🌋VolcanoAtlas

Milos

Stratovolcano(es) in Greece

Last Eruption: 140

Key Facts

Elevation

751 m (2,464 ft)

Type

Stratovolcano(es)

Location

36.699°, 24.439°

Region

Hellenic Volcanic Arc

Rock Type

Rhyolite

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone

Location

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Overview

Mílos and adjacent small islands have grown from submarine and subaerial volcanism that initially was dominantly andesitic and basaltic, but ended with predominately rhyolitic eruptions. The oldest volcanic rocks are Pliocene submarine rhyolitic pyroclastic-flow deposits overlying basement metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. The latest activity during the late Pleistocene was concentrated in the eastern half of the low, U-shaped Mílos Island, forming lava domes and phreatic explosion craters, and on Antimílos Island to the NW, where a composite volcano was constructed.

The youngest magmatic eruptions took place about 90,000 years ago, but phreatic explosions, commonly producing overlapping craters rarely more than 1 km in diameter, continued from late-Pleistocene to Recent times. A lahar deposit in SE Mílos, east of Fyriplaka tuff ring, buried walls of a Roman harbor town and overlies a coarse ash layer, and was considered to originate from a small phreatic explosion through basement rocks.

Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

    Risk Level

    Population at RiskModerate
    Infrastructure RiskModerate
    Aviation RiskSignificant

    Geological Composition & Structure

    Rock Types

    Primary
    Rhyolite
    Silica Content
    High (>68% SiO₂)

    Tectonic Setting

    Subduction zone
    Formed by oceanic plate subduction, typically producing explosive eruptions due to water-rich magmas.

    Age & Formation

    Epoch
    Holocene
    Evidence
    Eruption Dated

    Eruption Statistics & Analysis

    MetricValueGlobal RankingSignificance
    Total Recorded EruptionsUnknownLowModerately active volcano
    Maximum VEIVEI UnknownMinorLocal impact potential
    Recent Activity1886 years agoHistoricalHistorically active

    Monitoring & Alert Status

    Monitoring Networks

    Global Volcanism Program
    International eruption database

    Current Status

    Normal
    No recent activity. Routine monitoring continues.

    Nearby Volcanoes in European Volcanic Regions

    Regional Volcanic Activity
    The European Volcanic Regions contains multiple active volcanic systems. Cross-regional magma interactions and tectonic stresses can influence eruption patterns across the entire arc. Monitor regional seismic activity and volcanic alerts.

    Quick Info

    • Smithsonian ID: 212030
    • Evidence: Eruption Dated
    • Epoch: Holocene

    About the Photo

    The western side of Mílos Island contains a cluster of lava domes. Mílos and adjacent small islands have grown from submarine and subaerial volcanism that initially was dominantly andesitic and basaltic, but ended with primarily rhyolitic eruptions. Phreatic explosions, commonly producing overlapping craters typically less than 1 km in diameter, continued from late-Pleistocene to Holocene time.

    Photo by Ichio Moriya (Kanazawa University).

    Basic Information

    This page shows basic data from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. For more detailed information, visit the official Smithsonian page.