Antarctic Volcanoes Explained: Erebus, Deception Island and the Hidden Fire Beneath the Ice

What Are Antarctic Volcanoes?

Antarctic volcanoes are volcanic systems located on the Antarctic continent, its offshore islands and the surrounding Scotia and South Shetland regions.

They include both exposed volcanoes and volcanic structures hidden beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Some have erupted during historical time, while others are known only from geological deposits, satellite observations, seismic data or airborne geophysical surveys.

Antarctic volcanism has produced:

• Large shield volcanoes
• Composite volcanoes and stratovolcanoes
• Long-lived lava lakes
• Flooded calderas
• Subglacial cones and ridges
• Volcanic islands
• Lava fields
• Fissure eruptions
• Pyroclastic deposits
• Volcanic plateaus
• Geothermal fields
• Ice caves and fumarolic towers

The best-known active systems are Mount Erebus on Ross Island and Deception Island near the Antarctic Peninsula. However, the broader volcanic history of Antarctica is far more extensive than these two famous examples suggest.

Why Does Antarctica Have Volcanoes?

Antarctica contains several different tectonic environments capable of generating magma. Its volcanoes do not all have one origin.

The principal processes include:

• Continental rifting
• Extension and thinning of the crust
• Possible mantle upwelling
• Former and locally continuing subduction-related processes
• Movement along major crustal faults
• Localized decompression melting beneath weakened lithosphere

Continental rifting

Much of West Antarctica has been stretched and thinned. Where the lithosphere extends, hot mantle can rise toward shallower levels and partially melt as pressure decreases.

The resulting magma may enter faults, accumulate in crustal reservoirs or erupt at the surface. This is broadly comparable to volcanic processes found in other continental rifts, including the East African Rift.

Possible mantle upwelling

Some researchers have proposed that unusually warm mantle beneath Marie Byrd Land has contributed to uplift, rifting and volcanism.

The term “mantle plume” is sometimes used in this context, but the deep structure remains debated. The observed volcanism may reflect a combination of inherited crustal weaknesses, regional extension and warm mantle rather than one simple plume.

Subduction around the Antarctic Peninsula

The Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland region developed along a long-lived convergent plate margin. Subduction of oceanic lithosphere helped produce volcanic arcs and extensive igneous activity.

Deception Island and neighboring volcanic islands occupy a complex setting involving the South Shetland Trench, the Scotia region and extension within the Bransfield Basin.

Learn more about magma formation and tectonic controls in

Volcano Science Explained
.

Major Antarctic Volcanic Regions

Antarctic volcanism is concentrated in several major provinces rather than being distributed evenly across the continent.

The West Antarctic Rift System

The West Antarctic Rift System is one of the world’s largest continental rift systems. It extends beneath the Ross Sea, Marie Byrd Land and large parts of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

Much of the rift is concealed beneath ice or offshore sediment, making its structure difficult to map directly. Scientists instead use:

• Airborne radar
• Gravity measurements
• Magnetic surveys
• Seismic imaging
• GPS measurements
• Rock samples from exposed volcanic mountains

How the rift formed

West Antarctica underwent major episodes of crustal stretching during and after the breakup of the ancient Gondwana supercontinent.

Extension thinned the crust and created large sedimentary and subglacial basins. Faulting also provided pathways for magma to rise through the lithosphere.

A rift hidden beneath ice

In most continental rifts, valleys, faults and volcanoes can be mapped at the surface. In Antarctica, kilometres of ice conceal much of the tectonic landscape.

Beneath the smooth upper surface of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet lies a rugged bed containing mountains, deep troughs, ridges, sedimentary basins and volcanic structures.

Is the rift still active?

The West Antarctic Rift System contains geologically recent volcanism, elevated geothermal heat in some areas and localized seismic activity.

However, activity varies greatly across the system. The existence of a rift or volcanic structure does not mean that a major eruption is imminent.

Compare this continental rift setting with

African Rift Volcanoes Explained
.

Ross Island and the Erebus Volcanic Province

Ross Island lies in the Ross Sea near the McMurdo region. It was constructed by several major volcanic centers:

• Mount Erebus
• Mount Terror
• Mount Bird
• Mount Terra Nova

Erebus dominates the island and remains active. The other major centers are older and more deeply eroded.

