Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Mount Erebus, an active volcanic peak in Antarctica, is reportedly releasing approximately 80 grams of crystallized gold into the atmosphere every day, as per a report in the New York Post.
Mount Erebus is among Antarctica's 138 active volcanoes and is situated at a height of 12,448 feet. Its emissions of gold dust are carried by winds and can be found as far as 621 miles away from the volcano.
According to NASA's Earth Observatory, Mount Erebus, positioned above a thin crust, frequently emits plumes of gas and steam. It also occasionally ejects rock in strombolian eruptions and maintains at least one lava lake within its caldera since 1972.
Conor Bacon of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory notes that Mount Erebus has been erupting continuously since at least 1972. The volcano is also renowned for its rare "lava lake" phenomenon, where molten material remains visible at the surface.
Despite its significance, conducting research on Mount Erebus faces geographic isolation challenges due to its remote location in Antarctica.
The Deception Island Antarctic Specially Managed Area monitors volcanic activity on the island, which houses an active volcano that last erupted in 1970. However, both Mount Erebus and Deception Island have only a limited number of permanent monitoring instruments due to logistical constraints.
Permanent monitoring installations in Antarctica must withstand harsh conditions and long polar nights, presenting additional challenges for researchers.
Despite the challenges, scientists continue to study Mount Erebus and other Antarctic volcanoes, deploying monitoring instruments and conducting specific studies to better understand volcanic activity in the region.