Shallow vs. Deep Fluid Sources In Hydrothermal Systems: New Insights From VOC Composition In Fumarolic Discharges And Soil Gases Of Yellowstone National Park (USA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tassi, F.; Capecchiacci, F.; Montegrossi, G.; Caliro, S.; Chiodini, G.; Vaselli, O.

2008-12-01

The origin of non-methane volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in hydrothermal fluids is related to two distinct mechanisms regulated by different thermodynamic conditions (e.g. Des Marais et al., 1981; Mango, 2000; Capaccioni and Mangani, 2001): i) thermogenic reactions, such as catalytic reforming and/or thermal cracking, which proceed within the main reservoir at medium-to-high temperature (150-350°C) and reduced conditions; ii) biodegradation processes, occurring at relatively shallow depth, where uprising fluids have <150°C and suffer oxidizing conditions. According to these considerations, the main aim of the present investigation is to discriminate the different fluid sources feeding the hydrothermal system on the basis of the C2-C15 organic compounds in fumarolic discharges and soil gases collected at the Yellowstone National Park (USA). A total of 64 and 66 different species were identified in the gas discharges and in the soil gas samples, respectively. The composition of the organic gas fraction in the fumarolic fluids is relatively homogeneous, being dominated by C2-C6 alkanes (81 %) and showing relatively high concentrations of alkenes (13 %), aromatics (3.7 %) and cyclics (1.4 %). Differently, the relative percentages of alkanes and alkenes in the soil gas, where VOC abundances are about two orders of magnitude less abundant than those in the gas discharges, are significantly lower (64 and 6.8 %, respectively) and cyclics are absent. On the other hand, oxygenated species (17.8 %), aromatics (5.6 %) and Cl-bearing compounds (4.5 %) results to be enriched with respect to those measured in the gas vents. Such compositional differences are likely to be due to the bacterial activity in the soil that causes the production of ketones, esters, alcohols, aldehydes and organic acids from the C-H species (hydrocarbons sensu strictu). Organic acids, mainly constituted by ossalic acid and traces of tartaric, malonic citric and succinic ones, were also determined in the fumarolic condensates. This seems to indicate that biodegradation likely occurs even within the hydrothermal systems, since the production of low molecular mass organic acids is to be related to bacterial activity (Arnetoli et al., 2008 and references therein). S-bearing compounds are strongly controlled by the fS values and this would explain the relatively high concentrations of these species in the H2S-rich fumarolic discharges. As far as it concerns the relatively high abundance of halogenated compounds in the soil gases, it can be suggested that the origin of these species is likely to be related to atmospheric contribution. Actually, formation of Cl- bearing species from reactions between VOCs and Cl-rich fluids, such as those of the deep hydrothermal reservoir, is still matter of debate. Therefore, we may speculate that these compounds, characterized by chemical inertness, are added to the hydrothermal fluids from meteoric water recharging the system. References: Arnetoli, M., Montegrossi, G., Buccianti, A., Gonnelli, C., 2008. J. Agricol. Food Chem., 56, 789- 795. Capaccioni, B., Mangani, F., 2001. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 188, 543-555. Des Marais, D.J., Donchin, J.H., Truesdell, A.H., Nehring, N.L., 1981. Nature, 292, 826-828. Mango, F.D., 2000. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 64, 1265-1277.

Using fumarolic inert gas composition to investigate magma dynamics at Campi Flegrei (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiodini, G.; Caliro, S.; Paonita, A.; Cardellini, C.

2013-12-01

Since 2000 the Campi Flegrei caldera sited in Neapolitan area (Italy), has showed signs of reactivation, marked by ground uplift, seismic activity, compositional variations of fumarolic effluents from La Solfatara, an increase of the fumarolic activity as well as of soil CO2 fluxes. Comparing long time series of geochemical signals with ground deformation and seismicity, we show that these changes are at least partially caused by repeated injections of magmatic fluid into the hydrothermal system. The frequency of these degassing episodes has increased in the last years, causing pulsed uplift episodes and swarms of low magnitude earthquakes. We focus here in the inert gas species (CO2-He-Ar-N2) of Solfatara fumaroles which displayed in the time spectacular and persistent variation trends affecting all the monitored vents. The observed variations, which include a continuous decrease of both N2/He and N2/CO2 ratios since 1985, paralleled by an increase of He/CO2, can not be explained neither with changes in processes of boiling-condensation in the local hydrothermal system nor with changes in the mixing proportions between a magmatic vapour and hydrothermal fluids. Consequently we investigated the possibility that the trends of inert gas species are governed by changes in the conditions controlling magma degassing at depth. We applied a magma degassing model, with the most recent updates for inert gas solubilities, after to have included petrologic constraints from the ranges of melt composition and reservoir pressure at Campi Flegrei. The model simulations for mafic melts (trachybasalt and shoshonite) show a surprising agreement with the measured data. Both decompressive degassing of an ascending magma and mixing between magmatic fluids exsolved at various levels along the ascent path can explain the long-time geochemical changes. Our work highlights that, in caldera systems where the presence of hydrothermal aquifers commonly masks the magmatic signature of reactive volatiles, inert gases are the preferred species to achieve information on the dynamics and structure of the magma plumbing systems.

Insights from fumarole gas geochemistry on the origin of hydrothermal fluids on the Yellowstone Plateau

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chiodini, Giovanni; Caliro, Stefano; Lowenstern, Jacob B.; Evans, William C.; Bergfeld, D.; Tassi, Franco; Tedesco, Dario

2012-01-01

The chemistry of Yellowstone fumarole gases shows the existence of two component waters, type MC, influenced by the addition of deep mantle fluid, and type CC, influenced by crustal interactions (CC). MC is high in 3He/4He (22 Ra) and low in 4He/40Ar (~1), reflecting input of deep mantle components. The other water is characterized by 4He concentrations 3-4 orders of magnitude higher than air-saturated meteoric water (ASW). These high He concentrations originate through circulation in Pleistocene volcanic rocks, as well as outgassing of Tertiary and older (including Archean) basement, some of which could be particularly rich in uranium, a major 4He source. Consideration of CO2-CH4-CO-H2O-H2 gas equilibrium reactions indicates equilibration temperatures from 170 °C to 310 °C. The estimated temperatures highly correlate with noble-gas variations, suggesting that the two waters differ in temperature. Type CC is ~170 °C whereas the MC is hotter, at 340 °C. This result is similar to models proposed by previous studies of thermal water chemistry. However, instead of mixing the deep hot component simply with cold, meteoric waters we argue that addition of a 4He-rich component, equilibrated at temperatures around 170 °C, is necessary to explain the range in fumarole gas chemistry.

