An important oceanographic mission aimed at exploring the interactions between the Caldera of Santorini Caldera and the submarine volcano Columbus, which play an important role in the wicked processes, is underway with the oceanographic boat “RRS Discovery”.

The Hydromox mission, funded by the British Government, is an important step towards understanding the natural mechanisms that shape the submarine volcanic space and the prediction of possible risks to the wider area of ​​the Santorini volcanic complex.

The program features a research team at the Santorini Santorini Observatory of Santorini, consisting of the Professor of Geological Oceanography, Evi Nomikou, and the PhD candidate for Marine Geology and Volcanic Danger Anna Katsi.

The mission was already scheduled before the recent seismic activity, due to the need to monitor the active hydrothermal field of Columbus and the Santorini Caldera for any changes.

The work of the oceanographic mission in the caldera

Through combined geophysical and geochemical methods, the researchers of the Hydromox (Hydrothermal Modulation of Caldera Explosivity), led by researcher Isobel Geo from the British organization “National Oceanography Center”, will capture the positions of “paths” through which the “paths” are transported through the “paths” Fluids to the surface while at the same time controlling the fundamental processes of the magma. This will further explore young and existing geocrates, which come from the existence of fluids in the active hydrothermal fields of the area.

According to Ms Nomikou, during the oceanographic mission “We will make new Gas and liquid samples by the active hydrothermal chimneys of Columbuswith the help of a robotic vehicle, and the results will be compared to the Santory data collected before the seismic crisis.

In addition, it will be done re -installation of special organs in the crater Columbus, for a better understanding of the volcanic dynamics and the recording of any changes in both the active hydrothermal field and in the wider crater of the submarine volcano.

The Oceanographic Shipment will use a set of advanced techniques, such as the development of geophysical organs array to map active underground fluid flow routes, electromagnetic research to create detailed maps Santorini, as well as sampling of hydrothermal fluids for isotopic analyzes. In addition, the mission will study the Santorini Caldera hydrothermal system and will be done Comparison with his behavior during the 2011-12 earthquake crisis.

At the same time, as Ms. Law explains in RES-EIA, due to the recent seismic activity in the maritime area northeast of Santorini, it was decided by the associates of the Multimarex Research Program to retrieve two large submarine seismographs from the Columni-Cravelae with the Columbus Crater. The data are recovered, but also to re -place in the area of ​​Anhydros. Underwater seismographers are equipped with censors that have recorded outside the seismicity and any changes in the territorial deformation of the Columbus bottom, changes in temperature and other natural parameters. “They are valuable data because they contain data timers before and during the seismic crisis,” Ms Law adds.

In addition, last month, during the seismic activity, portable submarine seismographs had been placed and recovered in the Santorini caldera, which measured the micro -seismicity of the area. The data is being processed by seismologists at the Athens National Observatory.