Milos
Stratovolcano(es) in Greece
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
Loading map...
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
Geological Composition & Structure
Rock Types
Tectonic Setting
Age & Formation
Eruption Statistics & Analysis
| Metric | Value | Global Ranking | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Recorded Eruptions | Unknown | Low | Moderately active volcano |
| Maximum VEI | VEI Unknown | Minor | Local impact potential |
| Recent Activity | 1886 years ago | Historical | Historically active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in European Volcanic Regions
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).
Authority Sources
Related Volcanoes
Basic Information
This page shows basic data from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. For more detailed information, visit the official Smithsonian page.