Ross Island lies close to McMurdo Station and New Zealand’s Scott Base, making it one of the most intensively studied volcanic areas in Antarctica.

Unusual alkaline magma

The Ross Island volcanoes erupted alkaline magma produced in a continental-rift environment.

Erebus is especially unusual because its summit lava lake contains phonolitic magma, a composition much less common than the basalt typically associated with persistent lava lakes.

Ice and geothermal heat

Heat and volcanic gases escaping through the upper slopes of Erebus create networks of ice caves and hollow ice towers.

Warm volcanic ground melts the base of the ice. Escaping steam then freezes in the Antarctic air, building chimney-like structures around fumaroles.

Mount Erebus: Antarctica’s Most Famous Volcano

Mount Erebus rises to approximately 3,794 meters on Ross Island. It is Earth’s southernmost historically active volcano and one of the few volcanoes known to sustain a long-lived lava lake.

The volcano overlooks the McMurdo Sound region and lies relatively close to major Antarctic research stations.

The Erebus lava lake

The inner summit crater has contained a persistent lava lake observed continuously or intermittently since the early 1970s.

The lake’s surface is constantly renewed by circulating magma. Dark crust forms as lava cools, breaks apart and is replaced by hotter material rising from below.

Strombolian explosions

Gas bubbles rising through the lava lake can burst violently at the surface. These Strombolian explosions eject molten bombs onto the crater floor and occasionally beyond the inner crater.

Some bombs cool into glassy, crystal-rich volcanic rocks that provide scientists with samples of the active magma system.

Phonolite magma

Erebus erupts phonolite, an alkaline volcanic rock enriched in sodium and potassium.

This makes its lava lake chemically distinct from the basaltic lava lakes more commonly observed at volcanoes such as Erta Ale and Nyiragongo.

Volcanic gases

Erebus releases water vapor, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and other volcanic gases. Scientists study these emissions to understand magma circulation and degassing beneath the summit.

Ice caves and fumarolic towers

Heat escaping through the volcano melts passages through the overlying snow and ice. These cave systems contain warm ground, mineral deposits, microbes and unusual microclimates protected from extreme surface conditions.

Steam rising from vents freezes into hollow ice towers that may reach several meters in height.

Is Mount Erebus dangerous?

Erebus is active and capable of explosive events, falling bombs, volcanic gases and unstable crater conditions.

Its remoteness limits exposure compared with volcanoes beside large cities. Nevertheless, it poses direct hazards to scientific teams, aircraft and infrastructure operating within the Ross Island region.

Deception Island: Antarctica’s Flooded Volcanic Caldera

Deception Island lies in the South Shetland Islands north of the Antarctic Peninsula. Its horseshoe-shaped form surrounds a flooded volcanic depression called Port Foster.

The sea enters the caldera through a narrow opening known as Neptune’s Bellows. This sheltered natural harbor has attracted sealers, whalers, scientific expeditions and modern tourist vessels.

How Deception Island formed

The island is the exposed summit of a much larger submarine volcano. A major eruption and structural collapse formed the central caldera, which was later flooded by seawater.

Younger vents, cones and fissures occur around the caldera margins and floor.

Historic eruptions

Deception Island has produced numerous eruptions during the last several centuries. Particularly important modern eruptions occurred in:

• 1967
• 1969
• 1970

These events opened fissures, produced ash and lava, melted ice and damaged or forced the abandonment of scientific facilities.

The 1969 subglacial eruption

Part of the 1969 activity occurred beneath a relatively thin glacier. Heat from the eruption melted ice rapidly and released water that damaged buildings on the island.

The event is an important real-world example of how even a modest eruption beneath ice can produce sudden meltwater flooding.

Hydrothermal activity

Warm ground, fumaroles and heated coastal water occur in several parts of the island. Temperatures may vary sharply over short distances.

Visitors should never dig bathing pits or enter closed geothermal areas. Scalding sediment, unstable ground, toxic gases and renewed explosions remain possible.

Volcano tourism

Deception Island is one of the few active Antarctic volcanoes regularly visited by expedition vessels.

Access is controlled by weather, sea ice, volcanic conditions, conservation rules and operational guidelines. Temporary closures may be imposed during increased unrest.

