Mount Terror (Antarctica)

Mount Terror is a large shield volcano that forms the eastern part of Ross Island, Antarctica. It has numerous cinder cones and domes on the flanks of the shield and is mostly under snow and ice. It is the second largest of the four volcanoes which make up Ross Island and is somewhat overshadowed by its neighbor, Mount Erebus, 30 km (19 mi) to the west.[1] Mt. Terror was named in 1841 by Sir James Clark Ross for his second ship, HMS Terror.[1] The captain of Terror was Captain Francis Crozier who was a close friend of Ross and for whom the nearby Cape Crozier is named.

Mount Terror
Mount Terror (right) and Mount Erebus (left) seen from the Hut Point Peninsula on Ross Island
Highest point
Elevation3,230 m (10,600 ft)[1]
Prominence1,728 m (5,669 ft)[2]
ListingUltra
Coordinates77°31′S 168°32′E[2]
Geography
Mount Terror
Geology
Age of rock820,000-1.75 million years
Mountain typeShield volcano (extinct)
Volcanic beltMcMurdo Volcanic Group
Climbing
First ascent1959
Easiest routesnow/ice climb

Geography

Topographic map of Ross Island (1:250,000 scale)
Mount Terror is on the right, Mount Terra Nova is in the middle, and Mount Erebus is on the left. Mount Bird is in the upper left.

The rocks at the summit have not been studied, but rocks from the lower areas range from 0.82 to 1.75 million years old, and Mount Terror shows no signs of more recent volcanic activity.

The first ascent of Mt. Terror was made by a New Zealand party in 1959.

Terror Point (77°41′S 168°13′E), located just below Mt. Terror, is the eastern limit of Fog Bay, 6 km (3.7 mi) WNW of Cape MacKay on Ross Island. The name was first used by members of the British National Antarctic Expedition, 1901–04, and was apparently applied in association with Mt. Terror which overlooks this point from the northeast.[3]

Terror Saddle (77°31′S 168°5′E) is one of three prominent snow saddles on Ross Island, located c.1600 m between Mount Terra Nova and Mount Terror. Named in association with Mount Terror, which rises to 3262 m to the east of this saddle.[4]

Terror Glacier (77°37′S 168°3′E) is a large glacier between Mount Terra Nova and Mount Terror on Ross Island, flowing south into Windless Bight. So named by A.J. Heine of the New Zealand Geological Survey Antarctic Expedition (NZGSAE), 1962–63, because of its association with Mount Terror.[5]

Cultural references

See also

References

Bibliography

  • LeMasurier, W. E. (1990). Thomson, J. W. (ed.). Volcanoes of the Antarctic Plate and Southern Oceans. American Geophysical Union. pp. 512 pp. ISBN 0-87590-172-7.
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