In News:

• Volcanic ice caves beneath Mount Erebus host thriving microbial life, offering insights into extremophile survival and potential life on alien planets.

About Mount Erebus:

• Location: Ross Island, Antarctica, in the Ross Sea.
• Type:Glaciated intraplate stratovolcano; part of the Pacific Ring of Fire.
• Altitude:3,794 meters (12,448 feet) above sea level.
• Rank:Second tallest volcano in Antarctica (after Mount Sidley).
• Discovered: In 1841 by British explorer Sir James Clark Ross.
• Name Origin: Named after Ross’s ship, HMS Erebus.

Volcanic Activity:

• Southernmost active volcano on Earth.
• Continuously active since 1972.
• Eruptions are Strombolian in nature — small, explosive, with lava bombs ejected onto crater rim.
• Contains a persistent lava lake with alkalic lava, typical of rift volcanoes.

Proximity to Human Activity:

• Near McMurdo Station, the largest Antarctic research base, just ~40 km away.

Scientific Significance:

• The microbial ecosystems in volcanic ice caves could help understand:
  • Life in extreme environments
  • Astrobiological prospects on Mars or Europa