Volcano on Santorini hasn't had a major Eruption in more than 3,00 years so what's going on now?
The dormant volcano on the Greek island of Santorini has not had a major eruption for more than 3,000 years, but in the last year, scientists have noticed increased sub-surface activity that could be pointing to one in the future. The question everyone is asking is, if this is possible, how soon might it happen? Scientists at the University of Bristol have been studying the clues.
The chamber of molten rock beneath Santorini's volcano expanded 10-20
million cubic metres — up to 15 times the size of London’s Olympic
Stadium — between January 2011 and April 2012, according to a new survey
carried out by an international team led by Oxford University and
including a scientist from the University of Bristol. The research is
reported in this week's Nature Geoscience.
The growth of this
'balloon' of magma has seen the surface of the island rise 8-14
centimetres during this period, the researchers found. The results come
from an expedition, funded by the UK's Natural Environment Research
Council, which used satellite radar images and Global Positioning System
receivers (GPS) that can detect movements of the Earth’s surface of
just a few millimetres.
The findings are helping scientists to
understand more about the inner workings of the volcano which had its
last major explosive eruption 3,600 years ago, burying the islands of
Santorini under metres of pumice. However, it still does not provide an
answer to the biggest question of all: 'When will the volcano next
erupt?'
In January 2011, a series of small earthquakes began
beneath the islands of Santorini. Most were so small they could only be
detected with sensitive seismometers but it was the first sign of
activity beneath the volcano to be detected for 25 years.
Following
the earthquakes Michelle Parks, an Oxford University DPhil student,
spotted signs of movement of the Earth's surface on Santorini in
satellite radar images. Oxford University undergraduate students then
helped researchers complete a new survey of the island.
Blue Domed Church in Santorini Overlooking the Volcanic Rim photo via Shutterstock.
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