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Siple Volcano | John Seach
Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica
73.43 S, 126.67 W
summit elevation 3110 m
Shield volcano
Siple volcano is located in the NW of Siple Island, Hobbs Coast, Antarctica. The island is separated from the coast by Getz Ice Shelf.
The volcano may be the most prominent unclimbed mountain in the world.
The volcano contains a 4–5 km diameter summit caldera. The highest point of the caldera rim contains 20 m thick pyroclastic fall deposits. Lava from a subsidiary vent below the summit crater has been dated about 169,000 years.
A satellite basalt cone near sea level has been dated at 100,000 years.
2012 Plumes
Steam emissions were observed rising from Siple volcano by Metop satellite on 20th June 2012. The volcano was 6 degrees C warmer than the surrounding landscape.
1988 Plumes
In September 1988 satellite images showed plumes from the volcano summit. An overflight in December 1988 failed to show any signs of volcanic activity. The plumes were interpreted to have come from meteorological effects.
Further reading
Kurbatov, Andrei V., et al. "A 12,000 year record of explosive volcanism in the Siple Dome Ice Core, West Antarctica." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 111.D12 (2006).
Siple Volcano Eruptions
No recent eruptions.