Volcanoes

Volcanoes

The Greek volcanic arc, or Aegean Arc, is 500km long and 20-40km wide, extending from the greek mainland to Turkey due to the convergence between the Eurasia and Africa plates and the tensions that develop laterally, with the second being submerged under the first.{cr} This convergence, which began in the Middle Miocene (10Ma), is an amphitheatrical surface, with a 35° tilt to NNE, above which a series of hypocentric earthquakes are arranged while constantly shifting to the outer parts (W-SW).{cr} The melting of the African Plate at a depth of about 150-200km is associated with the appearance of the active Plio-Quaternary volcanoes of Santorini, Milos, Nisyros, Methana, Lichas, Kos, Patmos and Antiparos, whose volcanosity is characterized as calc-alkaline.{cr} In the perimeter of the Greek peninsula there is a very deep arc basin, the Hellenic Trench, with a length of 1000km and a radius of curvature of 400km.{cr} The newer volcanic activity in the Greek area began 35Ma ago in the northern Greece, with the creation of the currently inactive volcanic centers in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. It then gradually shifted to the South, initially in the North Aegean and Asia Minor coasts (23-16Ma) and later south to the Central Aegean and central Evia. A series of granites appear on the Cyclades and the Eastern Aegean(17-8.5Ma). The volcanic activity is limited to the Eastern Aegean, alongside with scattered activity in the Greek territory (6-0.5Ma).<