Volcanism along the South Aegean volcanic arc began about 4.7 Ma and has lasted until the present day, with eruptions at Methana, Milos, Santorini, Kolumbo and Nisyros volcanoes in historical times. These volcanoes can be grouped into five volcanic fields: three western fields of small, mostly monogenetic edifices, and two central/eastern fields with composite cones and calderas that have produced large explosive eruptions. Crustal tectonics exerts a strong control over the locations of edifices and vents at all five volcanic fields. Tephra and cryptotephra layers in deep-marine sediments preserve a continuous record of arc volcanism in the Aegean as far back as 200,000 years. Hazards from the volcanoes include high ash plumes, pyroclastic flows and tsunamis. Monitoring networks should be improved and expanded.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Research Article|
June 01, 2019
Volcanism of the South Aegean Volcanic Arc
Georges E. Vougioukalakis;
Institute for Geology and Mineral Exploration, 3rd exit Olympic Village, 13677, Aharne, Athens, Greece
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for other works by this author on:
Christopher G. Satow;
Department of Social Sciences, Gibbs Building, Oxford Brookes University, Headington Road, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for other works by this author on:
Timothy H. Druitt
Clermont Auvergne University, CNRS, IRD, OPGC, Laboratory Magmas-Volcanoes, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for other works by this author on:
Institute for Geology and Mineral Exploration, 3rd exit Olympic Village, 13677, Aharne, Athens, Greece
Department of Social Sciences, Gibbs Building, Oxford Brookes University, Headington Road, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
Publisher: Mineralogical Society of America
First Online:
18 Jul 2019
Online ISSN: 1811-5217
Print ISSN: 1811-5209
Copyright © 2019 by the Mineralogical Society of America
Mineralogical Society of America
Elements (2019) 15 (3): 159–164.
Article history
First Online:
18 Jul 2019
Citation
Georges E. Vougioukalakis, Christopher G. Satow, Timothy H. Druitt; Volcanism of the South Aegean Volcanic Arc. Elements 2019;; 15 (3): 159–164. doi: https://doi.org/10.2138/gselements.15.3.159
Download citation file:
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Email alerts
Index Terms/Descriptors
- Aegean Islands
- Aegina
- calderas
- Cenozoic
- Cyclades
- eruptions
- Europe
- explosive eruptions
- geologic hazards
- Greece
- Greek Aegean Islands
- igneous rocks
- Kos
- Mediterranean region
- Milos
- natural hazards
- natural resources
- pyroclastics
- Quaternary
- Southern Europe
- Sterea Ellas
- tectonics
- tephrostratigraphy
- Thera
- upper Quaternary
- vents
- volcanic features
- volcanic fields
- volcanic rocks
- volcanism
- volcanoes
- Methana
- Nisyros
- Sousaki
- South Aegean volcanic arc
- Kolumbo
- volcanic arcs
Latitude & Longitude
Citing articles via
Related Articles
The Minoan eruption of Santorini, Greece
Journal of the Geological Society
Explosive volcanism on Santorini, Greece
Geological Magazine
Related Book Content
Petrology and volcanology of Kimolos and Polyegos volcanoes within the context of the South Aegean arc, Greece
Cenozoic Volcanism in the Mediterranean Area
Stratigraphy and volcanological evolution of the southwestern sector of Campi Flegrei and Procida Island, Italy
Stratigraphy and Geology of Volcanic Areas
Welded air-fall tuffs
Ash-Flow Tuffs
Volcanological and structural evolution of the Ischia resurgent caldera (Italy) over the past 10 k.y.
Stratigraphy and Geology of Volcanic Areas