Stable isotope geochemistry of fumaroles: an insight into volcanic surveillance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panichi, C.; La Ruffa, G.

2001-12-01

In active volcanic environments magmatic water may accumulate in the volcanic-hosted geothermal systems, or, more rarely may reach the surface along deep fractures inside the volcano crater. Knowledge of magmatic contribution to emerging fluids in volcanic active areas is critical to understanding the chemical evolution of the magma, the conditions in which it exists in the crust, and the mechanisms by which it erupts in the crust. The source of volatiles (especially water) is also of interest when eruptions are driven by the expansion of hydrothermal fluids against atmospheric pressure, without the involvement of fresh magma ('hydrothermal' or 'phreatomagmatic' eruptions). In both cases the occurrence of volcanic and/or phreatic activities is likely to be preceded by substantial isotopic and chemical changes in the crater fumarolic systems. H and O isotopic composition of condensed water from crater fumaroles appear to be able to give strong evidence for the existence of magmatic waters in the high-temperature manifestations of the volcanic systems. Isotopic data and specific hydrological models from seven different volcanic systems (Galeras Volcano, Colombia, Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, Kudryvy Volcano, Kuril volcanic arc, Mt St Helens, USA; Guagua Pichincha, Ecuador; Vulcano island, Italy; the Aegean Volcanic Arc, Greece) are discussed in order to highlight the possibility to use those isotopic parameters in the assessment of the environmental risks of an active volcanic area.

Physical model of a fumarolic system inferred from a high-resolution 3-D Resistivity image of Solfatara volcano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gresse, Marceau; Vandemeulebrouck, Jean; Byrdina, Svetlana; Chiodini, Giovanni; Rinaldi, Antonio Pio; Johnson, Timothy C.; Ricci, Tullio; Petrillo, Zaccaria; Vilardo, Giuseppe; Lebourg, Thomas; Mangiacapra, Annarita

2017-04-01

Solfatara crater, located inside the Phlegrean Fields caldera, is showing a significant unrest activity since 10 years with a increase of ground deformation, degassing and heating. Electrical Resistivity Imaging was performed between 2012 and 2016 with the purpose of improving our knowledge of the shallow hydrothermal system. The complete dataset includes 43,432 D-C measurements inverted using the E4D code. This 3-D inversion was compared with the mappings of surface temperature, diffuse soil CO2 flux and self-potential in order to better constrain the interpretation of the observed resistivity structure in terms of lithological contrasts and hydrothermal signatures. For the first time, we highlighted in 3-D the main geological units: Monte Olibano lava dome and Solfatara crypto-dome appear as two relatively resistive bodies (50-100 Ω.m). Furthermore, the resistivity model clearly revealed the contrasting geometry of the hydrothermal circulation in the Solfatara crater. A channel-like conductive structure (7 Ω.m) represents the condensate that flows from the main fumarolic area down to the liquid-dominated Fangaia mud pool. This interpretation is consistent with the negative Self-Potential anomaly and with the surface observations. We imaged at a metric-resolution the two main fumaroles, Bocca Grande and Bocca Nuova, that have the following geochemical characteristics. Bocca Grande vent: 162°C, ˜150 t of CO2 released per day with a mass ratio CO2/H20 = 0.4 and Bocca Nuova vent: 148°C, ˜50 t of CO2 released per day with a mass ratio CO2/H20 = 0.45. The differences between these geochemical characteristics could lead one to believe that they are fed by two distinct sources at depth. On the contrary, our resistivity model shows that the two fumarolic vents are directly connected to a common resistive body (30-50 Ω.m) at a depth of 50 meters. This structure likely represents a single gas reservoir feeding the two fumaroles. Its depth corresponds indeed to a steam source at a pressure of 6 bar and at a temperature of least 165 °C. The geophysical images combined with the geochemical data allowed us to build up a multiphase fluid flow model of the Bocca Grande and and Bocca Nuova fumaroles using the TOUGH 2 code. Our results show that the distinct resistivity structure, temperature, and water content of the both fumaroles are due to the particular geometry of the condensate flow that intersects and contaminates the Bocca Nuova but not the Bocca Grande fumarole. These results indicate the necessity to combine geophysical and geochemical approaches in order to better apprehend the structure complexity and the dynamics of fumaroles and hydrothermal systems.

Results of investigation at the Miravalles geothermal field, Costa Rica. Resultados de las investigaciones en el campo geotermico de Miravalles, Costa Rica; Parte 2, Muestreo de fluidos pozo abajo

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grigsby, C.O.; Goff, F.; Trujillo, P.E. Jr.

Samples of the geothermal fluids in the Miravalles, Costa Rica, geothermal system were collected from production wellbores using downhole fluid samplers, from flowing wellheads using miniseparators, and from hot springs that discharge in the area. The reservoir fluid at Miravalles is a neutral-chloride-type water, but fumaroles and acid-sulfate springs are present within the main thermal area, and there are bicarbonate-rich hot springs that are clearly related to the neutral-chloride reservoir fluids. Dissolved gases are primarily a mixture of CO{sub 2} with air, but samples collected in the fumarolic areas also contain H{sub 2}S. Water-stable isotope analyses suggest local meteoric recharge,more » and the reservoir fluid shows oxygen isotopic shifts of about 2.5% due to high-temperature oxygen exchange between water and rock. Chemical geothermometer temperatures are consistent with the measured downhole temperature of 220{degrees} to 255{degrees}C. This pattern of neutral-chloride reservoir fluids with acid-sulfate springs near the source region and bicarbonate-rich chloride hot springs at the periphery of the system suggests a lateral outflow type of hydrothermal system. In addition to the geochemical evidence, temperature profiles from several of the wells show temperature reversals that are characteristic of lateral outflow plumes. We find no evidence for the underlying, higher temperature (300{degrees}C) system, which has been suggested by other investigators. 24 refs., 14 figs., 6 tabs.« less

Academic aspects of lunar water resources and their relevance to lunar protolife.

