Near the crater rim at the summit of Mt Erebus on the West side; a patch of warm ground
Altitude:
3750 m
Aspect:
W
Slope:
0 °
Location Data
Observer
IBC
GGC
GPS
No
Latitude Longitude DMS
77° 31.5' S 167° 06' E
77° 31.5' S 167° 06' E
Latitude Longitude DD
-77.525 167.100
-77.525 167.100
Latitude longitude precision DD
0.004 0.008
0.004 0.008
Locality
Ross Island, Mt Erebus
Survey
USGS 1:250 000 Ross Island and Vicinity 1986
Climate
Soil climate zone:
Coastal Mountain
Site temperature profile
Depth (cm)
Soil temp (°C)
Notes
0
10
nd
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-40
°C
Frozen ground depth:
0 cm
Frozen type:
Thermally heated ground
Frozen comment:
Geology
Geological setting:
Mt Erebus is an active volcano with a lava crater which periodically has mild eruptions; the volcano has a distinctive petrology with kenyite, an olivine bearing phonolite with large phenocrysts; thermally heated ground is common on the upper slopes and possibly provides a habitat for some soil biological species
Patterned ground:
Nil
Surface weathering or surface features:
Soil is unweathered but the surface has a coating of sulphur