in Antarctica.
Fig.2. Volcano Terror
Mount Erebus on Ross Island serves as a beacon for all travelers to the area. Climbing the mountain inevitably became one of the goals of early explorers and climbers. During the expedition of Ernest Shackleton on the Nimrod in 1907-1909, a group of six people, led by fifty-year-old Professor Edgeworth David, climbed the mountain. They reached the 3,794m summit on March 10, 1908. There they discovered a crater 805 m in diameter and 274 m deep, at the bottom of which there was a lake of molten lava. This lake still exists today, and Erebus is one of three volcanoes showing long-term lava lakes.
In the 1974-1975 season, a geological party from New Zealand descended into the main crater and set up camp there, but the activity of the volcano prevented them from descending into the inner crater either. On September 17, 1984, the volcano began to erupt again, throwing out volcanic bombs. It still remains the subject of intensive geological research.
Mount Erebus attracts not only geologists. Modern researchers cannot resist the urge to photograph it in all its forms, and early researchers felt the need to capture it on paper in watercolor. Some of the best work was by Edward Wilson, a doctor and naturalist who participated in both of Scott's expeditions. Botanists are particularly interested in the Tramway Ridge, located high on the slopes of the mountain, where rich vegetation has developed in a region of fumaroles on warm soil.
There are many volcanoes in Antarctica: some of them, especially the island volcanoes of Antarctica, have erupted in the last 200 years. Many of the eruptions occurred without witnesses and were recorded when volcanic activity came to an end, and sometimes retroactively, because this region is sparsely populated. Only on Desension Island, the stations are in the affected area of the volcano. At the top of Mount Melbourne, located opposite Ross Island, on the other side of McMurdo Bay, there are active fumaroles. The combination of steam and sub-zero temperatures created many brittle ice columns; in addition, despite the height, a unique bacterial flora has developed around the fumaroles. In 1893, the Norwegian K. A. Larsen, traveling south on a rare route across the Weddell Sea, recorded seeing volcanic activity off Seal Nunatex. For many years, this observation was skeptical of geologists, who said that he probably saw a cloud, but recent work has found traces of active fumaroles in the region, so perhaps Larsen was right after all. A volcanic eruption is always impressive, but the stark contrast of molten lava and icy snow makes Antarctic eruptions especially spectacular.
Antarctica was not discovered by explorers until the 19th century, but several nearby island groups were known earlier. The northernmost of these islands, the South Sandwich Islands, belonging to the South Antilles Range, were discovered during the travels of Captain James Cook in 1772-1775. One of the islands of this archipelago, Zavadovsky Island, was discovered by Bellingshausen in 1819. At that moment, the top of the island spewed out a cloud of black ash. In subsequent years, several more eruptions were recorded on these islands; thus, sealers between 1825 and 1828 documented an eruption on Deception Island, whose natural harbor is a submerged caldera, resulting from a major eruption about 10,000 years ago. In 1839, the Balleny Islands erupted, and were seen by whalers. Two years later, the eruption of Erebus, the most active volcano in the region . In addition, Erebus is one of the few volcanoes to have a permanent lava lake in its crater.
For the next 60 years, there was no serious study of Antarctica, although whalers continued to operate in the region. Exploration and expeditions resumed at the end of the 19th century, and the next two decades became known as the "Heroic Age" of Antarctic exploration. Further research between the world wars, during the International Geophysical Year, and since the signing of the Antarctic Treaty in 1961, has greatly contributed to the study of this region, but it has become clear that the historical records of volcanism in Antarctica are brief and incomplete.
Antarctica, despite its large size, is inferior to most of the volcanically active regions of the planet in terms of the number of dated eruptions. No traces of major Holocene eruptions (greater than 4 on the VEI scale) have been found in the region, with the possible exception of subglacial tephra deposits with a volume of 0.19-0.31 km³ in the Hudson Mountains region (English) Russian. The eruption may have occurred around 200 BC. e., judging by the information obtained as a result of studies of the ice thickness. Antarctica does not have a permanent population, and the number of temporary population is small, as a result, the Antarctic region is the only volcanic region where not a single eruption has been recorded that would lead to loss of life.
