Beerenberg

Beerenberg is a stratovolcano dominating the northeastern end of the Norwegian island of Jan Mayen.[2] It is 2,277 m (7,470 ft) high and is the world's northernmost subaerial active volcano.[3] The volcano is topped by a mostly ice-filled crater about 1 km (0.6 mi) wide,[4] with numerous peaks along its rim including the highest summit, Haakon VII Toppen, on its western side.

Beerenberg
Beerenberg, July 2011
Highest point
Elevation2,277 m (7,470 ft)
Prominence2,277 m (7,470 ft)
ListingUltra
Coordinates71°4′36″N 8°9′52″W
Naming
Language of nameDutch
Geography
Beerenberg
Geology
Mountain typeStratovolcano
Last eruptionJanuary 1985
Climbing
First ascent1921 Wordie, Mercanton and Lethbridge[1]

The upper slopes of the volcano are largely ice-covered, with several major glaciers including five which reach the sea.[5] The longest of the glaciers is the Weyprecht Glacier, which flows from the summit crater via a breach through the northwestern portion of the crater rim, and extends about 6 km (4 mi) down to the sea.

Beerenberg is composed primarily of basaltic lava flows with minor amounts of tephra. Numerous cinder cones have been formed along slope fissures.

Its most recent eruptions took place in 1970[6] and 1980, both of which were flank eruptions from fissures on the northeast side of the mountain. Other eruptions with historical records occurred in 1732, 1818, and 1851.[4]

Its name is Dutch for "Bear Mountain", and comes from the polar bears seen there by Dutch whalers in the early 17th century.[7]

See also

References

  1. Chetwode, Philip; et al. (1939). "The Imperial College Expedition to Jan Mayen Island: Discussion". The Geographical Journal. 94 (2): 131–134. doi:10.2307/1787248. JSTOR 1787248.
  2. "Jan Mayen: volcano in the freezer". Volcanocafe.org. 25 Aug 2015. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  3. "Jan Mayen Expedition 1997 European Volcanological Society". Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  4. "Jan Mayen". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  5. Jan Mayen Topographic Map
  6. Sylvester, Arthur Gibbs. "Seismic Search for Magma Chambers Beneath Jan Mayen and Field Inspection of the 1970 Beerenberg Eruption Area". University of California. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  7. James Gordon Hayes, The Conquest of the North Pole: Recent Arctic Exploration, p. 222, Taylor & Francis, 1934
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