South Shetland Volcanic Arc

Deception Island belongs to a broader volcanic and tectonic region extending through the South Shetland Islands and Bransfield Basin.

Other volcanic centers include:

• Penguin Island
• Bridgeman Island
• Melville Peak
• Underwater volcanic centers in the Bransfield Basin

Penguin Island

Penguin Island lies near King George Island. It contains a young volcanic cone and the maar-like Petrel Crater.

Geological observations indicate recent activity on a geological timescale, although the precise history remains less thoroughly documented than that of Deception Island.

Bridgeman Island

Bridgeman Island is the eroded remnant of a volcanic structure rising from the Bransfield Strait.

Its steep exposed rocks represent only part of a larger submarine edifice.

Submarine volcanism

The Bransfield Basin contains underwater volcanic ridges and cones produced by extension behind the South Shetland volcanic arc.

These features connect Antarctic volcanism with the broader study of

Submarine Volcanoes and Seamounts
.

Marie Byrd Land Volcanoes

Marie Byrd Land occupies a vast and remote part of West Antarctica. It contains numerous large shield volcanoes, many of which rise above the surrounding ice as isolated peaks and mountain ranges.

Important volcanic systems include:

• Mount Sidley
• Mount Berlin
• Mount Takahe
• Mount Waesche
• Mount Hampton
• Mount Cumming
• Mount Andrus
• Mount Siple

Mount Sidley

Mount Sidley is the highest volcano in Antarctica. It rises within the Executive Committee Range and contains a large summit caldera.

Despite its immense size, Sidley receives far less attention than Erebus because of its extreme remoteness and lack of historically observed eruptions.

Mount Berlin

Mount Berlin is a large shield volcano with two principal summit areas. Young-looking volcanic deposits and geothermal indicators suggest relatively recent activity in geological terms.

Mount Takahe

Mount Takahe is an enormous, broad shield volcano almost completely surrounded by the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

Ice-core ash and chemical layers have been investigated as possible evidence of past eruptions from Takahe and other West Antarctic volcanoes.

Mount Waesche

Mount Waesche lies beside Mount Sidley in the Executive Committee Range. Much of its lower edifice is buried by ice.

Why Marie Byrd Land matters

The province lies within the West Antarctic Rift System and above an area of relatively warm mantle and elevated geothermal heat in some models.

Its volcanoes preserve information about rifting, mantle processes, ice-sheet history and the interaction between volcanic mountains and flowing ice.

Victoria Land Volcanoes

Victoria Land extends along the western margin of the Ross Sea and contains a broad alkaline volcanic province.

Major systems include:

• Mount Melbourne
• Mount Overlord
• Mount Rittmann
• The Pleiades volcanic group
• Mount Morning
• Mount Discovery
• Mount Harcourt

Mount Melbourne

Mount Melbourne is a large stratovolcano overlooking Terra Nova Bay. Its summit contains volcanic cones, fumarolic areas and ice-covered craters.

Geothermal heat has produced warm ground and ice caves near the summit.

Mount Rittmann

Mount Rittmann is a partly ice-covered volcanic complex in northern Victoria Land. Geological studies indicate explosive and subglacial volcanic activity.

The Pleiades

The Pleiades form a group of young cones and volcanic structures near the margin of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet.

Their deposits record interactions among lava, snow, glaciers and meltwater.

Mount Morning and Mount Discovery

Mount Morning and Mount Discovery are large volcanic systems south of Ross Island. They are no longer considered comparably active to Erebus but preserve extensive records of alkaline volcanism in the McMurdo region.

Subglacial Volcanoes Beneath Antarctica

A subglacial volcano is a volcanic structure located beneath a glacier or ice sheet. In Antarctica, some volcanic edifices are completely hidden by hundreds or thousands of meters of ice.

Scientists cannot simply photograph or map these volcanoes from the ground. They use indirect geophysical methods to reconstruct the landscape beneath the ice.

Ice-penetrating radar

Radar systems mounted on aircraft transmit radio waves through the ice. Reflections from the bed reveal mountains, valleys, ridges and cone-shaped structures.

Magnetic surveys

Volcanic rocks often produce distinctive magnetic anomalies. Airborne magnetometers help identify buried lava, intrusions and volcanic edifices.

Gravity measurements

Gravity data reveal changes in rock density and crustal structure. They can help distinguish volcanic mountains from sediment-filled basins or older crustal blocks.

