Earthquakes and Volcanic Activity of Santorini: New Scientific Discoveries and Explanations for the Events of 2025
In early 2025, the Greek island of Santorini became the focal point of global attention due to a series of intense earthquakes rattling the region.
Over several weeks, more than 28,000 tremors were recorded, with some reaching magnitudes of 5.0 and above.
These seismic events sparked widespread concern among local residents and scientists, as their origin remained a mystery for a long time—were they caused by tectonic shifts or volcanic activity? Recent research published in the journal ‘Nature’ has provided a definitive answer.
An international team of scientists utilized underwater sensors, seismic monitoring, and advanced artificial intelligence algorithms to determine that the earthquakes resulted from magma movement beneath Santorini and neighboring volcanoes.
According to marine geophysicist Jens Karstens of GEOMAR, close collaboration allowed researchers to monitor the crisis nearly in real time and better understand the interaction between the volcanoes.
The initial signs appeared as early as summer 2024, when magma from deep within the Earth ascended and accumulated in a reservoir beneath the island, causing it to rise by several centimeters.
Although outwardly insignificant, these changes triggered further magma movements, leading to a series of seismic swarms in 2025.
As molten rock continued to break through the crust, there was a sharp increase in earthquake frequency.
Marius Isken of the Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences explained that this activity aligns with the classic scenario of magma ascent—bulldozing through rock and creating pathways, which in turn generates intense seismic activity.
An unexpected discovery was that Santorini is hydrologically connected to neighboring volcanoes.
During earthquakes, about 300 million cubic meters of magma ascended from the depths and halted approximately four kilometers below the seabed.
These findings were made possible through the combination of traditional geophysical methods and artificial intelligence algorithms, enabling precise localization of earthquakes and reconstruction of processes occurring beneath the island.
Scientists emphasize that these conclusions not only elucidate the origins of the 2025 earthquakes but also open new avenues for monitoring volcanic activity in the region, which is crucial for future predictions and hazard mitigation.