PubMed

Green, Jack

2011-01-01

Water ice has been discovered on the moon by radar backscatter at the North Pole and by spectrometry at the South Pole in the Cabeus crater with an extrapolated volume for both poles of conservatively 10(9) metric tons. Various exogenic and endogenic sources of this water have been proposed. This paper focuses on endogenic water sources by fumaroles and hot springs in shadowed polar craters. A survey of theoretical and morphological details supports a volcanic model. Release of water and other constituents by defluidization over geological time was intensified in the Hadean Eon (c.a. 4600 to 4000 My). Intensification factors include higher heat flow by now-extinct radionuclides, tidal flexing and higher core temperatures. Lesser gravity would promote deeper bubble nucleation in lunar magmas, slower rise rates of gases and enhanced subsidence of lunar caldera floors. Hadean volcanism would likely have been more intense and regional in nature as opposed to suture-controlled location of calderas in Phanerozoic Benioff-style subduction environments. Seventy-seven morphological, remote sensing and return sample features were categorized into five categories ranging from a volcano-tectonic origin only to impact origin only. Scores for the most logical scenario were 69 to eight in favor of lunar volcanism. Ingredients in the Cabeus plume analysis showed many volcanic fluids and their derivatives plus a large amount of mercury. Mercury-rich fumaroles are well documented on Earth and are virtually absent in cometary gases and solids. There are no mercury anomalies in terrestrial impact craters. Volcanic fluids and their derivatives in lunar shadow can theoretically evolve into protolife. Energy for this evolution can be provided by vent flow charging intensified in the lunar Hadean and by charge separation on freezing fumarolic fluids in shadow. Fischer-Tropsch reactions on hydrothermal clays can yield lipids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and amino acids. Soluble polyphosphates are available in volcanic fluids as well as vital catalysts such as tungsten. We conclude that the high volume of polar water resources supports the likelihood of lunar volcanism and that lunar volcanism supports the likelihood of protolife.

Academic Aspects of Lunar Water Resources and Their Relevance to Lunar Protolife

PubMed Central

Green, Jack

2011-01-01

Water ice has been discovered on the moon by radar backscatter at the North Pole and by spectrometry at the South Pole in the Cabeus crater with an extrapolated volume for both poles of conservatively 109 metric tons. Various exogenic and endogenic sources of this water have been proposed. This paper focuses on endogenic water sources by fumaroles and hot springs in shadowed polar craters. A survey of theoretical and morphological details supports a volcanic model. Release of water and other constituents by defluidization over geological time was intensified in the Hadean Eon (c.a. 4600 to 4000 My). Intensification factors include higher heat flow by now-extinct radionuclides, tidal flexing and higher core temperatures. Lesser gravity would promote deeper bubble nucleation in lunar magmas, slower rise rates of gases and enhanced subsidence of lunar caldera floors. Hadean volcanism would likely have been more intense and regional in nature as opposed to suture-controlled location of calderas in Phanerozoic Benioff-style subduction environments. Seventy-seven morphological, remote sensing and return sample features were categorized into five categories ranging from a volcano-tectonic origin only to impact origin only. Scores for the most logical scenario were 69 to eight in favor of lunar volcanism. Ingredients in the Cabeus plume analysis showed many volcanic fluids and their derivatives plus a large amount of mercury. Mercury-rich fumaroles are well documented on Earth and are virtually absent in cometary gases and solids. There are no mercury anomalies in terrestrial impact craters. Volcanic fluids and their derivatives in lunar shadow can theoretically evolve into protolife. Energy for this evolution can be provided by vent flow charging intensified in the lunar Hadean and by charge separation on freezing fumarolic fluids in shadow. Fischer-Tropsch reactions on hydrothermal clays can yield lipids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and amino acids. Soluble polyphosphates are available in volcanic fluids as well as vital catalysts such as tungsten. We conclude that the high volume of polar water resources supports the likelihood of lunar volcanism and that lunar volcanism supports the likelihood of protolife. PMID:22016644

Seismicity and fluid geochemistry at Lassen Volcanic National Park, California: Evidence for two circulation cells in the hydrothermal system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janik, Cathy J.; McLaren, Marcia K.

2010-01-01

Seismic analysis and geochemical interpretations provide evidence that two separate hydrothermal cells circulate within the greater Lassen hydrothermal system. One cell originates south to SW of Lassen Peak and within the Brokeoff Volcano depression where it forms a reservoir of hot fluid (235-270 °C) that boils to feed steam to the high-temperature fumarolic areas, and has a plume of degassed reservoir liquid that flows southward to emerge at Growler and Morgan Hot Springs. The second cell originates SSE to SE of Lassen Peak and flows southeastward along inferred faults of the Walker Lane belt (WLB) where it forms a reservoir of hot fluid (220-240 °C) that boils beneath Devils Kitchen and Boiling Springs Lake, and has an outflow plume of degassed liquid that boils again beneath Terminal Geyser. Three distinct seismogenic zones (identified as the West, Middle, and East seismic clusters) occur at shallow depths (< 6 km) in Lassen Volcanic National Park, SW to SSE of Lassen Peak and adjacent to areas of high-temperature (≤ 161 °C) fumarolic activity (Sulphur Works, Pilot Pinnacle, Little Hot Springs Valley, and Bumpass Hell) and an area of cold, weak gas emissions (Cold Boiling Lake). The three zones are located within the inferred Rockland caldera in response to interactions between deeply circulating meteoric water and hot brittle rock that overlies residual magma associated with the Lassen Volcanic Center. Earthquake focal mechanisms and stress inversions indicate primarily N-S oriented normal faulting and E-W extension, with some oblique faulting and right lateral shear in the East cluster. The different focal mechanisms as well as spatial and temporal earthquake patterns for the East cluster indicate a greater influence by regional tectonics and inferred faults within the WLB. A fourth, deeper (5-10 km) seismogenic zone (the Devils Kitchen seismic cluster) occurs SE of the East cluster and trends NNW from Sifford Mountain toward the Devils Kitchen thermal area where fumarolic temperatures are ≤ 123 °C. Lassen fumaroles discharge geothermal gases that indicate mixing between a N 2-rich, arc-type component and gases derived from air-saturated meteoric recharge water. Most gases have relatively weak isotopic indicators of upper mantle or volcanic components, except for gas from Sulphur Works where δ13C-CO 2, δ34S-H 2S, and δ15N-N 2 values indicate a contribution from the mantle and a subducted sediment source in an arc volcanic setting.

