Tectonic and volcanic evolution of Panarea (Aeolian Islands, Italy)

Based on new geophysical, volcanological, structural and radiometric data, a morphological-structural reconstruction of the submarine part of the Panarea volcanic edifice is provided and a model for the evolution of the entire complex is proposed. Panarea is a small part of a much larger submarine edifice whose overall shape is one of a truncated cone with an eastern protrusion. The base of the cone is about 1500 m below sea level; it has a diameter of about 23 km and an area of 460 km 2. Several lobes are present on the steep eastern slopes of the cone and the wide submarine top is of a morphology which is more complex than previously thought. The evolution of the Panarea volcanic complex occurred in three stages: 1. (1) Development of a central volcano in the western sector of the complex. The island of Panarea represents the top of this volcano. 2. (2) Eastward shifting of volcanic activity, producing development of the lobed eastern sector of the complex. 3. (3) Extensive caldera collapse of the central part of the complex and emplacement, within the collapsed area, of domes and lava bodies of various affinities, some of which are basaltic. NE-SW oriented structures seem to have had a fundamental role during the development of the Panarea volcanic complex. These structures have been active until recent times and are of regional significance. Indeed, the evolution of nearby Stromboli has been controlled by the NE-SW trending structures. Panarea and Stromboli also display similar magnetic anomaly trends, geochemical affinities, and temporal relationships in volcanism.