Earth and Environment Atlas

How The Planet Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme
Geological Formation

Mount Melbourne

Volcanic Formations

Mount Melbourne is an ice-covered stratovolcano in Victoria Land, Antarctica, between Wood Bay and Terra Nova Bay on the Ross Sea coast, reaching 2,733 meters and built with an elongated base about 25 by 55 kilometers wide topped by a summit caldera. It formed through alternating layers of lava flows and pyroclastic material, made mostly of trachyandesite and trachyte with some basalt near its base, and is surrounded by a wider volcanic field of roughly 60 exposed secondary vents. The main edifice holds an estimated volume of about 180 cubic kilometers, with the surrounding field adding a further 250 cubic kilometers of erupted material. Mount Melbourne first became active between about 3.0 and 2.7 million years ago and last erupted around 1892; though currently quiescent, it remains fumarolically active with ongoing geothermal venting. This entity documents Mount Melbourne specifically as a geological formation, a fumarolically active stratovolcano built from alternating lava and pyroclastic layers.

Facts
Classification
Protected Status
International Treaty Protected Area 1
Activity
Active 2
Connections

Associated With

Oligocene, Eras
Source Mount Melbourne (Wikipedia)
Trachyte, Materials
Source Mount Melbourne (Wikipedia)

Caused By

Orogeny, Processes

Wikidata P31 formation-type mapped to formative process Orogeny via reviewed judgment map (earth atlas); source citation is this entity's own cited Wikidata item.

Source Wikidata: Mount Melbourne
Rifting, Processes
Source Mount Melbourne (Wikipedia)
Volcanism, Processes
Source Mount Melbourne (Wikipedia)

In Discipline

Wikidata P31 formation-type mapped to discipline Geomorphology via reviewed judgment map (earth atlas); source citation is this entity's own cited Wikidata item.

Source Wikidata: Mount Melbourne
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty: Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty
Secretariat of the Antarctic TreatyArticle 2
Quote, Article 2
It designates Antarctica as a “natural reserve, devoted to peace and science” (Art. 2).
View the Source
2. Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program: Volcanoes of the World, Holocene volcanoes service
Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism ProgramVolcanoes of the World, volcano 390015
Quote, Volcanoes of the World, volcano 390015
"Volcano_Name": "Melbourne" ... "Last_Eruption_Year": 1892
View the Source
Wikidata: Mount Melbourne
Wikidata Q739945, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Mount Melbourne (Wikipedia)
  • Lead sentence
    These mosses are particularly common in a protected area known as Cryptogam Ridge within and south of the summit caldera.
  • Associated With: Trachyte, Lead paragraph
    Mount Melbourne has mainly erupted trachyandesite and trachyte, which formed within a magma chamber; basaltic rocks are less common.
  • Associated With: Oligocene, Article text, age Oligocene
    Volcanic activity of the McMurdo Volcanic Group is tied to continental rifting and commenced during the Oligocene.
  • Caused By: Volcanism, Article text, process Volcanism
    The volcanic group consists of large shield volcanoes mainly near the coast, stratovolcanoes and monogenetic volcanoes which formed parallel to the Transantarctic Mountains. Volcanic activity of the McMurdo Volcanic Group is tied to continental rifting and commenced during the Oligocene.
  • Caused By: Rifting, Article text, process Rifting
    Volcanic activity of the McMurdo Volcanic Group is tied to continental rifting and commenced during the Oligocene.
View the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.