Seismicity and fluid geochemistry at Lassen Volcanic National Park, California: Evidence for two circulation cells in the hydrothermal system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Janik, Cathy J.; McLaren, Marcia K.

2010-01-01

Seismic analysis and geochemical interpretations provide evidence that two separate hydrothermal cells circulate within the greater Lassen hydrothermal system. One cell originates south to SW of Lassen Peak and within the Brokeoff Volcano depression where it forms a reservoir of hot fluid (235–270°C) that boils to feed steam to the high-temperature fumarolic areas, and has a plume of degassed reservoir liquid that flows southward to emerge at Growler and Morgan Hot Springs. The second cell originates SSE to SE of Lassen Peak and flows southeastward along inferred faults of the Walker Lane belt (WLB) where it forms a reservoir of hot fluid (220–240°C) that boils beneath Devils Kitchen and Boiling Springs Lake, and has an outflow plume of degassed liquid that boils again beneath Terminal Geyser. Three distinct seismogenic zones (identified as the West, Middle, and East seismic clusters) occur at shallow depths (<6 km) in Lassen Volcanic National Park, SW to SSE of Lassen Peak and adjacent to areas of high-temperature (≤161°C) fumarolic activity (Sulphur Works, Pilot Pinnacle, Little Hot Springs Valley, and Bumpass Hell) and an area of cold, weak gas emissions (Cold Boiling Lake). The three zones are located within the inferred Rockland caldera in response to interactions between deeply circulating meteoric water and hot brittle rock that overlies residual magma associated with the Lassen Volcanic Center. Earthquake focal mechanisms and stress inversions indicate primarily N–S oriented normal faulting and E–W extension, with some oblique faulting and right lateral shear in the East cluster. The different focal mechanisms as well as spatial and temporal earthquake patterns for the East cluster indicate a greater influence by regional tectonics and inferred faults within the WLB. A fourth, deeper (5–10 km) seismogenic zone (the Devils Kitchen seismic cluster) occurs SE of the East cluster and trends NNW from Sifford Mountain toward the Devils Kitchen thermal area where fumarolic temperatures are ≤123°C. Lassen fumaroles discharge geothermal gases that indicate mixing between a N2-rich, arc-type component and gases derived from air-saturated meteoric recharge water. Most gases have relatively weak isotopic indicators of upper mantle or volcanic components, except for gas from Sulphur Works where δ13C–CO2, δ34S–H2S, and δ15N–N2 values indicate a contribution from the mantle and a subducted sediment source in an arc volcanic setting.

Along-arc distribution of 3He/4He and 87Sr/86Sr in thermal fluids of the Kuril Island arc (Russia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taran, Y.; Kalacheva, E.; Bujakajte, M.; Inguaggiato, S.

2017-12-01

The Kuril Island arc in the NW Pacific extends for 1200 km from the Kamchatka Peninsula to Hokkaido Islandand separates the margin Sea of Okhotsk from the Pacific Ocean. Among 40 active volcanoes at least 7 are characterized by strong and high-temperature fumarolic activity, 1 to 3 volcanoes are erupting right now, and many of active and dormant volcanoes host hydrothermal systems. We report our data on hydrochemistry and isotopic composition of He and Sr from fumarolic and hydrothermal discharges sampled along the arc, from Ebeko volcano on Paramushir Island to Golovnin volcano on Kunashir Island. The data were obtained during the field campaign in 2015-2017. Most of hydrothermal systems of Kuril Islands discharge acid-to-ultra acid SO4-Cl and Cl-SO4 waters and steam-heated SO4 waters. On some islands, like Shiashkotan, northern Kurils, coastal hot springs can be found issuing Na-Cl waters mixed with seawater. Mature Na-Cl waters are known only on southern big islands Iturup and Kunashir. The distribution of 3He/4He in hydrothermal and fumarolic gases along the arc is very uniform with 3He/4He values close to the MORB value of 8Ra where Ra is atmospheric ratio (1.4 x 10-6). The northernmost Ebeko volcano discharges fumaroles with 3He/4He up to 7.9Ra, and bubbling gas in the nearest hot springs up to 7.6Ra. Such high 3He/4He values with a maximum of 8.3Ra in fumaroles of the Pallas Peak in the middle of the arc were measured in all thermal manifestations of the arc (fumaroles, hydrothermal steam vents and bubbling gases) up to the southernmost Kunashir Island, where volcanic and hydrothermal gases are characterized by significantly lower values of 5.5Ra at Mendeleev volcano and 3.5Ra at Golovnin volcano. Isotopic ratio of the dissolved Sr as a rule corresponds to the 87Sr/86Sr values of the host rocks and only in the coastal hot springs demonstrates partial mixing with seawater. There is also a general consistence of 87Sr/86Sr in springs and 3He/4He in gases. This study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation grant # 15-17-20011.

Crater lake and post-eruption hydrothermal activity, El Chichón Volcano, Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Casadevall, Thomas J.; De la Cruz-Reyna, Servando; Rose, William I.; Bagley, Susan; Finnegan, David L.; Zoller, William H.

