NASA · Ruimte

Mount Michael Volcano Hosts Persistent Lava Lake

A satellite image captured on August 24, 2026, reveals Mount Michael, a stratovolcano on Saunders Island in the South Sandwich Islands, featuring a frequently active lava lake in its summit crater. The image, enhanced with infrared data, highlights heat from the lava lake and suggests ongoing volcanic activity through a plume and darkened snow.

Mount Michael's lava lake has been identified through a 30-year analysis of satellite data from Landsat, Sentinel, and ASTER, placing it among a few volcanoes globally known for such persistent features. Thermal monitoring from MODIS and VIIRS, along with data from the MIROVA system, indicates continuous low-intensity activity over recent years. Observations from NASA's Aura satellite also confirm common emissions of sulfur dioxide and other gases.

A week later, on September 1, 2026, a different Landsat 9 image showed wave clouds forming downwind of Saunders Island, a phenomenon caused by the 843-meter-high peak disturbing wind patterns. False-color imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite suggests the presence of a volcanic track from sulfur dioxide degassing.

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