Core-Log-Seismic Integration at an iconic volcanic arc: Unravelling the spa-tio-temporal interplay of magmatism, tectonics, and mass wasting of the Christiana-Santorini-Kolumbo volcanic field (IODP Exp. 398)

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Christian Hübscher
• Subject Area: Palaeontology ; Geophysics
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 506199584

The Christiana-Santorini-Kolumbo (CSK) volcanic field in the southern Aegean Sea is one of the most hazardous volcano-tectonic regions in the world, posing a major threat to the eastern Mediterranean. Here, not only Europe’s strongest 20th-century shallow earthquake occurred (M7.4 in 1956), but also the iconic Minoan eruption 1650 BCE which is thought to have contributed to the fall of the great Minoan civilization. Extensive research in recent decades has led to a robust stratigraphy of onshore Santorini volcanism for the past ~650,000 years and revealed the internal architecture of the adjacent rift system as well as the relative chronological evolution of different volcanic centers. However, since most of the volcano-sedimentary sequences are hidden beneath the seabed, major observation gaps regarding the volcano-tectonic evolution of the CSK field remain. To address these uncertainties, IODP Expedition 398 is scheduled to drill six sites along the CSK volcanic field. We propose to conduct core-log seismic integration at all six drill sites to address four of the five primary goals of this IODP expedition. By extending the constrained 1D stratigraphic model from the drill sites regionally throughout the rift basins and the caldera using our extensive collection of seismic lines, we will be able to constrain sources, distributions, and volumes of individual volcano-sedimentary units. From that, we will answer fundamental questions regarding the ages, volumes and nature of volcanic eruptions from the adjacent Christiana and Kolumbo volcanoes, the nature of deposits within Santorini Caldera, the volume of the Minoan eruption products, and the relationship between rift pulses and volcanic eruptions. This will allow us to better understand the dynamics of disaster cascades, in which tectonic unrest, volcanic eruptions and mass-wasting closely interact. Understanding these interwoven processes is crucial for a more reliable risk assessment for this area of high socio-economic importance.

• DFG Programme: Infrastructure Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 527: Bereich Infrastruktur - "International Ocean Discovery Program" (IODP)
• International Connection: France, Greece, USA
• Co-Investigators: Dr. Gareth Crutchley; Privatdozent Dr. Steffen Kutterolf
• Cooperation Partners: Professor Dr. Tim Druitt; Dr. Tobias Höfig; Professorin Dr. Paraskevi Nomikou