Mount Erebus

Mount Erebus towers 3,794 meters above Ross Island in Antarctica. It is the southernmost active volcano on Earth and contains a persistent lava lake that glows red against Antarctic ice. The volcano formed along the West Antarctic Rift, where tectonic stretching allows magma to rise. Explorers from Captain James Ross’s expedition named it in 1841 after one of their ships. Today, scientists use helicopters and snowcats to reach remote field camps on its slopes during the short polar summer.

Erebus erupts with Strombolian bursts that fling molten bombs hundreds of meters above the crater. Gas bubbles rising through the lava lake form domes that pop like giant blisters. Instruments such as seismometers, infrared cameras, and gas spectrometers measure earthquakes, temperature, and emissions even when crews cannot approach the crater rim. Research focuses on how lava lakes stay stable, how gases escape through ice, and how volcanoes behave in extreme cold.

The mountain sits near McMurdo Station and Scott Base, so helicopters ferry scientists, drilling gear, and survival tents from these coastal research hubs. Crews rope together when crossing crevassed glaciers, mark routes with bamboo wands, and wear layers of cold-weather gear. Emergency shelters called “melon huts” dot the approach, providing shelter from sudden storms and whiteouts.

Mount Erebus is part of the Ross Island ecosystem, home to Adélie penguins, Weddell seals, and microbial mats that thrive in geothermal soils. Biologists study extremophiles—organisms that tolerate heat, salt, or cold—to understand how life adapts to harsh conditions. The volcano also preserves historic huts from early explorers, so conservators monitor ash deposition and ice drift that could damage these heritage sites.

Because Antarctica is governed by the Antarctic Treaty System, all expeditions follow strict environmental protocols. Waste must be carried out, fuel is stored in spill-proof containers, and aircraft routes avoid disturbing wildlife colonies. International teams share data on volcanic activity, climate, and atmospheric chemistry, turning Mount Erebus into a natural laboratory for planetary science and hazard research.