Most Recent Weekly Report: 29 January-4 February 2025 Cite this Report

According to the Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Greece, press release on 29 January, seismicity increased near Santorini, along the central Kameni fault in the N part of the caldera. Seismicity intensified and shifted NE to an area between the islands of Thira and Amorgos along a NE-SW-trending fault; during 31 January-1 February the largest earthquake was a M 4.3. The submarine Kolumbo volcano is located along that fault line, about 7 km NE of Santorini, though at the time scientists attributed the seismicity to tectonic activity. The Geodynamic Institute of the National Observatory of Athens reported more than 31,000 recorded earthquakes in that area, in a zone extending 15 km long, during 1-4 February, including 630 located events at depths of 2-18 km; events consisted of 155 at M 3.5-3.9, 48 at M 4-4.4, 21 at M 4.5-4.9, and one at M 5. During 4-5 February seismicity extended along an area about 30 km long. The seismicity was similar to a seismic crisis during 2010-2012 that did not lead to a volcanic eruption, though the previous activity was more intense and with larger average earthquake magnitudes.

According to news articles schools on islands including Santorini, Thira, Anafi, Ios, Amorgos, Mykonos, Leros, Syros, and Patmos were closed on 2 February through at least 4 February. Gatherings in enclosed spaces within Municipality of Thira were cancelled. By 3 February more than 11,000 people had left Santorini by ferry or plane, and additional flights to the islands were being scheduled to assist moving people to Athens.

Sources: CNN, CBS News, BBC News, Greek City Times, National Observatory of Athens, Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection

Weekly Reports - Index

2025: January

29 January-4 February 2025 Cite this Report

According to the Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Greece, press release on 29 January, seismicity increased near Santorini, along the central Kameni fault in the N part of the caldera. Seismicity intensified and shifted NE to an area between the islands of Thira and Amorgos along a NE-SW-trending fault; during 31 January-1 February the largest earthquake was a M 4.3. The submarine Kolumbo volcano is located along that fault line, about 7 km NE of Santorini, though at the time scientists attributed the seismicity to tectonic activity. The Geodynamic Institute of the National Observatory of Athens reported more than 31,000 recorded earthquakes in that area, in a zone extending 15 km long, during 1-4 February, including 630 located events at depths of 2-18 km; events consisted of 155 at M 3.5-3.9, 48 at M 4-4.4, 21 at M 4.5-4.9, and one at M 5. During 4-5 February seismicity extended along an area about 30 km long. The seismicity was similar to a seismic crisis during 2010-2012 that did not lead to a volcanic eruption, though the previous activity was more intense and with larger average earthquake magnitudes.

According to news articles schools on islands including Santorini, Thira, Anafi, Ios, Amorgos, Mykonos, Leros, Syros, and Patmos were closed on 2 February through at least 4 February. Gatherings in enclosed spaces within Municipality of Thira were cancelled. By 3 February more than 11,000 people had left Santorini by ferry or plane, and additional flights to the islands were being scheduled to assist moving people to Athens.

Sources: CNN; CBS News; BBC News; Greek City Times; National Observatory of Athens; Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection

The Global Volcanism Program has no Bulletin Reports available for Kolumbo.

This compilation of synonyms and subsidiary features may not be comprehensive. Features are organized into four major categories: Cones, Craters, Domes, and Thermal Features. Synonyms of features appear indented below the primary name. In some cases additional feature type, elevation, or location details are provided.

Craters
Feature Name	Feature Type	Elevation	Latitude	Longitude
Colombo Bank     Columbo Bank	Maar

Basic Data Volcano Number Last Known Eruption Elevation Latitude Longitude 212042 1650 CE -18 m / -59 ft 36.524°N 25.483°E Morphology Volcano Landform Cluster Volcano Types Complex

Geological Summary The submarine Kolumbo volcano is about 15 km NE of the center of the Santorini caldera. Although previously considered to be part of a volcanic field associated with Santorini along a fault zone, Klaver et al. (2016) concluded that Kolumbo was a distinct volcanic system with "a deep differentiation history" based on "a signature of high 208Pb/206Pb compared to Santorini". A strong eruption during September-November 1650 CE killed over 60 people, along with livestock, due to toxic gas emissions; ashfall reached mainland Turkey, and an island of pumice rose above sea level but was rapidly eroded. Klaver et al. (2016) describe the current crater as roughly oval-shaped with a diameter of ~1.7 km, with the crater floor at 500 m below sea level, and the highest point of the crater rim at -18 m. A chain of 19 smaller volcanic features extends ~10 km NE from this primary crater. References The following references have all been used during the compilation of data for this volcano, it is not a comprehensive bibliography. Cantner K, Carey S, Nomikou P, 2014. Integrated volcanologic and petrologic analysis of the 1650AD eruption of Kolumbo submarine volcano, Greece. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research. 269, 28-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2013.10.004 Fuller S, Carey S, Nomikou P, 2018. Distribution of fine-grained tephra from the 1650 CE submarine eruption of Kolumbo volcano, Greece. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 352, 10-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2018.01.004 Hubscher C, Ruhnau M, Nomikou P, 2015. Volcano-tectonic evolution of the polygenetic Kolumbo submarine volcano/Santorini (Aegean Sea). Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 291, 101-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2014.12.020 Klaver M, Carey S, Nomikou P, Smet I, Godelitsas A, Vroon P, 2016. A distinct source and differentiation history for Kolumbo submarine volcano, Santorini volcanic field, Aegean arc. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 17, 3254-3273. https://doi.org/10.1002/ 2016GC006398

Eruptive History

There is data available for 1 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

Deformation History

There is no Deformation History data available for Kolumbo.