Seismic observations

Earthquakes beneath the ice may indicate fault movement, magma intrusion, cracking ice or other processes.

Seismic signals must be interpreted cautiously because ice sheets generate abundant noise through crevassing, glacier movement and interactions with the bed.

Ash layers in ice

Volcanic ash and sulfate deposited on the ice surface become buried by later snowfall. Ice cores preserve these layers as a record of past eruptions.

Geochemical analysis may sometimes link an ash layer to a particular volcano, although many layers have uncertain sources.

Meltwater and subglacial lakes

Elevated heat flow can melt ice at its base and contribute water to subglacial drainage systems.

Meltwater alone does not prove that an active volcano lies beneath a glacier. Friction, pressure, crustal heat and water flow can also produce basal melting.

Are There Really 91 Hidden Volcanoes Beneath Antarctica?

A widely reported 2017 study identified 91 previously unrecognized volcano-like structures beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. When combined with structures already known in the region, the inventory suggested a very large subglacial volcanic province.

The study used radar-derived bed topography to identify cone-shaped mountains with dimensions resembling exposed volcanoes.

What the number means

The number refers to candidate volcanic edifices identified from their shape and regional geological setting.

It does not mean that:

• All 91 structures are confirmed volcanoes
• All are active
• All erupted recently
• All contain shallow magma
• A continent-wide eruption is approaching

Why confirmation is difficult

A cone buried under thick ice cannot easily be sampled. Confirmation may require several independent observations, including:

• Volcanic rock samples
• Distinctive magnetic anomalies
• Gravity signatures
• Seismic evidence
• Thermal anomalies
• Ash layers
• Direct drilling or future subglacial exploration

The study remains important because it demonstrated that West Antarctica contains a far more extensive volcanic landscape than surface maps alone reveal.

Major Antarctic Volcanoes

How Do Antarctic Volcanoes Erupt?

Antarctic volcanoes produce a wide range of eruption styles. Their behavior depends on magma composition, gas content, tectonic setting and the thickness of surrounding ice.

Lava-lake activity

Erebus contains an open volcanic conduit feeding a summit lava lake. Gas bubbles rise through the magma and may burst in small to moderate explosions.

Strombolian explosions

Repeated gas bursts can eject glowing lava bombs and fragments around the crater. This is the characteristic modern activity of Erebus.

Fissure eruptions

At Deception Island and other rift-related volcanic systems, magma may rise through elongated cracks rather than one central vent.

Multiple vents may open along a fissure and produce ash, lava or steam-driven explosions.

Subglacial eruptions

Magma erupting beneath ice melts a cavity around the vent. The resulting water may remain trapped, drain beneath the glacier or escape suddenly as a flood.

Phreatomagmatic eruptions

Direct contact between magma and meltwater can fragment magma violently, producing fine ash, steam and fast-moving base surges.

Caldera-forming eruptions

Large eruptions may remove enough magma from a shallow reservoir to cause the overlying ground to collapse.

Deception Island is the exposed rim of a flooded volcanic caldera. Several Marie Byrd Land volcanoes also contain large summit calderas.

Explore these structures in

Calderas Explained
.

How Volcanoes Interact with the Antarctic Ice Sheet

Antarctica provides one of the world’s most important environments for studying volcano–ice interactions.

Ice can alter eruption pressure, magma fragmentation, lava cooling, meltwater movement and the final shape of volcanic deposits.

Ice pressure

A thick ice sheet exerts enormous pressure on the bed. This pressure can suppress explosive expansion near the vent and influence how magma moves through the crust.

Rapid melting

Lava and hot volcanic gases transfer heat to surrounding ice. Meltwater may accumulate in a cavity or spread beneath the ice sheet.

Explosive water interaction

When magma contacts meltwater under suitable pressure conditions, it may fragment explosively into fine volcanic ash.

Subglacial lakes

Volcanic and geothermal heat may contribute to localized basal melting and the formation or maintenance of subglacial lakes.

Not all subglacial lakes are volcanic. Many form because pressure lowers the melting point of ice and because the ice sheet insulates geothermal heat from the atmosphere.

Meltwater floods

Water trapped beneath a glacier may eventually escape through channels, producing a sudden subglacial or proglacial flood.

