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Volcanology

Greek inflation circa 1600 BC

Nature volume 482, pages 38–39 (2012)Cite this article

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A petrology study of the Bronze Age 'Minoan' eruption on the Greek island of Santorini finds that the sub-volcanic magma reservoir was recharged in spurts during the decades to months that preceded the eruption. See Letter p.77

The most powerful volcanic eruptions release so much magma that a large surface depression, or caldera, forms above the evacuated underground magma reservoir. We know from geological records that caldera-forming eruptions can discharge hundreds or even thousands of cubic kilometres of magma. A period of volcanic unrest must precede these eruptions, but the nature and duration of the warning signs are unknown because this type of eruption is so infrequent. Druitt et al.1 (page 77 of this issue) show that igneous petrology, the study of once-molten rocks, can help to elucidate the likely precursory activity for these large, catastrophic eruptions.

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Figure 1: Santorini's caldera.

SOKOBAN/WIKIPEDIA

References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jon Blundy and Alison Rust are at the School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK.,

    Jon Blundy & Alison Rust

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  1. Jon Blundy
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  2. Alison Rust
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Correspondence to Jon Blundy.

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Blundy, J., Rust, A. Greek inflation circa 1600 BC. Nature 482, 38–39 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/482038a

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