Columbos (underwater volcano)

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The Kolumbos ( Greek Ηφαίστειο Κολούμπος ) is an underwater volcano about 7 km northeast of the Greek Cyclades -Insel Santorini . In the weak zone around the volcanic island of Santorini, which runs from southwest to northeast, there are other active and inactive volcanoes, of which the Columbos is one of the best known, along with the Christiana Islands . The crater rim of the Columbos volcano is only 10 to 18 meters below the sea surface, while its caldera reaches a depth of up to 505 meters. The crater has a diameter of 1.5 kilometers. At the northeast end of the crater floor, hydrothermal springs break through the sea ​​floor, which is covered by a thick layer of bacteria . The overheated water flowing out there (up to 224 ° C was measured), metal-containing water has created up to four meter high chimneys made of metal- sulfur compounds here since 1650 .

The eruption in 1650

In 1649 the volcano had risen so high that it towered above the surface of the water. The two-month eruption of Columbus in September 1650 was the strongest volcanic eruption in the eastern Mediterranean for 1000 years . The eruption associated with strong earthquakes caused great damage in Santorini and cost the lives of over 50 residents, many buildings were destroyed, and the ash rain brought agriculture and livestock to a standstill. The collapse of the volcano into its caldera triggered a tsunami that caused damage to islands 150 km away.

Naming

The new volcano formed a ring of tufa that initially lay above the water surface, but later quickly eroded . As it was snow-white in contrast to the other Santorin volcanoes, which are formed from completely black lava , the new volcanic island was named "Koloumbos" in Greek after the Italian word for pigeon - Colombo .

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Coordinates: 36 ° 31 '  N , 25 ° 28'  E