The swarm of tens of thousands of earthquakes near the Greek island of Santorini earlier this year was triggered by molten rock pumping through an underground channel over three months, scientists have discovered.
They used physics and artificial intelligence to work out exactly what caused the more than 25,000 earthquakes, which travelled about 20km (12 miles) horizontally through the Earth's crust.
Using each of the tremors as virtual sensors, researchers analyzed patterns associated with them. Dr. Stephen Hicks from UCL emphasized that this integration of physics and machine learning could significantly enhance volcanic eruption forecasts.
Seismic activity commenced beneath Santorini, Amorgos, and Anafi in January 2025, characterized by numerous earthquakes, many reaching magnitudes over 5.0.
The fears of locals prompted many tourists to flee, as concerns grew about the underwater volcano, Kolumbo, potentially erupting or a repeat of historic devastating quakes.
In the journal Science, scientists published a 3D map of Earth around Santorini, analyzing evolving seismic activity patterns. Their models revealed that magma movement was responsible for the months-long swarm.
This magma was found moving through a 30km-long channel beneath the seafloor between Santorini and Anydros, with enough volume to fill 200,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
While magma currently lies deep in the crust, the research highlights that volcanoes can remain unpredictable for years. Advances in AI and physics offer hope for improved monitoring and forecasting of volcanic behavior, ultimately enhancing safety in earthquake-prone areas.
