Submarine volcanoes of the Kolumbo volcanic zone NE of Santorini Caldera, Greece

Abstract

The seafloor northeast of Santorini volcano in Greece consists of a small, elongated rifted basin that has been the site of recent submarine volcanism. This area lies within the Cyclades back-arc region of the present Hellenic subduction zone where the seafloor of the eastern Mediterranean Sea is descending beneath the Aegean microplate. The Cycladic region and the Aegean Sea as a whole are known to be regions of north–south back-arc extension and thinning of continental crust. Nineteen submarine volcanic cones occur within this small rift zone, the largest of these being Kolumbo which last erupted explosively in 1650AD, causing significant damage and fatalities on the nearby island of Santorini. Previous SEABEAM mapping and seismic studies from HCMR indicate that many of the smaller v'olcanic cones have been built above the present seafloor, while others are partly buried, indicating a range of ages for the activity along this volcanic line. None of the cones to the northeast of Kolumbo had been explored in detail prior to a cruise of the E/V Nautilus (NA007) in August 2010. The ROV Hercules was used to explore the slopes, summits and craters of 17 of the 19 centers identified on multibeam maps of the area. Water depths of the submarine volcano's summits ranged from 18 to 450m. In general, the domes/craters northeast of Kolumbo were sediment covered and showed little evidence of recent volcanic activity. Outcrops of volcanic rock were found in the crater walls and slopes of some of the cones but they typically consisted of volcanic fragments of pumice and lava that have been cemented together by biological activity, indicative of the lack of recent eruptions. Geochemical analysis of samples collected on the northeast cones showed evidence of low temperature hydrothermal circulation on the summit and upper flanks in the form of stream-like manganese precipitates emanating from pits and fractures.