Santorini fumaroles

The active Santorini fumaroles are submarine and subaerial gas vents located within the volcanic caldera of Santorini, Greece. These hydrothermal vents are concentrated primarily on the uninhabited islands of Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni.

The escaping gases consist largely of carbon dioxide, along with lesser amounts of hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide. The presence of these gases indicates the ongoing geothermal activity deep beneath the Santorini caldera.

While the islands of Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni are a popular tourist destination, visitors are advised not to directly inhale the gases from the subaerial vents. The high concentrations of carbon dioxide and sulfur compounds in the immediate vicinity can be harmful.

The fumaroles are caused by the ongoing geothermal activity of the Hellenic Volcanic Arc. As groundwater seeps deep into the earth, it is heated by underlying magma, rises back to the surface, and escapes as hot gas vents through the volcanic rock.