1984-01-01

Explosive eruptions of Volcán El Chichón in Chiapas, Mexico on March 28 and April 3–4, 1982 removed 0.2 km3 of rock to form a 1-km-wide 300-m-deep summit crater. By late April 1982 a lake had begun to form on the crater floor, and by November 1982 it attained a maximum surface area of 1.4 × 105 m2 and a volume of 5 × 106 m3. Accumulation of 4–5 m of rainfall between July and October 1982 largely formed the lake. In January 1983, temperatures of fumaroles on the crater floor and lower crater walls ranged from 98 to 115°C; by October 1983 the maximum temperature of fumarole emissions was 99°C. In January 1983 fumarole gas emissions were greater than 99 vol. % H2O with traces of CO2, SO2, and H2S. The water of the lake was a hot (T = 52–58°C), acidic (pH = 0.5), dilute solution (34,046 mg L−1 dissolved solids; Cl/S = 20.5). Sediment from the lake contains the same silicate minerals as the rocks of the 1982 pyroclastic deposits, together with less than 1% of elemental sulfur. The composition and temperature of the lake water is attributed to: (1) solution of fumarole emissions; (2) reaction of lake water with hot rocks beneath the lake level; (3) sediments washed into the lake from the crater walls; (4) hydrothermal fluids leaching sediments and formational waters in sedimentary rocks of the basement; (5) evaporation; and (6) precipitation.

Steam and gas emission rates from La Soufrière of Guadeloupe (Antilles arc): implications for the magmatic supply degassing during unrest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allard, Patrick; Aiuppa, Alessandro; Beauducel, François; Calabrese, Sergio; Di Napoli, Rossella; Crispi, Olivier; Gaudin, Damien; Parello, Franceso; Hammouya, Gilbert; Tamburello, Giancarlo

2015-04-01

Since its last magmatic eruption in 1530 AD, La Soufrière andesitic volcano in Guadeloupe has displayed intense hydrothermal activity and six phreatic eruptive crises (the last of which, in 1976-1977, with 73000 evacuees). Here we report on the first direct quantification of gas plume emissions from La Soufrière summit vents, which gradually intensified during the past 20 years. Gas fluxes were determined in 2006 then 2012 [1] by measuring the horizontal and vertical distribution of volcanic gas concentrations in the air-diluted plume, the composition of the hot fumarolic fluid at exit (108°C), and scaling to the speed of plume transport (in situ measurements and FLIR imaging). We first demonstrate that all fumarolic vents of La Soufrière are fed by a common H2O-rich (97-98 mol %) fluid end-member, emitted almost unmodified at the most active South Crater while affected by secondary alterations (steam condensation, sulphur scrubbing) at other vents. Daily fluxes in 2012 (200 tons of H2O, 15 tons of CO2, ~4 tons of H2S and 1 ton of HCl) were augmented by a factor ~3 compared to 2006, in agreement with increasing activity. Summit fumarolic degassing contributes most of the bulk volatile and heat budget (8 MW) of the volcano. Isotopic evidences demonstrate that La Soufrière hydrothermal emissions are sustained by continuous heat and gas supply from an andesitic magma reservoir confined at 6-7 km depth. This magmatic supply mixes with abundant groundwater of tropical meteoric origin in the hydrothermal system. Based on petro-geochemical data for the erupted magma(s), we assess that the volcanic gas fluxes in 2012 can be accounted for by the release of free magmatic gas derived from about 1000 m3 per day of the basaltic melt replenishing the reservoir at depth. In terms of mass budget, the current degassing unrest is compatible with enhanced free gas release from that reservoir, without requiring any (actually undetected) magma intrusion. We recommend a regular survey of the fumarolic gas flux from La Soufrière in order to anticipate the evolution of the magma reservoir. [1] P. Allard et al., Chemical Geology 384, 76-93, 2014.

Extremophilic Eukaryote Life in Hawaiian Fumaroles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ackerman, C.; Anderson, S.; Anderson, C.

2008-12-01

Extremophilic microorganisms exist in all three domains of life (Eukarya, Archaea, Bacteria), but are less known in eukaryotes. Fumaroles provide heat and moisture characteristic of an environment suitable for these organisms. On the Island of Hawaii, fumaroles are scattered across the southeastern portion of the island as a result of the volcanic activity from Kilauea Crater and Pu'u' O'o vent with all forming within geochemically similar basalt substrates. We used metagenomics to detect 18S rDNA from eukaryotic extremophilic microorganisms indicating their presence in Hawaiian fumaroles. To determine the effects of environmental gradients (temperature and pH) on microbial diversity within and among fumaroles, 11 samples from 3 fumaroles were collected over a three-day period in February of 2007. Temperatures of the different fumaroles range from 31.0oC to 62.7oC, with pH values that vary from 2.55 to 6.93 allowing for 8 different microenvironments. Fifty sequences per sample were analyzed with eighteen different organisms identified, the majority belonging to the family Cercozoa. The most diverse fumarole consisted of 8 different genera residing in a temperature of 34.1oC and a pH of 3.0. Unclassified mosses were identified in the fumarole with the highest temperature and Phaeoceros (hornworts) were identified at the most acidic fumarole. Both of these groups have been previously identified in geothermal areas.

Hydrogen isotope geochemistry and heat balance of a fumarolic system: Kudriavy volcano, Kuriles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botcharnikov, Roman E.; Shmulovich, Kirill I.; Tkachenko, Sergey I.; Korzhinsky, Mikhail A.; Rybin, Alexander V.

2003-05-01

The temperature and hydrogen isotope composition of the fumarolic gases have been studied at Kudriavy volcano, Kurile Islands, which is unique for investigating the processes of magma degassing because of the occurrence of numerous easily accessible fumaroles with a temperature range of 100-940°C. There are several local fumarolic fields with a total surface area of about 2600 m 2 within the flattened crater of 200×600 m. Each fumarolic field is characterized by the occurrence of high- and low-temperature fumaroles with high gas discharges and steaming areas with lower temperatures. We have studied the thermal budget of the Kudriavy fumarolic system on the basis of the quantitative dependences of the hydrogen isotope ratio (D/H) and tritium concentration on the temperature of fumarolic gases and compared them with the calculated heat balance of mixing between hot magmatic gas and cold meteoric water. Hydrogen isotope composition (δD and 3H) shows a well expressed correlation with the gas temperature. Since D/H ratio and 3H are good indicators of water sources in volcanic areas, it suggests that the thermal budget of the fumarolic system is mostly controlled by the admixing of meteoric waters to magmatic gases. The convective mechanism of heat transfer in the hydrothermal system governs the maximum temperatures of local fumaroles and fumarolic fields. Low-temperature fumaroles at Kudriavy are thermally buffered by the boiling processes of meteoric waters in the mixing zone at pressures of 3-12 bar. These values may correspond to the hydrostatic pressure of water columns about 30-120 m in height in the volcanic edifice and hence to the depth of a mixing/boiling zone. Conductive heat transfer is governed by conductive heat exchange between gases and country rocks and appears to be responsible for the temperature distribution around a local fumarolic vent. The temperature and pressure of shallow degassing magma are estimated to be 1050°C and 2-3 bar, respectively. The length of the 'main' fumarolic gas conduit is estimated to be about 80 m from the linear correlation between maximal temperatures of fumarolic fields and distances to the highest-temperature 'F-940' fumarole. This value may correspond to the depth of an apical part of the magmatic chamber. The geometry of the crater zone at the Kudriavy summit and the model of convective gas cooling suggest different hydrostatic pressures in the hydrothermal system at the base of high- and low-temperature gas conduits. The depths of gas sources for low-temperature fumaroles are evaluated to be about 200 m at the periphery of the magma chamber.

