Active volcanoes can be inaccessible, temperamental, and even dangerous. Erebus is a rare find that's well-suited to study. Its location 20 minutes from The U.S. National Science Foundation's main Antarctic station, McMurdo, is the least of its unique points. The fact that it's in Antarctica is a red herring. The most unique thing about it is the circulating lava lake in its crater.
Most volcanoes erupt, then cool, offering scientists little glimpse of their inner workings.
Erebus has a natural convection that continually brings new lava to the surface. This steady circulation provides not only a fresh supply of magma, but allows gases to escape, another attribute of the volcano that makes it ideal to study. The characteristics of the exhaust, or plume, can reveal a lot about what's happening deep under the surface. Jean Wardell has been taking samples of the air over Erebus for several years, with a special focus on carbon dioxide. Just like any liquid, magma is saturated with gases.