@article{2320621,
    title = "New insights into hydrothermal vent processes in the unique shallow-submarine arc-volcano, Kolumbo (Santorini), Greece",
    author = "Stephanos P. Kilias and Paraskevi Nomikou and Dimitrios Papanikolaou and Paraskevi N. Polymenakou and Athanasios Godelitsas and Ariadne Argyraki and Steven Carey and Platon Gamaletsos and Theo J. Mertzimekis and Eleni Stathopoulou and Joerg Goettlicher and Ralph Steininger and Konstantina Betzelou and Isidoros Livanos and Christos Christakis and Katherine Croff Bell and Michael Scoullos",
    journal = "Scientific Reports",
    year = "2013",
    volume = "3",
    number = "-",
    pages = "2421",
    publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",
    issn = "2045-2322",
    keywords = "volcano, Santorini, Greece, mineralogy, geochemistry, synchrotron",
    abstract = "We report on integrated geomorphological, mineralogical, geochemical and biological investigations of the
hydrothermal vent field located on the floor of the density-stratified acidic (pH , 5) crater of the Kolumbo
shallow-submarine arc-volcano, near Santorini. Kolumbo features rare geodynamic setting at convergent
boundaries, where arc-volcanism and seafloor hydrothermal activity are occurring in thinned continental
crust. Special focus is given to unique enrichments of polymetallic spires in Sb and Tl (6Hg, As, Au, Ag, Zn)
indicating a new hybrid seafloor analogue of epithermal-to-volcanic-hosted-massive-sulphide deposits.
Iron microbial-mat analyses reveal dominating ferrihydrite-type phases, and high-proportion of microbial
sequences akin to "Nitrosopumilus maritimus", a mesophilic Thaumarchaeota strain capable of
chemoautotrophic growth on hydrothermal ammonia and CO2. Our findings highlight that acidic
shallow-submarine hydrothermal vents nourish marine ecosystems in which nitrifying Archaea are
important and suggest ferrihydrite-type Fe31-(hydrated)-oxyhydroxides in associated low-temperature iron
mats are formed by anaerobic Fe21-oxidation, dependent on microbially produced nitrate."
}