These processes are related to the glacier-outburst floods commonly associated with Icelandic volcanoes, although Antarctic geography and ice thickness can be very different.

Compare these interactions with

Iceland Volcanoes Explained
.

Is Volcanic Heat Melting Antarctica?

Volcanic and geothermal heat contribute to basal melting beneath parts of Antarctica, particularly in regions of West Antarctica where the crust is thin and the mantle is relatively warm.

However, this does not mean that volcanoes are the principal cause of the continent’s modern ice loss.

Geothermal heat from below

Heat naturally flows from Earth’s interior through the crust. The amount varies according to crustal thickness, rock type, tectonic history and proximity to volcanic or hydrothermal systems.

Areas within the West Antarctic Rift System may have higher geothermal heat flow than the older and more stable crust of East Antarctica.

Localized volcanic effects

An eruption beneath the ice could melt substantial amounts of ice locally, create meltwater and alter glacier flow near the vent.

Persistent geothermal heat may also lubricate the base of a glacier by maintaining liquid water beneath it.

Why the larger picture matters

The most rapid contemporary ice loss in West Antarctica is strongly influenced by warm ocean water reaching beneath floating ice shelves and destabilizing outlet glaciers.

Atmospheric warming, ocean circulation, bed topography and ice dynamics all contribute to Antarctic change.

Volcanic heat is therefore one component of a complex system. Claims that hidden volcanoes alone explain modern Antarctic melting oversimplify the evidence.

Major Hazards from Antarctic Volcanoes

Antarctica has no permanent indigenous population and few large settlements, so volcanic exposure is much lower than in Indonesia, Japan or Central America.

Nevertheless, eruptions can threaten researchers, research stations, expedition vessels, aircraft and fragile polar ecosystems.

Volcanic explosions

Explosive eruptions can eject ash, blocks and bombs around active craters. Mount Erebus and Deception Island both require strict operational precautions.

Ashfall

Volcanic ash can reduce visibility, damage engines, contaminate equipment and interfere with scientific operations.

Ash deposited on snow may also lower surface reflectivity and increase local absorption of solar energy.

Aviation hazards

Aircraft are essential for Antarctic logistics. Volcanic ash can damage jet and turbine engines, abrade windows and disrupt navigation.

Even a moderate eruption near a major flight corridor could delay scientific and supply operations.

Volcanic gases

Sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and other gases may accumulate near vents, inside depressions or within ice caves.

Researchers entering geothermal caves require specialized monitoring because apparently sheltered spaces can contain dangerous gas concentrations.

Glacier-melt floods

Subglacial eruptions may release meltwater suddenly. The 1969 eruption at Deception Island demonstrated that even relatively thin ice can produce damaging floods.

Ground instability

Geothermal terrain may contain thin snow bridges, concealed crevasses, unstable crater rims and unexpectedly hot ground.

Landslides and flank collapse

Volcanic islands and steep coastal edifices may fail through erosion, earthquakes or structural weakness.

A large collapse into the sea could generate local waves or tsunamis, although the probability depends on the individual volcano.

Learn more about these processes in

Volcanic Hazards Explained
.

Historic and Recent Antarctic Eruptions

Mount Erebus

Erebus has remained active throughout the modern observation period. Its typical activity consists of lava-lake circulation, degassing and intermittent Strombolian explosions.

Because early observations were sparse and seasonal, the precise beginning and continuity of some activity remain uncertain.

Deception Island — 1967

An eruption in December 1967 opened new vents and produced ash, steam and volcanic deposits. Scientific facilities on the island were damaged.

Deception Island — 1969

The 1969 eruption involved fissures beneath and beside ice. Rapid melting released floodwater that damaged buildings and infrastructure.

Deception Island — 1970

Another eruption occurred in 1970, producing new vents, ash and volcanic landforms. This remains the island’s most recent confirmed eruption.

Penguin Island

Reports and geological evidence suggest relatively recent activity at Penguin Island, but its historical eruption record is less certain than that of Deception Island.

Ice-core evidence

Antarctic ice cores contain numerous volcanic sulfate and ash layers. Some came from distant tropical or Southern Hemisphere eruptions, while others may represent local Antarctic volcanoes.

Matching an ice-core layer to its source requires geochemical comparison with known volcanic deposits.

