As winter conditions persist near the Antarctic Circle, satellite imagery revealed a permanent lava lake in the summit crater of Mount Michael on Saunders Island. In an image acquired on August 24, 2026, by NASA-USGS Landsat 8’s OLI (Operational Land Imager) instrument, infrared data showed the lava lake’s heat in red. Volcanic fumes over the summit and darkened snow on the northern slopes also indicated that activity was continuing.
Saunders Island is one of the volcanic peaks of the South Sandwich Islands. The island chain, approximately 350 kilometers (220 miles) long, formed as the South American Plate subducted beneath the small South Sandwich Plate. Regular eruptions have occurred on these islands, including at Mount Michael, over the past centuries.
Because of the volcano’s remoteness, scientists rely on satellite data. A 30-year analysis of observations from Landsat, Sentinel, and ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) concluded that a permanent lava lake exists at the summit. MODIS and VIIRS data, along with the MIROVA system, showed that low-intensity activity had continued over the past few years; NASA’s Aura satellite also revealed widespread emissions of sulfur dioxide and other gases. Similar features are known to exist at only a few volcanoes on Earth, including Kīlauea, Nyamulagira, and Erta Ale. Weather conditions changed a week later.
An image from Landsat 9 on September 1, 2026, showed wave clouds resembling a ship’s wake, formed as winds interacted with the 843-meter (2,766-foot) summit.
Why it matters
This observation shows that a volcano that is difficult to reach can be monitored over long periods using different satellite systems, even though direct field studies are limited. Since Mount Michael is one of the few volcanoes on Earth where similar features are observed, the data obtained contribute to the comparative study of volcanic processes. When infrared measurements, gas emissions, and images from different dates are assessed together, they make it possible to investigate not only a single moment but also the continuity of low-intensity activity. However, remote observations do not provide the details that direct measurements would offer regarding the lava lake’s internal structure, the source of the activity, and its changes over time; therefore, how subsequent satellite data will be interpreted remains an open research question.
Background
Bright is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 4 news articles mentioning this name in the last 90 days; the most recent is dated September 2, 2026.