Volcano Live

South Sandwich Islands

59.429 S, 27.085 W
summit elevation 253 m
Stratovolcanoes

Bellingshausen is the smallest and easternmost of the three Thule Islands, in the South Sandwich group.  The Russian explorers Bellingshausen and Lazarev discovered the land in 1821.

The island measures 1.7 x 1.2 km in diameter. Salamander Point at the northern end of the island is formed by a narrow lava platform, 3 m above sea level. The cliffs on the western side of the island are 55 m high.

The center of the island contains a circular 500 m wide crater. Basilisk Peak is the highest point of the crater rim. On the north and eastern sides, the crater forms the crest of coastal cliffs. The southern slopes of Bellingshausen Island a ridge runs from the crater rim to Hardy Point.

Fumaroles on Bellingshausen Island
Fumarolic activity was first noted at the volcano in 1930, 1962, and 1964 when steam was seen rising from the inner wall of the crater. Some fumaroles emit sulphurous fumes. Outside the crater there are fumaroles high on the southern slopes, and on a terrace at 100 m altitude. Moss grows in areas around the fumaroles.

An explosion crater formed on the island between 1964 and 1986.

Further reading
Baker, P.E., Holdgate, M.W., Longton, R.E., Tilbrook, P.J., Tomblin, J.F., Vaughan, R.W. and Wynne-Edwards, C.J.C., 1964. A survey of the South Sandwich Islands. Nature, 203(4946), pp.691-693.