Explore other major events in

Historic Volcanic Eruptions
.

How Are Antarctic Volcanoes Monitored?

Antarctic volcano monitoring is exceptionally difficult. Instruments must operate in extreme cold, darkness, wind and isolation, often with limited power and communications.

Seismometers

Seismic stations record earthquakes, volcanic tremor, explosions and ice-generated signals.

At Erebus, seismicity helps scientists track gas bursts and activity within the summit conduit.

Satellite thermal imaging

Satellites can detect heat from lava lakes, active vents and new lava flows.

Satellite monitoring is especially important during the Antarctic winter, when field access becomes extremely difficult.

Satellite radar

Radar satellites can measure ground deformation even through cloud and darkness.

Interferometric radar may reveal uplift or subsidence caused by magma or hydrothermal processes, although snow accumulation and ice movement complicate interpretation.

GPS

Permanent and temporary GPS stations measure crustal movement and deformation around accessible volcanic systems.

Gas measurements

Researchers measure sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and other gases using ground instruments, sampling equipment and remote sensing.

Visual and infrared cameras

Cameras record explosions, lava-lake changes, fumarolic activity and crater conditions at exposed volcanoes.

Airborne geophysics

Aircraft equipped with radar, magnetometers and gravity sensors map volcanic structures concealed beneath ice.

Ice-core analysis

Volcanic sulfate and ash preserved in ice cores reveal eruptions that occurred long before modern instruments were installed.

Marine surveys

Sonar and magnetic surveys map submarine cones, calderas and lava fields around the Antarctic Peninsula and Ross Sea.

Learn how these tools support eruption assessment in

Volcano Monitoring and Forecasting Explained
.

Antarctic Volcanoes and Research Stations

Several scientific facilities lie within or near volcanic regions.

McMurdo Station and Scott Base

The United States’ McMurdo Station and New Zealand’s Scott Base are situated on Ross Island near Mount Erebus.

Erebus is not considered an immediate everyday threat to the stations, but volcanic activity forms part of regional scientific and operational planning.

Deception Island stations

Argentina and Spain operate seasonal research facilities on Deception Island. Earlier stations were damaged or abandoned following eruptions during the 1960s.

Modern operations consider volcanic alert levels, seismic unrest and evacuation possibilities.

Field camps

Temporary camps established near remote volcanoes face hazards from weather, crevasses and isolation in addition to volcanic activity.

Emergency evacuation may be delayed by storms, sea ice, aircraft range and limited landing sites.

Can Antarctic Eruptions Affect Global Climate?

A sufficiently large explosive eruption can inject sulfur gases into the stratosphere, where they form aerosols that temporarily reduce incoming sunlight.

Most known modern Antarctic activity has been too small or too low in altitude to produce major global cooling.

However, Antarctica contains volcanic systems capable of explosive eruptions, and ancient ice-core records preserve sulfate from many major eruptions.

Determining whether a sulfate layer came from Antarctica or a distant volcano requires analysis of:

• Ash composition
• Sulfur isotopes
• Layer distribution
• Atmospheric circulation
• Timing in multiple ice cores

Antarctic ice is therefore not only affected by eruptions—it is also one of the world’s most important archives of global volcanic history.

Common Misconceptions About Antarctic Volcanoes

“Every cone beneath the ice is active”

A cone-shaped mountain may be volcanic, but its shape alone cannot establish its age or present activity.

“Scientists discovered 91 erupting volcanoes”

Researchers identified 91 candidate volcanic structures. They did not observe 91 simultaneous eruptions.

“Volcanoes explain all Antarctic ice loss”

Geothermal heat influences basal melting locally, but ocean warming, atmospheric forcing and glacier dynamics are central to modern Antarctic mass loss.

“Antarctica has only two volcanoes”

Erebus and Deception Island are the most famous active systems, but Antarctica contains many exposed and buried volcanic centers.

“A subglacial eruption would instantly melt the entire ice sheet”

An eruption can melt substantial ice near its vent, but the Antarctic Ice Sheet is enormous. Effects would initially be localized and controlled by eruption size, ice thickness and subglacial drainage.

“No eruptions can occur in extreme cold”

Surface temperature does not prevent magma from forming or rising. Volcanism is driven by processes deep within Earth, far below the influence of Antarctic weather.