Here's what triggered thousands of earthquakes that rocked Santorini
What's the story
A recent study has revealed that the "earthquake swarm" that rocked the Greek island of Santorini earlier this year was caused by molten rock moving through an underground channel. The seismic activity, which included over 25,000 earthquakes, occurred over a period of three months and traveled some 20km horizontally through the Earth's crust. The research team used artificial intelligence (AI) and physics to analyze patterns associated with these tremors.
Research innovation
AI and physics combined to predict volcanic eruptions
The study's lead researcher, Dr. Stephen Hicks from University College London (UCL), emphasized the potential of combining physics and machine learning to forecast volcanic eruptions. The seismic activity began in January 2025, affecting not just Santorini but also the nearby islands of Amorgos and Anafi. The earthquakes were strong enough for tourists to evacuate and locals feared an impending eruption from the underwater Kolumbo volcano or a precursor to a major earthquake like the one that hit in 1956.
Study methodology
Researchers mapped seismic activity and crust movement
The research team created a 3D map of the Earth surrounding Santorini and tracked the changing patterns of seismic activity for each tremor, as well as the movement and stress in the crust. This led to a detailed model explaining what caused this months-long seismic swarm. It was discovered that horizontal magma movement from beneath Santorini and Kolumbo volcano through a 30km channel more than 10km beneath the seafloor triggered these earthquakes.
Volume comparison
Magma movement volume compared to Olympic-sized swimming pools
The researchers estimated that the amount of magma that moved through the crust was enough to fill 200,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. These "magma intrusions" broke through rock layers and triggered thousands of tremors. Study's lead author Anthony Lomax, a research geophysicist who develops scientific software for seismic activity analysis, said: "The tremors act as if we had instruments deep in the Earth, and they're telling us something."
Seismic status
Researchers believe Santorini's seismic activity has subsided
The researchers now think that the seismic activity in Santorini has subsided for the time being. Dr. Hicks said, "The magma remained quite deep - more than 8km depth - in the crust." He added that while magma can rise and erupt at the surface within hours to days, its current inactivity indicates it likely got trapped and cooled down deep within Earth's crust.
Future implications
AI could revolutionize monitoring and forecasting volcanic activity
The researchers also believe that AI, combined with the fundamental physics of Earth's crust movement and stress response, could revolutionize monitoring and forecasting volcanic activity. This would be a major step toward ensuring safety in seismically active regions around the world. Dr. Hicks said, "Ultimately, this could be used as a forecasting tool." He added that clusters of earthquakes provide data that can help determine their most likely cause.