Natural fumarolic alteration of fluorapatite, olivine, and basaltic glass, and implications for habitable environments on Mars.

PubMed

Hausrath, Elisabeth M; Tschauner, Oliver

2013-11-01

Fumaroles represent a very important potential habitat on Mars because they contain water and nutrients. Global deposition of volcanic sulfate aerosols may also have been an important soil-forming process affecting large areas of Mars. Here we identify alteration from the Senator fumarole, northwest Nevada, USA, and in low-temperature environments near the fumarole to help interpret fumarolic and acid vapor alteration of rocks and soils on Mars. We analyzed soil samples and fluorapatite, olivine, and basaltic glass placed at and near the fumarole in in situ mineral alteration experiments designed to measure weathering under natural field conditions. Using synchrotron X-ray diffraction, we clearly observe hydroxyl-carbonate-bearing fluorapatite as a fumarolic alteration product of the original material, fluorapatite. The composition of apatites as well as secondary phosphates has been previously used to infer magmatic conditions as well as fumarolic conditions on Mars. To our knowledge, the observations reported here represent the first documented instance of formation of hydroxyl-carbonate-bearing apatite from fluorapatite in a field experiment. Retreat of olivine surfaces, as well as abundant NH4-containing minerals, was also characteristic of fumarolic alteration. In contrast, alteration in the nearby low-temperature environment resulted in formation of large pits on olivine surfaces, which were clearly distinguishable from the fumarolic alteration. Raman signatures of some fumarolically impacted surfaces are consistent with detection of the biological molecules chlorophyll and scytenomin, potentially useful biosignatures. Observations of altered minerals on Mars may therefore help identify the environment of formation and understand the aqueous history and potential habitability of that planet.

Natural Fumarolic Alteration of Fluorapatite, Olivine, and Basaltic Glass, and Implications for Habitable Environments on Mars

PubMed Central

Tschauner, Oliver

2013-01-01

Abstract Fumaroles represent a very important potential habitat on Mars because they contain water and nutrients. Global deposition of volcanic sulfate aerosols may also have been an important soil-forming process affecting large areas of Mars. Here we identify alteration from the Senator fumarole, northwest Nevada, USA, and in low-temperature environments near the fumarole to help interpret fumarolic and acid vapor alteration of rocks and soils on Mars. We analyzed soil samples and fluorapatite, olivine, and basaltic glass placed at and near the fumarole in in situ mineral alteration experiments designed to measure weathering under natural field conditions. Using synchrotron X-ray diffraction, we clearly observe hydroxyl-carbonate-bearing fluorapatite as a fumarolic alteration product of the original material, fluorapatite. The composition of apatites as well as secondary phosphates has been previously used to infer magmatic conditions as well as fumarolic conditions on Mars. To our knowledge, the observations reported here represent the first documented instance of formation of hydroxyl-carbonate-bearing apatite from fluorapatite in a field experiment. Retreat of olivine surfaces, as well as abundant NH4-containing minerals, was also characteristic of fumarolic alteration. In contrast, alteration in the nearby low-temperature environment resulted in formation of large pits on olivine surfaces, which were clearly distinguishable from the fumarolic alteration. Raman signatures of some fumarolically impacted surfaces are consistent with detection of the biological molecules chlorophyll and scytenomin, potentially useful biosignatures. Observations of altered minerals on Mars may therefore help identify the environment of formation and understand the aqueous history and potential habitability of that planet. Key Words: Fumaroles—Mars—Olivine—Acidophile—Geothermal—Search for life (biosignatures)—Synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Astrobiology 13, 1049–1064. PMID:24283927

Mineralogy and Organic Geochemistry of Acid Sulfate Environments from Valles Caldera, New Mexico: Habitability, Weathering and Biosignatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogel, M. B.; Des Marais, D. J.; Jahnke, L. L.; Kubo, M.

2009-12-01

We report on the mineralogy, organic preservation potential and habitability of sulfate deposits in acid sulfate volcanic settings at Valles Caldera, New Mexico. Fumaroles and acidic springs are potential analogs for aqueous environments on Mars and may offer insights into habitability of sulfate deposits such as those at Meridiani Planum. Sulfates recently detected on Mars are posited to have formed from fluids derived from basaltic weathering and igneous volatile input, ultimately precipitating from acidic brines subjected to desiccation and freeze-thaw cycles (McClennan and Grotzinger, 2008). Key issues concerning martian sulfate deposits are their relationship to aqueous clay deposits, and whether or not specific sulfates deposits represent former habitable environments (see Soderblum and Bell, 2008; Tosca et al., 2008). Modern terrestrial volcanic fumaroles and hot springs precipitate various Ca-, Mg- and Fe- sulfates along with clays, and can help clarify whether certain acid sulfate mineral assemblages reflect habitable environments. Valles caldera is a resurgent caldera last active in the Pleistocene (1.4 - 1.0 Ma) that hosts several active fumaroles and over 40 geothermal exploration wells (see Goff, 2009). Fumaroles and associated mudpots and springs at Valles range from pH < 1 to 3, and affect argillic alteration upon rhylolitic tuffs and sedimentary deposits (Charles et al., 1986). We identified assemblages containing gypsum, quartz, Al-sulfates, elemental sulfur, clays and other minerals using XRD and SEM-EDS. Our previous research has shown that sulfates from different marine depositional environments display textural and morphological traits that are indicative of biological influence, or specific conditions in the depositional environments (Vogel et al., 2009). Gypsum crystals that develop in the presence of microbial biofilms in marine environments may have distorted crystal morphologies, biofilm - associated dissolution features, and accessory carbonate minerals. Gypsum from Valles Caldera fumaroles develops in the absence of microbial biofilms and differs from biologically influenced marine gypsum in terms of is highly prismatic morphology, lack of texture, and association with clays, and other sulfates. Studies of Valles gypsum crystals therefore support the uniqueness of the putative morphological biosignatures in marine gypsum. We also assayed organic matter from fumarole encrustations to understand how low pH and sulfate content may discriminate against or enhance preservation of specific classes of organic compounds in acid sulfate environments. Similar to gypsiferous marine environments, organics are characterized by abundant organosulfur complexes. Long chain alkanes (> nC22) are abundant from acid sulfate environments. As with hypersaline marine depositional environments, sulfidation appears to be a major diagenetic pathway for organic matter in acid sulfate environments.

