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Case Study 15

Greece

How Dormant Are the Islands?

Malcolm Cooper and Patricia Erfurt-Cooper

Introduction

The Greek volcanoes are part of the Aegean
Volcanic Arc, which is caused by the subduction
of the African tectonic plate under the Eurasian
plate (Siebert and Simkin, 2002). These are
Santorini (shield volcano), Methana (lava dome
complex), Milos (stratovolcano), Nisyros
(stratovolcano), Yali (lava domes) and Kos
(fumaroles). The most recent volcanic eruption in
Greece was on Santorini in 1950. Greece also has
752 geothermal springs which are popular tourist
destinations.
Geophysical aspects and
history of activity
Figure CS15.1 Location of the Greek volcanoes
The most famous Greek volcano is Santorini,
which last erupted in 1950. Its most devastating Source: USGS, 2003
recorded eruption was in 1600BC and buried the
city of Akroteri, possibly giving rise to the legend 258BC although some activity was recorded in
of Atlantis. Three islands remained after this 1922. The island of Milos is currently quiet, with
eruption – Thera, Therasia and Aspronisi. The activity confined to solfatara, fumaroles and hot
Santorini caldera has a diameter of 11km north– springs (Figure CS15.1).
south and 7.5km east–west, with a depth of 390m The island of Nisyros, located at the eastern
in the north. The 1950 eruption produced a lava end of the Hellenic island arc, 340km south-east of
dome, lava flow and explosive activity, while Athens is part of the Kos-Yali-Nisyros Volcanic
activity was also recorded in 1939–41, 1925–28, Field in the south-eastern Aegean Sea. The Hellenic
1866–70, 1707–11, 1650, 1570–73, 726, AD46–47 Volcanic Arc has been formed by the active north-
and 197BC (Seach, 2009). Methana, on the east directed subduction of the African Plate
Methana Peninsula of the Peloponnese is made up beneath the Aegean Plate. The volcano contains a
of a series of lava domes, which last erupted in 3.8km-wide caldera and its historical activity has

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