Understanding the Earthquake Swarm in Santorini: What Scientists Discovered

Sat Nov 22 2025 02:08:55 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A swarm of over 25,000 earthquakes near Santorini was triggered by molten rock beneath the Earth's crust. Discover how scientists used AI to unravel this mystery.

Scientists have revealed that the recent swarm of earthquakes near Santorini was caused by molten rock moving through a channel beneath the Earth's crust, unleashing over 25,000 tremors. By combining physics and artificial intelligence, researchers created a model that illustrates how magma movement led to this seismic event, enhancing our ability to monitor volcanic activity in the future.

The swarm of tens of thousands of earthquakes near the Greek island of Santorini earlier this year was triggered by molten rock pumping through an underground channel over three months, scientists have discovered.

They used physics and artificial intelligence to work out exactly what caused the more than 25,000 earthquakes, which travelled about 20km (12 miles) horizontally through the Earth's crust.

They used each of the tremors as virtual sensors, then used artificial intelligence to analyse patterns associated with them.

One of the lead researchers, Dr. Stephen Hicks from UCL, said combining physics and machine learning in this way could help forecast volcanic eruptions.

What happened in Santorini?

The seismic activity started to stir beneath the Greek islands of Santorini, Amorgos, and Anafi in January 2025. The islands experienced tens of thousands of earthquakes - many over magnitude 5.0 that could be felt.

Many tourists fled, and locals feared that the nearby underwater volcano, Kolumbo, might erupt or that this was a prelude to a larger earthquake, echoing the devastating magnitude 7.7 quake that struck the same region in 1956.

The scientists, who published their findings in the journal Science, created a 3D map of the Earth around Santorini. They then mapped the evolving patterns of each tremor and the movement in the crust to reveal what drove this seismic swarm.

The research team found that the event was driven by the horizontal movement of magma through a 30km channel situated over 10km beneath the seafloor between Santorini and Anydros. The volume of magma moved could have filled 200,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools, causing thousands of tremors.

Lead author Anthony Lomax explained that the tremors acted as instruments deep in the Earth, providing insights into underlying magma movements.

Does this mean the Santorini unrest is over?

Researchers believe the seismic unrest for now appears to be over. Dr. Hicks noted that because the magma remained deep beneath the surface, it is likely it cooled down before erupting. However, he cautioned that volcanoes can have unpredictable phases of unrest.

Advances in AI combined with physics could revolutionize how we monitor and forecast volcanic activity, enhancing safety for those in seismically active areas.