A new international scientific study has revealed a previously unknown geological structure beneath the Santorini–Colombo volcanic complex in Greece, a finding that could reshape understanding of one of Europe’s most active volcanic systems.
Published in the American Geophysical Union’s journal Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, the research drew on high-resolution seismic data and results from the international IODP Expedition 398 submarine drilling program. Scientists identified what they are calling the “Colombo Graben” — a tectonic structure extending northeast of Santorini that appears directly linked to the formation of the submarine Colombo volcano and the broader volcanic chain in the area.
The discovery is significant because it changes the geological map of the region and may have implications for assessing volcanic risk in the Aegean Sea.
