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Nisyros volcano

Updated: Nov 29, 2023 04:49 GMT -
Stratovolcano, volcanic domes 680 m
Dodecanese Islands, Greece, 36.58°N / 27.17°E
Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)
Last update: 12 Dec 2021
Stephanos crater of Nisyros volcano
Stephanos crater of Nisyros volcano

The small round island of Nisyros is one of the more active but less known volcanoes in Greece. It is located south of the popular beach holiday island of Kos.
The volcano is part of the Hellenic Arc, a curved line of volcanic centers which are caused by a subduction zone, and stretches from the Saronic Gulf opposite Athens via the island groups of Milos, Santorini, and Nisyros-Yali-Cos to the Bodrum peninsula at the extreme SW of Turkey.
The last eruption of Nisyros were phreatic explosions in 1881-87. They left a moonscape with colorful craters and very active fumaroles. More information about Nisyros island

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Typical eruption style: Hydrothermal explosions, effusive volcano, volcano domes
Nisyros volcano eruptions: 1881-1887 - hydrothermic explosions of the crater "Micros Polyvotis"
1500 - hydrothermic explosions
1000-2000 B.C. - hydrothermic explosions of the crater "Stefanos"
5000-10.000 B.C. - hydrothermic eruptions of the Kaminakia craters
15.000-10.000 B.C. - building of postcalderic volcano domes
15.000 B.C. - effusive eruption of the central caldera of Nisyros ("Upper pumice")
25.000 B.C. - effusive eruption of the central caldera of Nisyros ("Lower pumice")
40.000-30.000 B.C. - effusive eruption ("Kira-Formation")
150.000 B.C. - first submarin eruptions

Latest nearby earthquakes

TimeMag. / DepthDistance/Location
Tuesday, November 21, 2023 GMT (1 quake)
Nov 21, 06:48 pm (Athens)
(Nov 21, 16:48 GMT)
1.7

7.5 km
37 km (23 mi)
Greece: Ege Denizi - [26.35 Km] Datça (Muğla)
Sunday, November 19, 2023 GMT (1 quake)
Nov 19, 03:00 am (Athens)
(Nov 19, 01:00 GMT)
1.8

7.2 km
20 km (12 mi)
17 km south of Kos, Dodecanese, South Aegean, Greece

Background

Nisyros is together with the volcanoes of the Cos caldera the east edge of the Aegean Arch with its active volcanoes Methana, Milos, Santorini. The Nisyros volcano is the most active remain of the Cos caldera that exploded aprox. 150.000 years ago. Nisyros, Yali, Strongyli, Pyrgoussa, Pahia and Kefalos (at Cos) are the remains of a zone that is considered to be still active. A Magma chamber below Nisyros is only 3-4 km deep and still rising up. Since 2000 when the Nisyros research program of the GEOWARN-Team started, the temperatures of the fumaroles have been changing from 98 C to 103 C in 2004. There was also a high tectonic (earthquakes) activity in the last years and so a program to prevent volcanic hazards is still ongoing.

Nisyros Photos




See also: Sentinel hub | Landsat 8 | NASA FIRMS

Nisyros volcano tours

Nisyros Island (Greece)
Almonds, olives and volcanoes
8-day walking & study tour on the volcanic islands of Nisyros & Cos, Greece
7 nights / 8 days - Moderate
Price 1690 €
11-18 May 2024
Thu, 13 Dec 2012, 11:05

Nisyros volcano (Dodecanese Islands, Greece) activity update

Location of recent quakes near Nisyros Island, Greece
Earthquakes have been more frequent recently at Nisyros volcano. 2 more quakes of magnitude 2.1 and 3.1 have occurred today close to the island at depths of about 10 and 20 km, respectively. ... Read all
Tue, 4 Dec 2012, 10:33

Earthquake swarms could indicate eruption near Nisyros, Greece

A seismic swarm of 2000 microearthquakes near the island of Nisyros since 24 November could indicate a start of a or coming of a volcanic eruption near Nisyros. ... Read all
The hydrothermal explosion crater Stefanos in the caldera of Nisyros island. (c) Tom Pfeiffer
The hydrothermal explosion crater Stefanos in the caldera of Nisyros island. (c) Tom Pfeiffer
The Polyvotis lava dome. (c) Tom Pfeiffer
The Polyvotis lava dome. (c) Tom Pfeiffer
A hot fumarole at Stefanos crater. (c) Tom Pfeiffer
A hot fumarole at Stefanos crater. (c) Tom Pfeiffer
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