Evolution of fluid geochemistry at the Turrialba volcano (Costa Rica) from 1998 to 2008

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaselli, O.; Tassi, Franco; Duarte, E.; Fernandez, E.; Poreda, R. J.; Huertas, A. Delgado

2010-05-01

Turrialba (10°02'N, 83°45'W) is a 3,349-m high stratovolcano belonging to the Holocene “Cordillera Central” volcanic belt of Costa Rica. The summit consists of three EW-oriented craters (East, Central, and West). Since its last eruptive phase (1864-1866), the Central and West craters have displayed modest fumarolic activity, with outlet temperatures clustering around 90°C. In 2001, seismic swarms, ground deformation, and increasing fumarolic activity occurred. From 2005 to 2008, new fumarolic vents opened between and within the Central and West craters, and along the western and southwestern outer flanks of the volcanic edifice. These physical changes were accompanied by a drastic modification in the gas chemistry that can be divided in three stages: (1) hydrothermal (from 1998 to autumn 2001), characterized by the presence of H2O, CO2, H2S, and, to a very minor extent, HCl and HF; (2) hydrothermal/magmatic (autumn 2001-2007), with the appearance of SO2 and a significant increase of HCl and HF; and (3) magmatic-dominated (2007-2008), characterized by increased SO2 content, SO2/H2S > 100, and temperatures up to 282°C. Accordingly, gas equilibrium in the CO2-CH4-H2 system suggests a progressive evolution of the deep fluid reservoir toward higher temperatures and more oxidizing conditions. The chemical-physical modifications of Turrialba in the last decade can be interpreted as part of a cyclic mechanism controlling the balance between the hydrothermal and the magmatic systems. Nevertheless, the risk of rejuvenation of the volcanic activity cannot be excluded, and an appropriate seismic, ground deformation, and geochemical monitoring program is highly recommended. Turrialba lies at a distance of 35 and 15 km from San José and Cartago, respectively, the two largest cities in Costa Rica.

Isotopic study of the origin of sulfur and carbon in Solfatara fumaroles, Campi Flegrei caldera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allard, P.; Maiorani, A.; Tedesco, D.; Cortecci, G.; Turi, B.

1991-08-01

Isotopic study of the origin of sulfur and carbon in the hottest (Solfatara) fumaroles of Campi Flegrei caldera, Southern Italy, was carried out on gas samples collected between 1983 and 1988, i.e. during and after the 1982-1984 seismo-volcanic crisis. The results for sulfur (H 2S), the first ever reported on these gases, indicate a mean ∂ 34S of -0.3±0.3‰ (range: -0.7 to +0.1‰ ) versus Canyon Diablo Troilite standard, consistent with an igneous derivation of this element, from either active magma degassing or/and leaching of reduced sulfur-bearing minerals in the volcanic layers. The lack of peculiar ∂ 34S variation during and after the crisis suggests that the chemical variation of H 2S and S/C ratio in the fumaroles (increase and then decrease by a factor 3) were not due to a changing origin of sulfur. The mean ∂ 13C of carbon (CO 2) over the period of survey, -1.6±0.2‰ (range: -1.9 to -1.3‰) versus PDB standard, is similar to the values obtained before the crisis (since 1970). Such an isotopic constancy requires a large and stable source of carbon feeding the fumaroles. The measured ∂ 13C values are much higher than those typical of primary mantle-magmatic carbon ( -6±2‰) and plot within the ∂13C range for marine carbonates ( 0±2‰). Such high values may reflect either (a) 13C-fractionation during degassing of CO 2 from the underlying (⩽5 km depth) magma chamber or (b) the contribution of heavy CO 2 of sedimentary origin, derived from either thermometamorphism of Mesozoic limestone series embedding the magma chamber or, possibly, past contamination of the local mantle by subducted sediments. Various arguments, among which volcanological evidence of an isolated and cooling magma reservoir (which would have been extensively degassed and, so, depleted in 13C along with time), the low 3He/ 4He ratios and the broad 13C-enrichment of volcanic fluids in the region, and geochemical evidence of crust-magma fluid interactions, suggest that a considerable fraction (⩾60%) of CO 2 in Solfatara fumaroles derives from carbonate sediments in the basement. The contribution of magma-derived CO 2 may be higher within the central part of the caldera (including Solfatara crater) than toward its western margin, where fumarolic and geothermal well gases exhibit lower 3He/ 4He ratios and still higher ∂13C values. Such a geochemical pattern is consistent with the central distribution of ground deformation and seismicity during the 1982-1984 crisis and with the idea of a residual magma body, confined beneath the central part of the structure. Alternatively, higher ∂13C and lower 3He/ 4He ratios toward the western margin may result from dilution of Solfatara-type gas during progressively deeper water boiling. Finally, accepting that Solfatara CO 2 derives from simple crustal mixing between magmatic and sedimentary carbon, its constant isotopic composition (together with the constant He isotope ratio) would restrict the possibility of magma intrusion and/or higher magmatic gas input as mechanisms responsible for the 1982-1984 events. However, this conclusion would no more hold true if the magma itself, or even its mantle source, were previously contaminated by crustal carbon.

