Antarctica is covered in volcanoes, could they erupt?
By Jennifer Nalewicki( lifes-little-mysteries ) published 2 days ago
Antarctica's western ice sheet alone contains 138 volcanos.
An aerial view of the summit crater of Mount Erebus, the world’s southernmost active volcano. (Image credit: Lightworks Media via Alamy)
Antarctica is perhaps best known for its endless expanse of ice and snow. But what many people don't realize is that hiding beneath its frosty facade are dozens of volcanoes. In fact, under the continent's massive western ice sheet sits what is considered the largest volcanic region on Earth, with as many as 138 volcanoes. Of those volcanoes, 91 were first discovered as part of a 2017 study published in the journal Geological Society.
So, could any of Antarctica’s volcanoes erupt on the southernmost continent? For geologists, this question is both easy and hard, depending on the volcano.
While these volcanoes, which are surface expressions of heated material leaving Earth's interior, are considered young as far as volcanoes go, scientists were unable to "distinguish whether or not [they] are volcanically active," the study authors wrote.
Currently, there are only two volcanoes on the ice-covered continent that are classified as active: Deception Island, a horseshoe-shaped land mass north of mainland that's part of the South Shetland Islands; and Mount Erebus, the highest peak on the continent with a summit topping out at 12,448 feet (3,794 meters). It's considered the world's southernmost active volcano.
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A view of Mount Erebus from the Ross Sea in Antarctica. (Image credit: Alamy)
More:
https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/volcanos/antarctica-is-covered-in-volcanoes-could-they-erupt?utm_source=pushly&utm_campaign=MANUAL
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