Santorini Morphology
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These streams cut across the island perpendicular to the coastline and have steep beds of significant width (NAMA 1998, v.2, 4).
Intense erosion is observed on approximately 60% of the total area of the island of Santorini. Erosion is concentrated specifically in the area of Vourvoulos, particularly at its eastern part, across Kamari and southwest of Emporeio in addition to a limited area close to Akrotiri (NAMA 1998, v.2, 4).
Two main factors controlling erosion intensity are:
1. the daily height of rain, which may exceed 30 mm, although the number of rainfalls during the year is limited
2. the texture and structure of pumice, which is the geological formation that covers the largest part of the island and which can be very easily eroded by surface run-off (NAMA 1998, v.2, 4).
Aeolic erosion (wind erosion) is also observed on the island as a result of combined action of strong winds, lack of solid structure, reduced soil coherence and low soil specific weight (NAMA 1998, v.2, 4).
The intense erosion phenomena observed all over the island and the lack of large arable areas led the inhabitants of Santorini to construct upstages , known as “xerolithies”, using red and black “lapilli” and “volcanic bombs” (pyroclastics), in order to protect and hold the arable soil on terraces and simultaneously restrict water losses (NAMA 1998, v.2, 4).
Coastal morphology.
Volcanic activity is the main factor affecting the coastal morphology. Outside the caldera, the northern, eastern and southern coasts of the island present a very smooth and flat-base-relief (small inclinations, flat beaches) due to the constant weathering of the pumice formations covering those of the island. These coasts are relatively shallow and sandy; shingles of various sizes and colors ranging from black to deep red can be found from place to place. Deposition of alluvial and coastal formations is taking place at the wider area of Monolithos, where a change in the curvature of the island can be observed. The only rocky coasts found outside the caldera are the east slopes of Mt. Profitis Ilias at the southeastern part of the island, where Triassic limestones are dipping into the sea, as well as the coasts south of Akrotiri in the southwestern part of the island, consisting of tuff and lava formations (NAMA 1998, v.2, 5).
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| Source: | "Santorini: Sustainable Regional Development 2004; regional planning of the islands of Thera and Therasia Phase A: Analysis" |
| Pages: | pp. 153 - 154 |
| Written by: | - Michael Romanos - Carla Chifos - Francis P. Wray - Frank Russell - Menelaos Triantafillou and students: E. Crisanti, C. Freese, H. Fulmer, E. Huber, E. Lopez-Stickney, A. Meyer, M. Steele, H. Wadih, N. Luehmann. |
| University of Cincinnati School of Planning. | |
| To download the entire analysis and/or learn more about the University of Cincinnati: | http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/copy_of_University%20of%20Cincinnati/ |