Nisyros Volcano
Updated: Apr 20, 2024 07:38 GMT -
Stratovolcano, volcanic domes 680 m
Dodecanese Islands, Greece, 36.58°N / 27.17°E
Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)
Dodecanese Islands, Greece, 36.58°N / 27.17°E
Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)
Last update: 10 Mar 2024
Stephanos crater of Nisyros volcano
The small round island of Nisyros is one of the more active but less known volcanoes in Greece. It is located south of the popular beach holiday island of Kos.
The last eruption of Nisyros were phreatic explosions in 1881-87. They left a moonscape with colorful craters and very active fumaroles.
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Nisyros volcano eruptions: 1881-1887 - hydrothermic explosions of the crater "Micros Polyvotis"
1500 - hydrothermic explosions
1000-2000 B.C. - hydrothermic explosions of the crater "Stefanos"
5000-10.000 B.C. - hydrothermic eruptions of the Kaminakia craters
15.000-10.000 B.C. - building of postcalderic volcano domes
15.000 B.C. - effusive eruption of the central caldera of Nisyros ("Upper pumice")
25.000 B.C. - effusive eruption of the central caldera of Nisyros ("Lower pumice")
40.000-30.000 B.C. - effusive eruption ("Kira-Formation")
150.000 B.C. - first submarin eruptions
Latest nearby earthquakes
| Time | Mag. / Depth | Distance / Location | |||
| Apr 14, 04:32 am (Athens) | 2.2 17 km | 30 km (18 mi) to the SW |  Aegean Sea, 31 km southwest of Nisyros Island, Dodecanese, South Aegean, Greece | Info | |
| Tuesday, April 9, 2024 GMT (1 quake) | |||||
| Apr 10, 02:48 am (Athens) | 2.7 122 km | 4.9 km (3 mi) to the NE | Dodecanese Is.-Turkey Border Reg | Info | |
| Sunday, April 7, 2024 GMT (3 quakes) | |||||
| Apr 7, 06:26 am (Athens) | 2.2 18 km | 24 km (15 mi) to the S | Dodecanese Is.-Turkey Border Reg | Info | |
| Apr 7, 04:01 am (Athens) | 2.4 115 km | 25 km (16 mi) to the W | 19 Km SSW from Kefalos Kos | Info | |
| Apr 7, 09:57 am (Athens) | 1.8 18 km | 13 km (7.8 mi) to the W | Greece: ONIKI ADALAR (MEDITERRANEAN SEA) | Info | |
Background
Nisyros volcano is part of the Hellenic Arc, a curved line of volcanic centers caused by the subduction zone where the African tectonic plate sinks under under the Aegean microplate, which in turn is part of the larger Eurasian tectonic plate. The arc stretches from the Saronic Gulf opposite Athens via the island groups of Milos, Santorini, and Nisyros-Yali-Kos to the Bodrum peninsula at the extreme SW of Turkey.Together with the volcanoes of the Kos caldera, Nisyros forms the most important volcanic center of the eastern section of the Hellenic arc.
Nisyros volcano itself is the most recently active part of the Kos caldera, which had formed during a massive ultra-plinian eruption approx. 150.000 years ago. Nisyros, Yali, Strongyli, Pyrgoussa, Pahia and Kefalos (at Kos) are the present-day centers of this caldera system that can be considered to be still active.
At Nisyros, an active magma chamber is located at only 3-4 km depth. Since 2000 when the Nisyros research program of the GEOWARN-Team started, the temperatures of the fumaroles have been changing from 98 C to 103 C in 2004.
Nisyros Volcano Photos
The Stephanos crater seen from Nikia village (Nisyros volcano, Greece) (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
The Stefanos crater, Nisyros Island, in spring (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
Fumaroles and colored rocks at the side of the crater. (c)
Colorful moonscape at the Polyvotis crater. (c)
Latest satellite images
Nisyros Volcano Tours
Nisyros Island (Greece)
Almonds, Olives and Volcanoes
8-day geo and walking tour on the volcanic islands of Nisyros & Kos, Greece
7 nights / 8 days - Moderate
Price 1690 €
Price 1690 €
14-21 Sep 2024
