New Submarine Discovery Reveals Unknown Structure Influencing Santorini Volcano

An international scientific study has revealed a previously unknown geological structure beneath the Santorini-Kolumbo volcanic complex, offering new insights into the dynamics of one of Europe's most active volcanic systems. The research, published in the American Geophysical Union's journal Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, utilized high-resolution seismic data and results from the international IODP Expedition 398 deep-sea drilling program.

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A new publication by our research team reveals a fundamental mechanism connecting tectonic deformation with the evolution of volcanic activity in the Santorini-Kolumbo volcanic field.

The study identified a tectonic structure dubbed the Kolumbo Graben, extending northeast of Santorini. This graben is directly linked to the genesis of the submarine Kolumbo volcano and the broader volcanic zone. Professor Evi Nomikou of the University of Athens, a participant in the research, explained that the findings reveal a fundamental mechanism connecting tectonic deformation with the evolution of volcanic activity in the Santorini-Kolumbo field. She noted that the research combined years of geophysical data collection and interpretation with the deep-sea drilling results.

According to the findings, a significant acceleration in tectonic extension occurred in the region approximately 330,000 years ago. Scientists observed a marked increase in fault movement and ground subsidence rates, signaling a new phase in the volcanic system's development. This period preceded both the emergence of the Kolumbo volcano and the eruptions that shaped Santorini's present-day caldera. The Kolumbo Graben, as described by Nomikou, appears to have played a crucial role in the formation of the submarine Kolumbo volcano and its associated volcanic chain.

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The study brings to light a previously unknown tectonic structure, the Kolumbo Graben, which extends into the northeastern part of the volcanic field and appears to have played a decisive role in the genesis of the submarine Kolumbo volcano and the Kolumbo Volcanic Chain.

Furthermore, the research challenges prior understandings of magma flow. Instead of volcanic centers forming directly above major faults, as previously believed, the study found they developed within the graben in areas where the crust was more fragmented. This fragmentation created ideal pathways for magma to rise. Nomikou stated, "One of the most significant conclusions of the research is that the volcanic centers did not develop above the main faults, but within the graben, in zones of intense deformation where the crust was more fragmented, creating ideal pathways for magma ascent."

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One of the most significant conclusions of the research is that the volcanic centers did not develop above the main faults, but within the graben, in zones of intense deformation where the crust was more fragmented, creating ideal pathways for magma ascent.