• Massive magma surge sparked 28,000 Santorini earthquakes Discovery points to a previously unknown link between Santorini and the nearby underwater volcano Kolumbo. • At the start of 2025, Santorini and nearby parts of the Aegean Sea were rattled by tens of thousands of earthquakes. • Scientists have now determined what caused the intense shaking. • In a study published inNature, researchers from GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences and GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, working with international partners, present a detailed geological investigation of the seismic crisis. • By combining data from land based seismic stations and ocean floor instruments installed at the underwater volcano Kolumbo, located 7 km from Santorini, the team reconstructed what was happening deep below the surface. • They also applied a newly developed artificial intelligence method to pinpoint earthquake locations with far greater precision.
Article Summaries:
- Massive magma surge sparked 28,000 Santorini earthquakes Discovery points to a previously unknown link between Santorini and the nearby underwater volcano Kolumbo. - Date: - February 17, 2026 - Source: - Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR) - Summary: - When tens of thousands of earthquakes shook Santorini, the cause wasnât just shifting tectonic platesâit was rising magma. Scientists tracked about 300 million cubic meters of molten rock pushing up through the crust, triggering intense seismic swarms as it fractured the surrounding rock. Advanced AI analysis and seafloor instrumen
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