Mount Erebus is the world's southernmost active volcano. It is the current eruptive centre of the Erebus hotspot. The summit contains a persistent convecting phonolitic lava lake, one of five long-lasting lava lakes on Earth. Characteristic eruptive activity consists of Strombolian eruptions from the lava lake or from one of several subsidiary vents, all within the volcano's inner crater. The volcano is scientifically remarkable in that its relatively low-level and unusually persistent eruptive activity enables long-term volcanological study of a Strombolian eruptive system very close (hundreds of metres) to the active vents, a characteristic shared with only a few volcanoes on Earth, such as Stromboli in Italy. Scientific study of the volcano is also facilitated by its proximity to McMurdo Station (U.S.) and Scott Base (New Zealand), both sited on the same island around 35 km away.
mount erebus is the world's southernmost active volcano it is the current eruptive centre of the erebus hotspot the summit contains a persistent convecting phonolitic lava lake one of five long-lasting lava lakes on earth characteristic eruptive activity consists of strombolian eruptions from the lava lake or from one of several subsidiary vents all within the volcano's inner crater the volcano is scientifically remarkable in that its relatively low-level and unusually persistent eruptive activity enables long-term volcanological study of a strombolian eruptive system very close (hundreds of metres) to the active vents a characteristic shared with only a few volcanoes on earth such as stromboli in italy scientific study of the volcano is also facilitated by its proximity to mcmurdo station (us) and scott base (new zealand) both sited on the same island around 35 km away