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for Kolumbo.

Photo Gallery

The Global Volcanism Program has no photographs available for Kolumbo.

GVP Map Holdings

Maps are not currently available due to technical issues.

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

There are no samples for Kolumbo in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences Rock and Ore collection.

External Sites

Copernicus Browser	The Copernicus Browser replaced the Sentinel Hub Playground browser in 2023, to provide access to Earth observation archives from the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, the main distribution platform for data from the EU Copernicus missions.
MIROVA	Middle InfraRed Observation of Volcanic Activity (MIROVA) is a near real time volcanic hot-spot detection system based on the analysis of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data. In particular, MIROVA uses the Middle InfraRed Radiation (MIR), measured over target volcanoes, in order to detect, locate and measure the heat radiation sourced from volcanic activity.
MODVOLC Thermal Alerts	Using infrared satellite Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data, scientists at the Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i, developed an automated system called MODVOLC to map thermal hot-spots in near real time. For each MODIS image, the algorithm automatically scans each 1 km pixel within it to check for high-temperature hot-spots. When one is found the date, time, location, and intensity are recorded. MODIS looks at every square km of the Earth every 48 hours, once during the day and once during the night, and the presence of two MODIS sensors in space allows at least four hot-spot observations every two days. Each day updated global maps are compiled to display the locations of all hot spots detected in the previous 24 hours. There is a drop-down list with volcano names which allow users to 'zoom-in' and examine the distribution of hot-spots at a variety of spatial scales.
WOVOdat    Single Volcano View    Temporal Evolution of Unrest    Side by Side Volcanoes	WOVOdat is a database of volcanic unrest; instrumentally and visually recorded changes in seismicity, ground deformation, gas emission, and other parameters from their normal baselines. It is sponsored by the World Organization of Volcano Observatories (WOVO) and presently hosted at the Earth Observatory of Singapore. GVMID Data on Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure The Global Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure Database GVMID, is aimed at documenting and improving capabilities of volcano monitoring from the ground and space. GVMID should provide a snapshot and baseline view of the techniques and instrumentation that are in place at various volcanoes, which can be use by volcano observatories as reference to setup new monitoring system or improving networks at a specific volcano. These data will allow identification of what monitoring gaps exist, which can be then targeted by remote sensing infrastructure and future instrument deployments.
Volcanic Hazard Maps	The IAVCEI Commission on Volcanic Hazards and Risk has a Volcanic Hazard Maps database designed to serve as a resource for hazard mappers (or other interested parties) to explore how common issues in hazard map development have been addressed at different volcanoes, in different countries, for different hazards, and for different intended audiences. In addition to the comprehensive, searchable Volcanic Hazard Maps Database, this website contains information about diversity of volcanic hazard maps, illustrated using examples from the database. This site is for educational purposes related to volcanic hazard maps. Hazard maps found on this website should not be used for emergency purposes. For the most recent, official hazard map for a particular volcano, please seek out the proper institutional authorities on the matter.
IRIS seismic stations/networks	Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Data Services map showing the location of seismic stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 0.18° (about 20 km at mid-latitudes) from the given location of Kolumbo. Users can customize a variety of filters and options in the left panel. Note that if there are no stations are known the map will default to show the entire world with a "No data matched request" error notice.
UNAVCO GPS/GNSS stations	Geodetic Data Services map from UNAVCO showing the location of GPS/GNSS stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 20 km from the given location of Kolumbo. Users can customize the data search based on station or network names, location, and time window. Requires Adobe Flash Player.
DECADE Data	The DECADE portal, still in the developmental stage, serves as an example of the proposed interoperability between The Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program, the Mapping Gas Emissions (MaGa) Database, and the EarthChem Geochemical Portal. The Deep Earth Carbon Degassing (DECADE) initiative seeks to use new and established technologies to determine accurate global fluxes of volcanic CO2 to the atmosphere, but installing CO2 monitoring networks on 20 of the world's 150 most actively degassing volcanoes. The group uses related laboratory-based studies (direct gas sampling and analysis, melt inclusions) to provide new data for direct degassing of deep earth carbon to the atmosphere.
EarthChem	EarthChem develops and maintains databases, software, and services that support the preservation, discovery, access and analysis of geochemical data, and facilitate their integration with the broad array of other available earth science parameters. EarthChem is operated by a joint team of disciplinary scientists, data scientists, data managers and information technology developers who are part of the NSF-funded data facility Integrated Earth Data Applications (IEDA). IEDA is a collaborative effort of EarthChem and the Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS).