A first insight into the Marsili volcanic seamount (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy): Results from ORION-GEOSTAR3 experiment

The Marsili Seamount is the largest European underwater volcano. It is Plio-Pleistocenic in age, rising up to more than 3000m from the seafloor in the SE Tyrrhenian basin (Central Mediterranean), a back arc basin which began progressively opening 10 Ma ago (Kastens et al., 1988). The seamount lies in a key area for understanding the evolution of the Tyrrhenian region, characterized by high values of heat flow (Della Vedova et al., 2001) and low values of Moho isobaths (Locardi and Nicolich, 1988). In spite of the large dimensions of the Marsili seamount, we still have limited knowledge of its present activity. Ocean explorationis dependent on available technology and infrastructure, which started to develop strongly only after the 1980s.