Tsunamis Observed on the Coasts of Greece from Antiquity to Present Time
In comparison with the great number of disastrous earthquakes<br />which have occurred from antiquity to the present time in Greece, large<br />tsunamis are very rare on the coasts of Greece. A really great tsunami<br />may have started in the Aegean Sea aft...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV)
1960-06-01
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| Series: | Annals of Geophysics |
| Online Access: | http://www.annalsofgeophysics.eu/index.php/annals/article/view/5477 |
| Summary: | In comparison with the great number of disastrous earthquakes<br />which have occurred from antiquity to the present time in Greece, large<br />tsunamis are very rare on the coasts of Greece. A really great tsunami<br />may have started in the Aegean Sea after the tremendous explosion of<br />Santorin volcano, which occurred 3370 ± 100 years ago (13). After the<br />deposit of a layer of pumice 20-30 m thick and the emptying of the<br />volcanic focus, the roof of the cavern thus formed collapsed. The<br />centrai part, consisting of an area of 83 sq km, of the former island<br />Stronghyb tlius became a gigantic caldera 300-400 m deep.<br />Tliere is no evidence indicating whether the cobapse took place<br />graduaby or ab at once. In the second case a huge tsunami should have<br />started greater by far than that generated by the explosion of Krakatoa,<br />on August 27, 1883. At that time depths of 200-300 m were formed by<br />the sinking (24) of 2/3 of the former island of an area of 33 1/2 sq km.<br />Thus the cavity formed by the explosion of Santorin is about 4 times<br />greater than that of the Krakatoa. |
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| ISSN: | 1593-5213 2037-416X |