Scientists Mapping the Mediterranean for the First Time Found an Active Structure Still Moving Deep Under the Seafloor

Key Points:

• Scientists aboard the research vessel METEOR discovered six previously unknown underwater volcanoes, including one named Actea, just six kilometers off the southwestern coast of Sicily, revealing significant gaps in existing geological maps of the Sicily Channel.
• The expedition, involving multiple international research institutions, used advanced sonar and magnetometer technology to map volcanic structures, finding real volcanoes missed by earlier models and disproving the existence of some previously identified seamounts.
• Actea, the closest volcano to shore, shows signs of recent magmatic activity and emits bubbles from its crater, indicating ongoing magmatic and hydrothermal processes beneath the seafloor near populated coastal areas.
• The Sicily Channel is an active tectonic and volcanic zone with a history of sudden volcanic island formation, exemplified by the 1831 emergence and disappearance of Ferdinandea Island, highlighting potential hazards to shipping and coastal infrastructure.
• The findings underscore the need for updated volcanic hazard assessments and protection plans for coastal populations and critical seabed infrastructure, while expanding scientific understanding of underwater volcanism in complex rift settings.