Erebus Volcano

Erebus volcano is the southernmost active volcano on earth. It is situated on the Isle of Ross in the Antarctic Ross Sea. It has aheight of about 3795 m above sea level, and up to 2000 m above sea level slopes are covered with snow.


Mount Erebus was discovered January 27, 1841 year by the Scottish polar explorer Sir James Clark Ross, who gave him the name of one of its ships. The name of the second vessel was located in the eastern part of Ross Island volcano Mount Terror.Erebus in Greek mythology was the son of Chaos, the god of darkness.


Erebus was first conquered in 1908 by the participants of the expedition of Sir Ernest Shackleton'a. However the first knownsingle entrance on Mount Erebus took place on 19-20 January 1991. This was achieved by Charles J. Blackmer, who was an employee of many years of polar McMurdo station located on the southern tip of Ross Island. The whole trip lasted 24 hours and the same approach it took approximately 17 hours.


Erebus volcano is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire that includes over 160 active volcanoes. Pacific Ring of Fire is a zone offrequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that surrounds the Pacific Ocean. It covers almost continuous belt of ocean trenchesand volcanic mountain chains. It is estimated that in his area there is 81% larger earthquakes and is 90% of all active volcanoes.


Erebus is currently the most active volcano in Antarctica. Inside the crater with a diameter of approximately 250 meters there is a lake of lava, which is one of the few permanent lava lakes on Earth.


November 28, 1979 plane crash took place. During the very poor visibility of the volcano crashed plane carrying tourists from New Zealand. Killed 257 people on board the aircraft, which belonged to the airline Air New Zealand. Flight 901 was a regularpassenger connection from the airport in Auckland in New Zealand to Antarctica, the crash stopped further flight.