Submitted by admin on Fri, 04/29/2011 - 21:15

 


Shuttle Imaging Radar-A (SIR-A) image 10060515 looking southwest towards the peninsula of Methana. Image taken on November 19, 1981.

 


Simplified geologic map of Methana from Georgalas (1962).

 

The peninsula of Methana is made of lava domes and lava flows. Volcanism began in the late Tertiary or early Quaternary. The most recent activity has been at Kameno Vouno, on the Northwest part of the peninsula. There was an explosive eruption at this vent in 258 BC. The eruption also produced a dome and lava flows. The dome has a crater about 100 m in diameter and 25 m deep. The dome was intruded by radial fissures. The flow is about 1,250 m long and about 150 m thick near the vent and 70-80 m thick near its terminus. The flow reached the coast and extended the shoreline by 500 m. This eruption was recorded by Strabo in his "Geographica." An eruption was suspected in August of 1922, but not confirmed. The rocks at Methana range from basalt to rhyodacite in composition.

 

Chemical composition of Methana lava (from Georgalas, 1962):
SiO2    TiO2    Al2O3   FeO     MnO     MgO     CaO     Na2O    K2O     P2O5
56.4    0.33    17.48   8.02    -       3.10    10.89   1.77    1.38    -

- = not measured.
FeO = FeO total.

A spa at Methana features hot sulphurous and saline springs.

 

Sources of Information:

Dietrich, V.J., Mercolli, I. and Oberhänsli, R., 1988, Dazite, High-Alumina Basalte und Andesite als Produkte Amphibol dominierter Differentiation (Ägina und Methana, Ägäischer Inselbogen). Schweiz. mineral. petrogr. Mitt. 68/1. 21-39.

Dietrich, V.J., Hurni, L.and Gaitanakis, P., 1995: Geological Map of Greece. Methana (Saronic Gulf), 1:25'000 with expl.. Stiftung Vulkaninstitut Immanuel Friedlaender, Zürich. Verlag Birkhäuser Basel and IGME (Athen).

Georgalas, G.C., 1962, Catalogue of the active volcanoes of the world including solfatara fields; Part XII Greece: International Association of Volcanology, Rome, Italy, 40 p.

Mee, C.B., and Fobes, H.A. (eds.), 1997, A Rough and Rocky Place: The Landscape and Settlement History of the Methana Peninsula, Greece. Liverpool University Press.

Simkin, T., and Siebert, L., 1994, Volcanoes of the World: Geoscience Press, Tucson, Arizona, 349 p.

Latitude (DD): 
37.62
Longitude (dd): 
23.34
Elevation (m): 
760
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Country: 
Greece
Type: 
Lava dome