A West-East Traverse Along the Magmatism of the South Aegean Volcanic Arc in the Light of Volcanological, Chemical and Isotope Data
65 A West-East Traverse along the magmatism of the south Aegean volcanic arc in the light of volcanological, chemical and isotope data L. Francalanci1,2,∗, G.E. Vougioukalakis 3, G. Perini1, P. Manetti1,2 1 Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Firenze, via La Pira, 4, I-50121, Firenze, Italy. 2 C.N.R., I.G.G., Sezione di Firenze, via La Pira 4, I-50121, Firenze, Italy. 3 I.G.M.E, Mesogeion, 70, Athens, Greece. ABSTRACT The volcanic rocks of the South Aegean arc (SAAVA) form a chain from the Gulf of Saronikos (Susaki, Egina, Poros, Methana) at West, to an area close to the Anatolian coast at East (Kos, Nisyros and minor islands), through the central part (Milos and Santorini island groups). The volcanic activity began in the Lower Pliocene at Egina (4.7 Ma) and lasted until present days, with the still active Methana, Milos, Santorini and Nisyros volcanoes. The beginning of volcanism is younger in the central sector of the arc. Volcanic center location was controlled by large tectonic lineaments, most of them still active, trending E-W to NW-SE for the western part and mainly NE-SW for the central and eastern parts of the arc. Volcanic fields developed along ellipse shaped areas with the longest axis oriented perpendicular to the subduction front. In the western volcanic fields (Susaki, Egina-Poros-Methana and Milos), volcanic centers are mostly monogenetic and no composite volcanic structures are present. In the eastern sector of the arc, Santorini and Nisyros are important composite volcanoes with caldera structures.
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