The geological study of Antarctica and the accurate dating of past eruptions is difficult - most of the region is covered with a thick layer of ice, Antarctic volcanoes are difficult to access, and the wood needed for radiocarbon dating does not grow in extreme climates - which is why this region has the largest proportion of volcanoes with an undetermined status. Satellite imagery, however, is helping to document recent volcanic activity that would otherwise go unnoticed. Data from the NASA research satellite "Terra" made it possible to identify explosive and effusive eruptions that occurred in the 21st century on an ice-covered island. Since there is no confirmed information about the past activity of the discovered volcanoes, they are not included in the list presented. In addition to them, other volcanic objects are not included, for example, the highest volcano in Antarctica - Sidley, which did not show significant activity in
(G) (I)An excerpt characterizing the List of volcanoes in Antarctica
The next day, early in the morning, the decrepit Kutuzov got up, prayed to God, dressed, and with the unpleasant consciousness that he had to lead the battle, which he did not approve of, got into a carriage and drove out of Letashevka, five miles behind Tarutin, to the place where the advancing columns were to be assembled. Kutuzov rode, falling asleep and waking up and listening to see if there were shots on the right, was it starting to happen? But it was still quiet. The dawn of a damp and cloudy autumn day was just beginning. Approaching Tarutin, Kutuzov noticed cavalrymen leading horses to a watering hole across the road along which the carriage was traveling. Kutuzov took a closer look at them, stopped the carriage and asked which regiment? The cavalrymen were from that column, which should have been already far ahead in the ambush. “A mistake, perhaps,” thought the old commander-in-chief. But, driving even further, Kutuzov saw infantry regiments, guns in the goats, soldiers for porridge and with firewood, in underpants. They called an officer. The officer reported that there was no order to march.- How not to ... - Kutuzov began, but immediately fell silent and ordered the senior officer to be called to him. Climbing out of the carriage, head down and breathing heavily, silently waiting, he paced back and forth. When the requested officer of the General Staff Eichen appeared, Kutuzov turned purple not because this officer was the fault of the mistake, but because he was a worthy subject for expressing anger. And, shaking, panting, the old man, having come into that state of rage into which he was able to come when he was lying on the ground from anger, he attacked Eichen, threatening with his hands, shouting and cursing in public words. Another who turned up, Captain Brozin, who was not guilty of anything, suffered the same fate.
- What kind of canal is this? Shoot the bastards! he shouted hoarsely, waving his arms and staggering. He experienced physical pain. He, the Commander-in-Chief, His Serene Highness, whom everyone assures that no one has ever had such power in Russia as he, he is put in this position - laughed at in front of the whole army. “In vain did you bother so much to pray for this day, in vain did not sleep the night and thought about everything! he thought to himself. “When I was a boy officer, no one would have dared to make fun of me like that ... And now!” He experienced physical suffering, as from corporal punishment, and could not help but express it with angry and suffering cries; but soon his strength weakened, and, looking around, feeling that he had said a lot of bad things, he got into the carriage and silently drove back.
The anger that poured out did not return anymore, and Kutuzov, blinking his eyes weakly, listened to excuses and words of defense (Yermolov himself did not appear to him until the next day) and the insistence of Benigsen, Konovnitsyn and Tolya to make the same unsuccessful movement the next day. And Kutuzov had to agree again.
The next day, the troops gathered in the evening at the appointed places and marched out at night. It was an autumn night with black-purple clouds, but no rain. The ground was wet, but there was no mud, and the troops marched without noise, only the strumming of artillery was faintly audible. It was forbidden to speak loudly, smoke pipes, make fire; the horses were kept from neighing. The mystery of the enterprise increased its attractiveness. The people were having fun. Some of the columns halted, put their guns on their racks, and lay down on the cold ground, believing that they had come to the right place; some (most) columns walked all night and, obviously, went in the wrong direction.
Count Orlov Denisov with the Cossacks (the most insignificant detachment of all others) alone got to his place and at his time. This detachment stopped at the extreme edge of the forest, on the path from the village of Stromilova to Dmitrovskoye.
