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New Insights into the history of explosive volcanism of the Kolumbo Volcanic Chain. IODP Expedition 398 Hellenic Arc Volcanic Field

Abigail Metcalfe1 , Katharina Pank2, Tim Druitt1, Steffen Kutterolf2, Jonas Preine3, Christin Hübscher4, Paraskevi Nomikou5, Kuo-Lung Wang6,7, Hao-Yang6,7 and IODP EXP 398 Participants

  • Affiliations: 1Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans, Université Clermont Auvergne, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France 2GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischhofstrasse 1-3, D-24148 Kiel, Germany 3Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA, USA 4Institute of Geophysics, University of Hamburg, Bundesstrasse 55, D-20146 Hamburg, Germany 5 Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece 6Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan 7Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

  • Presentation type: Talk

  • Presentation time: Friday 09:15 - 09:30, Room R280

  • Programme No: 3.4.4

  • Theme 3 > Session 4

Abstract

Submarine eruptions, such as those from the Kolumbo Volcanic Chain (KVC) in the South Aegean Volcanic Arc, present a range of hazards. Kolumbo Cone (7 km NE of Santorini) is the largest submarine edifice in the KVC and has one well-constrained eruption in 1650 CE. This eruption resulted in the release of toxic gases, earthquakes, volcanic explosions and a tsunami. Over 70 people died and there were significant impacts to the population of Santorini. Older edifices are identified in seismic profiles of Kolumbo Cone. However, they are poorly constrained, and studies of the KVC eruptive history are challenging. IODP Exp 398 provides a unique opportunity to unravel the history of the KVC by drilling proximal to Kolumbo Cone. Here, we present new tephrostratigraphic and geochemical constraints of the KVC. Tephra layers are geochemically characterised using major and trace elements of the volcanic glass. At Site U1593, we identify at least 10 eruptions from the KVC intercalated with eruptions of the Thera Pyroclastic Formation (TPF) and at least three prior to the TPF. These eruptions range from basaltic-andesite to dacite, as well as the high-silica rhyolite compositions previously known. The trace element chemistry is not comparable to modern Santorini and instead, for example, has higher Ba/Y (>20), lower Zr/Nb (<15). The eruption ages are constrained using sedimentation rates based on the established ages of Santorini eruptions. The new eruptive history can be used for eruption frequency and volcano monitoring, necessary for crisis response and eruption response planning.