Beerenberg is a stratovolcano dominating the northeastern end of the Norwegian island of Jan Mayen. It is high and is the world's northernmost subaerial active volcano and the only active volcano in Norway. The volcano is topped by a mostly ice-filled crater about wide, with numerous peaks along its rim, including the highest summit, Haakon VII Toppen, on its western side.
Name Its name is Dutch for "Bear Mountain" and comes from the polar bears seen there by Dutch whalers in the early 17th century.James Gordon Hayes, The Conquest of the North Pole: Recent Arctic Exploration, p. 222, Taylor & Francis, 1934
Description The upper slopes of the volcano are largely ice-covered, with several major glaciers, including five which reach the sea.Jan Mayen Topographic Map The longest of the glaciers is the Weyprecht Glacier, which flows from the summit crater via a breach through the northwestern portion of the crater rim, and extends about down to the sea.
Geology
Jan Mayen island is a younger surface feature of a undersea ridge from the Jan Mayen Microcontinent that rifted off the east Greenland continental margin about 36 million years ago during the Paleocene/Eocene transition. The volcanic island of Jan Mayen formed in the Pleistocene, and is without all the characteristics of a volcanic hotspot, although the Jan Mayen hotspot has been postulated.
Beerenberg itself is composed primarily of alkali basaltic lava flows with minor amounts of tephra. Numerous cinder cones have been formed along slope fissures.
Eruptions Its most recent eruptions took place in 1970 and 1985, both of which were flank eruptions from fissures on the northeast side of the mountain. Other eruptions with historical records occurred in 1732, 1818, and 1851. + Summary of confirmed well dated recent eruptions Start Date End Date VEI Comment1985 1985 2Eruption from fissures on the northern slope.1973 1973 - 1 Only timed within ± 45 days1970 1970 3 The eruption end is uncertain ± 182 days1851 1851 - - Eruption period is only dated within ± 30 years but definitely erupting on date given1818 1818 - 3 Eruption period is only dated within ± 15 days but definitely erupting on date given; VEI size has uncertainty1732 1732 4 1558 1558 - - Eruption was in 1558 or before1350 1350 - - Radiocarbon dating ± 300 years
Risks The main risk is disruption to aviation from a large eruption. There are funded proposals to increase the relevant monitoring capacity.
History There was an Austrian attempt to reach the summit of Beerenberg, presumably whilst the Austrians had a weather station on the island in 1882–83, but the attempt failed due to poor weather. The first recorded ascent was in the summer of 1921, by an expedition led by Dr. Paul Louis Mercanton, joined by James Wordie, T.C. Lethbridge, and three others. The British expedition was taken to the island by the Norwegian meteorological service, which was establishing a wireless station on the island.
See also List of volcanoes in Norway List of mountains in Norway by prominence
References
External links
New Jan Mayen Homepage, including general info, photos, blog, and webcam Old Jan Mayen Homepage , including general info, photos, blog, and webcam Beerenberg Expedition 2008 Pictures Pictures and a map of Beerenberg 1970 Beerenberg volcanic eruption captured on film