Mud volcanoes and gas hydrates in Anaximander Mountains (Eastern Mediterranean)

Detailed multibeam, sedimentological, and geophysical surveys within the framework of the EU Project 'ANAXIMANDER' provided ample new data to confirm that the E. Mediterranean (Anaximander Mountains) is an important site for active mud volcanism and gas hydrate formation. More than 3000 km of multibeam track length was acquired during the two missions and 80 gravity and box cores were recovered. Major outputs: 1) Detailed bathymetry/morphology and backscatter data of the greater area compared to previous surveys, - 2) Very detailed morphology of the known targeted mud volcanoes (Amsterdam, Kazan and Kula) especially the Amsterdam "crater" and the related mud breccia flows, - 3) Gas hydrates were collected repetitively from a larger area of Amsterdam mud volcano at a subbottom depth of around 0.3-1.5 m, _ 4) Gas hydrates were sampled for the first time at Kazan MY, - 5) New mud volcanoe were identified on the basis of multibeam backscatter intensity .They were sampled, documented as active and named "Athina" and "Thessaloniki". Gas hydrates were sampled also in Thessaloniki MV, the shallowest (1264 m) among all the active Mediterranean sites, at the boundary of the gas hydrate stability zone.