Santorini Volcano

If you have been to Santorini you will not know that island is Volcanic as part of a huge caldera, surrounding the Volcano of Nea Kamini.  If you arrived by boat then you will have travelled past the volcano and seen tourists trekking their way to the top.  If you were able to drag yourself away from the towns, sunsets and beaches you might have taken a boat trip out to learn a little bit more, even to swim in the hot springs on the far side.

Our knowledgeable guide informed us that there would be no chance of an eruption during our visit, though the magma chamber was slowly being filled up as the African plate is subducted under the Eurasian. As this happens the oceanic crust is destroyed ready for the next eruption.  Currently the volcano is classed as dormant, as a reminder that the status will one day change we kicked up some dirt and just below the surface the temperature of the stones was enough to burn your hands if you weren't careful.

The volcano island is made up of several craters relating to previous eruptions, the most recent being 1950.  You can see gases escaping from cracks in the rocks as you stare into a graveyard of the poorly secured hats littering the crater sides.

Another key point to notice is the different colour of the igneous (volcanic) rocks, this is due to the rate at which the rock cools and the amount of oxygen reacting with it as this happens.

It is unlikely there will be another eruption on the scale that destroyed the town of Akrotiri, Greece's very own Pompeii.  It has been difficult to date to the biggest eruption, it was sometime during 1600 BCE which impact the Mediterranean directly, causing destruction to settlements on Crete and potentially impacting global climate patterns, records in Egypt describe significant changes around the same time.

Once you've climbed up what better way to finish the trip than heading to the far side of the volcano for a swim in the hotspring where you notice the change in the temperature as you move closer to the island.  The water is supposed to be good for your skin, though not so good for a white swimming costume!!

Have you been somewhere Geographical you would like to write about?  Email me or speak to me when we start back at school.

For those of you interested here are a few more weblinks to explore for more information including a like webcam.

https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/santorini.html
https://webcams.volcanodiscovery.com/Santorini
http://www.thisoldearth.net/Igneous-Rocks_color.cfm
https://www.santorini.com/archaeology/akrotiri.htm

Amazing colours

The town of Thira from Nea Kamini

Crater

Gas Vent

Monitoring Equipment

Plants slowly reappearing

The small port. Note the yellow water.

Mud, lots of mud

Year 7 took a break from being in the classroom to head out into the field this week.  Our destination?  The Mud Volcanoes of the Buzau Mountains.  Don't worry these aren't the type of volcanoes that will lay waste to your house, disrupt your holiday through volcanic ash, or even get turned into a disaster movie.  They are pretty cool and impressive all the same.

So why do they exist?  Well put simply there is oil under the surface, as much as 30,000 metres deep.  The oil gives off gas.  This gas rises up through cracks in the rock, some of the rock it passes through is clay.  This mixes with underground water to get the liquid mud 'erupting' out in volcano shaped cone.  Due to the oil you will notice a smell similar to petrol whilst you are in the area.

Some of these volcanoes are constantly erupting meaning you watch them in action, others are more intermittent.  You can see where the mud has recently erupted as fresh flows carve out mini gorges as they meander, in the same way water does in a river down the hill.

Of course, there is a very real risk of getting muddy in a place like this, so make sure you take a change of clothes just in case, and remember this.

There is a reason why you should tie your shoes up properly!!

Volcanoes

In the news today two different volcanoes have erupted, the video below shows Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano spewing ash and gas into the sky.  

Popocatépetl volcano came to life on Sunday morning, sending a column of gas and ash 2,000 metres (6,500ft) into the sky in central Mexico. A 12km (7.5-mile) security ring around the volcano has been mandated, preventing passage close to the crater. Popocatépetl’s last major eruption was in 2000, when more than 40,000 people had to be evacuated

The second eruption occurred in Alaska, I don't have a video just yet if you find one you can add it in the comments.  A link to read about what is happening is here...

Alaska volcano spews ash cloud stretching 400 miles, grounding flights

Pompeii

If you have not yet found the time to visit Pompeii then I suggest you put it on your list of places to visit.  Whilst you're there check out Napoli for some of, if not the best pizza you will ever eat, and the stunning Costiera Amalfitana (Amalfi Coast), just try and explore more than the standard tourist places for a far more interesting experience.

Pompeii itself is an incredibly interesting place to visit, all the time you are in the shadow of Vesuvius, which hopefully you can find the time to visit.  Then imagine that the volcano you are seeing was once much taller and one giant feature on the landscape.  Take the time to explore and in the summer be prepared for the heat.  

Pompeii the film is set in the last days of the now famous town.  The plot is, much like Titanic is very predictable and so it should be no surprise to you that the Volcano erupts and the town is destroyed.  The effects put into the film are certainly impressive and give you some idea of what it could have been like.

"A slave-turned-gladiator finds himself in a race against time to save his true love, who has been betrothed to a corrupt Roman Senator. As Mount Vesuvius erupts, he must fight to save his beloved as Pompeii crumbles around him." IMDB

If you haven't seen it yet it will be one of the first films in next terms Geography Film club, you can write your own review if you like to be shared here.  In the meantime have a look at the movie trailers below.