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Insights from the first two Years of the SANTORY shallow Seafloor Observatory: Advancing submarine volcanic monitoring in the Aegean Sea (Greece)

Paraskevi Nomikou 1, Paraskevi Polymenakou2, Sergio Sciré Scappuzzo3, Gianluca Lazzaro3, Aggelos Mallios4, Valsamis Douskos5, Anna Katsigera1, Andrea Luca Rizzo6, Manfredi Longo3, Javier Escartin7, Konstantinos Karantzalos5, Walter D Alessandro3, Lars-Eric Heimburger8, Stephanos Kilias1, Theodoros Mertzimekis9, Fausto Grassa3, Danai Lampridou1, Eirini Anagnostou1

  • Affiliations: 1Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zografou Campus, Athens, Greece; 2Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Heraklion Crete, Greece; 3 Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Palermo, Palermo, Italy; 4Ploa Technology Consultants, S.L, Girona, Spain; 5Remote Sensing Laboratory, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece; 6Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy; 7Laboratoire de Géologie -- CNRS, UMR 8538, École Normale Supérieure, Paris Sciences Letters (PSL) University, Paris, France; 8Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography -- MIO, Aix-Marseille-University (AMU), France; 9Department of Physics, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zografou Campus, Athens, Greece 

  • Presentation type: Talk

  • Presentation time: Thursday 14:30 - 14:45, Room R280

  • Programme No: 2.2.6

  • Theme 2 > Session 2

Abstract

SANTORY is a state-of-the-art project aiming at submarine volcanic hazard monitoring in the Aegean Sea. Focused on Kolumbo submarine volcano NE of Santorini Island, this cutting-edge observatory combines advanced imaging, physical and chemical measurements, and real-time monitoring technologies to address one of the region's most significant volcanic threats.  Over the past two years, SANTORY has provided unprecedented insights into Kolumbo's geological dynamics and volcanic activity. High-resolution 3D mapping revealed steep slopes, mass-wasting deposits, and hydrothermal vent fields, critical for assessing seafloor instability and potential eruption risks. Novel hyperspectral imaging and autonomous video systems have captured vent activity, bubbling plumes, and environmental changes, providing the most complete assessment of hydrothermal processes to date, and establishing a baseline for potential tracking of underlying volcanic processes. Autonomous sensors deployed on the crater floor have been monitoring hydrothermal outflow temperature, pressure, and chemistry of fluids; these parameters will help quantify chemical fluxes, and reveal periodic variations driven by tides, in addition to magmatic activity. Datasets revealing these hydrothermal fluctuations may thus be critical in detecting precursors signals of volcanic unrest. Chemical and isotopic analyses confirmed the degassing of CO2-rich hydrothermal fluids with a mantle-like 3He/4He signature, reinforcing Kolumbo's potential for hazardous eruptions.  SANTORY constitues an initiative for developing a protocol for volcanic hazard mitigation that can be extrapolated to other systems. By integrating cutting-edge technologies and multidisciplinary expertise, the project delivers actionable insights to improve early warning systems and protect vulnerable coastal communities. SANTORY sets a new benchmark in safeguarding against submarine volcanic threats.