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Introduction

Deception Island (62°57'S, 60°38'W) is an active volcano in the South Shetland Islands, off the Antarctic Peninsula.


True colour satellite image of Deception Island

Its total land area, including outlying islands, is 98.5 km². It is 15 km in diameter and rises to 539 m above sea level at Mount Pond. Over 57% of the island is covered by permanent glaciers. A ring of hills runs around the island and is the principal drainage divide - ephemeral springs flow toward the inner and outer coast. Several lakes are located on the interior side of the watershed. Kroner Lake is the only geothermal lagoon in the Antarctic.


View of mainland of Antarctic Peninsula through Neptunes Window.