VOLCANOES IN ANTARCTIC

Press, Volume C, Issue 29403, 4 January 1961, Page 10

VOLCANOES IN ANTARCTIC

Mt Terror May Be Active

<N-Z. Press Association— Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) NEW YORK January 3. Radio messages to Christchurch from Antarctica yesterday indicated that the continent .had two, not one, active volcanoes, the News York Times” reported today. . Plumes of steam were said to have been seen issuing from a crater on top of the 10.148 ft Mount Terror, 30 miles from the American base in Ross Island in McMurdo Sound. Previously, the only active volcano known on the Antarctic continent was Mount Erebus, also on Ross Island, about 18 miles from Mount Terror.

The two mountains were discovered in 1841 by a British Antarctic expedition led by Captain James Clark Ross, after whom the island and the sea to the north were named. The peaks were named after the two ships of the expedition.

There would be no positive confirmation that volcanic activity was taking place within Mount Terror until scientists could take a closer look. United States Navy sources at McMurdo Sound said.

A helicopter pilot from the United States Coast Guard icebreaker Eastwind. Lieutenant J. Long, told Navy authorities that he had first noted sign of volcanic activity over Mount Terror on a flight early one morning just before Christmas while his ship was breaking ice in McMurdo Sound, the "New York Times” report said. Lieutenant Long said it was doubtful that the white puffs he had seen about 30ft above the crater were clouds because the sky was exceptionally 'clear elsewhere. Similar white wisps were visible, as usual, over Mount Erebus, but to a lesser extent.

Mr J. Mulligan, a member of the United States Bureau of Mines Party in Antarctica, has said that he thought he saw "slight indications” of volcanic activity when he flew over the crater last year, the "New York Times” reported.