Before dawn, Count Orlov, who had dozed off, was awakened. They brought in a defector from the French camp. It was a Polish non-commissioned officer of Poniatowski's corps. This non-commissioned officer explained in Polish that he defected because he was offended in the service, that it would be time for him to be an officer long ago, that he is the bravest of all and therefore abandoned them and wants to punish them. He said that Murat was spending the night a mile away from them, and that if they gave him a hundred people in an escort, he would take him alive. Count Orlov Denisov consulted with his comrades. The offer was too flattering to refuse. Everyone volunteered to go, everyone advised to try. After many disputes and considerations, Major General Grekov, with two Cossack regiments, decided to go with a non-commissioned officer.
Active volcano. It is located on Ross Island. Mount Erebus is the southernmost and one of the most active on our planet. Erebus is the highest active volcano on Earth (its height is 3794 m) and perhaps the most unusual. Near the Erebus volcano there are three more, already extinct of his brother.
Mount Erebus was discovered on January 28, 1841 by an English expedition led by polar explorer Sir James Clark Ross. The expedition owned two ships: Erebus and Terror. The volcano got its name in honor of one of the ships. Located to the east, a smaller, already extinct volcano, was named Terror.
The first ascent to the summit of the formidable volcano Erebus took place on March 10, 1908. These were the six men of Ernst Shackleton's expedition.
The purpose of this expedition was to conquer the South Pole. The expedition members reached the top of the fire-breathing mountain in three days and examined all three of its craters. The largest of them was 805 m in diameter and 274 m deep.
Lava, fire and smoke erupt from several openings of the volcano, and at the bottom there is a lake of molten lava. This lava lake has not frozen even today.
It should be noted that the lava lake of Erebus is the rarest phenomenon in the world of volcanoes. Erebus is one of three volcanoes on Earth with "non-healing" lava lakes. In addition to the Antarctic giant, long-lived lakes of liquid lava are still only in the crater of the Kilauea volcano in the Hawaiian Islands and in the crater of the Nyiragongo volcano in Africa. However, the fiery lake among the eternal snows and ices makes, no doubt, a stronger impression.
Mount Erebus is characterized by constant activity. Around the world, there are hardly a dozen volcanoes that continue to be active in between eruptions. Starting to erupt, the volcano throws out "volcanic bombs" that reach a diameter of six or more meters.
The lava of this amazing volcano has a unique composition. The rocks that make up the mountains of Kenya, the so-called kenites, have the same composition, only in a molten state. Erebus is the only active volcano on Earth that erupts such magma.
The slopes of the mountain of the same name with the Erebus volcano are warmed up by the hot breath of the earth's interior and, in some places, it almost breaks out. The ice above such areas melts from below and forms caves, and warm, moist air exits them through ice pipes. The steam coming out of them, in contact with the thirty-forty-degree frost prevailing outside, condenses and the walls of these "chimneys" are constantly growing. The height of such "ice chimneys" on the slopes of Erebus reaches twenty or more meters.
Dripping water and condensing steam form the unique icy beauty of the caves. The temperature in these ice caves is around 0°C, and the air humidity reaches 100%. The ceiling of these fabulous ice caves, unlike ordinary stone ones, is translucent in places.
On the smooth boulders of hardened lava, protected by an ice dome from outside frosts, here and there there are moss and algae with the due complex of living creatures. The local relic biocenosis is very sensitive, and the caves are classified as specially protected areas, and some of them are generally prohibited for third-party visits. Perhaps this explains the fact that it was not possible to find photographs on this topic.
Everyone who happened to observe the volcano: James Ross and his companions in 1841, Captain Scott and his comrades sixty years later, members of the Ernest Shackleton expedition, who first climbed Mount Erebus in 1908, and members of Scott's second expedition, who climbed it in 1912 year and, finally, the current polar explorers, who observed the volcano from airplanes and helicopters, reported that a flame flies out of the volcano, or that a plume of smoke stretches out of the volcano and turns crimson at night.
But this region of Antarctica attracts researchers from all over the world not only with the active Erebus volcano, the glow over which turned it into a kind of beacon for everyone who swims in the Ross Sea, but also with the fact that the South Magnetic Pole of the Earth was located nearby, on Victoria Land. . Now its location has shifted to the north, and now the point of the South Pole is in the ocean, near the coast of Antarctica.