Biodiversity hot spot on a hot spot: novel extremophile diversity in Hawaiian fumaroles.

PubMed

Wall, Kate; Cornell, Jennifer; Bizzoco, Richard W; Kelley, Scott T

2015-01-06

Fumaroles (steam vents) are the most common, yet least understood, microbial habitat in terrestrial geothermal settings. Long believed too extreme for life, recent advances in sample collection and DNA extraction methods have found that fumarole deposits and subsurface waters harbor a considerable diversity of viable microbes. In this study, we applied culture-independent molecular methods to explore fumarole deposit microbial assemblages in 15 different fumaroles in four geographic locations on the Big Island of Hawai'i. Just over half of the vents yielded sufficient high-quality DNA for the construction of 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence clone libraries. The bacterial clone libraries contained sequences belonging to 11 recognized bacterial divisions and seven other division-level phylogenetic groups. Archaeal sequences were less numerous, but similarly diverse. The taxonomic composition among fumarole deposits was highly heterogeneous. Phylogenetic analysis found cloned fumarole sequences were related to microbes identified from a broad array of globally distributed ecotypes, including hot springs, terrestrial soils, and industrial waste sites. Our results suggest that fumarole deposits function as an "extremophile collector" and may be a hot spot of novel extremophile biodiversity. © 2015 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Biodiversity hot spot on a hot spot: novel extremophile diversity in Hawaiian fumaroles

PubMed Central

Wall, Kate; Cornell, Jennifer; Bizzoco, Richard W; Kelley, Scott T

2015-01-01

Fumaroles (steam vents) are the most common, yet least understood, microbial habitat in terrestrial geothermal settings. Long believed too extreme for life, recent advances in sample collection and DNA extraction methods have found that fumarole deposits and subsurface waters harbor a considerable diversity of viable microbes. In this study, we applied culture-independent molecular methods to explore fumarole deposit microbial assemblages in 15 different fumaroles in four geographic locations on the Big Island of Hawai'i. Just over half of the vents yielded sufficient high-quality DNA for the construction of 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence clone libraries. The bacterial clone libraries contained sequences belonging to 11 recognized bacterial divisions and seven other division-level phylogenetic groups. Archaeal sequences were less numerous, but similarly diverse. The taxonomic composition among fumarole deposits was highly heterogeneous. Phylogenetic analysis found cloned fumarole sequences were related to microbes identified from a broad array of globally distributed ecotypes, including hot springs, terrestrial soils, and industrial waste sites. Our results suggest that fumarole deposits function as an “extremophile collector” and may be a hot spot of novel extremophile biodiversity. PMID:25565172

A reconnaissance geochemical study of La Primavera geothermal area, Jalisco, Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mahood, G.A.; Truesdell, A.H.; Templos, M.L.A.

1983-01-01

The Sierra La Primavera, a late Pleistocene rhyolitic caldera complex in Jalisco, Me??xico, contains fumaroles and large-discharge 65??C hot springs that are associated with faults related to caldera collapse and to later magma insurgence. The nearly-neutral, sodium bicarbonate, hot springs occur at low elevations at the margins of the complex, whereas the water-rich fumaroles are high and central. The Comisio??n Federal de Electricidad de Me??xico (CFE) has recently drilled two deep holes at the center of the Sierra (PR-1 and Pr-2) and one deep hole at the western margin. Temperatures as high as 285??C were encountered at 1160 m in PR-1, which produced fluids with 820 to 865 mg/kg chloride after flashing to one atmosphere. Nearby, PR-2 encountered temperatures to 307??C at 2000 m and yielded fluids with chloride contents fluctuating between 1100 and 1560 mg/kg after flashing. Neither of the high-temperature wells produced steam in commercial quantities. The well at the western margin of the Sierra produced fluids similar to those from the hot springs. The temperature reached a maximum of 100??C near the surface and decreased to 80??C at 2000 m. Various geothermometers (quartz conductive, Na/K, Na-K-Ca, ??18O(SO4-H2O) and D/H (steam-water) all yield temperatures of 170 ?? 20??C when applied to the hot spring waters, suggesting that these spring waters flow from a large shallow reservoir at this temperature. Because the hot springs are much less saline than the fluids recovered in PR-1 and PR-2, the mixed fluid in the shallow reservoir can contain no more than 10-20% deep fluid. This requires that most of the heat is transferred by steam. There is probably a thin vapor-dominated zone in the central part of the Sierra, through which steam and gases are transferred to the overlying shallow reservoir. Fluids from this reservoir cool from ???170??C to 65??C by conduction during the 5-7 km of lateral flow to the hot springs. ?? 1983.

Mixing of Magmatic Volatiles With Meteoric Groundwater in the Summit of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurwitz, S.; Goff, F.; Janik, C. J.; Evans, W. C.; Counce, D. A.; Sorey, M. L.; Ingebritsen, S. E.

2001-12-01

Water samples were collected from the only deep well (Keller Well-NSF Well) on the summit of Kilauea volcano, Hawaii. The well was drilled in 1973 to a depth of 1262 m, but sat idle until 1998 when a drilling rig was used to remove mud and renew access to the hydrothermal system at a location very close to summit fumarolic activity. The chemistry and isotopic composition of fluid samples collected in 1998-2001 differ significantly from those of samples collected before 1998 and reported in previous studies. The water from the well is rich in sulfate and has a near-neutral pH. The major element chemistry differs significantly from seawater composition and from that of hydrothermal fluids from Kilauea's east rift zone. The well water has a low chloride concentration relative to typical magmatic-hydrothermal fluids and a high sulfate to bicarbonate ratio (approximately 4:1). Based on the S/Cl mass ratio and on carbon and helium isotopes in the well fluids, summit fumaroles and the parental Kilauea magma, we conclude that the hydrothermal fluids sampled from the well formed by condensation of magmatic volatiles into shallow, mainly meteoric groundwater. The oxygen and deuterium isotopic composition indicate that the meteoric component was recharged on the eastern margin of the caldera. Steam condensation and gas dissolution beneath the crater formed an acidic fluid that dissolved the host basalt at high temperatures. The hydrothermal fluid was then modified by cooling and precipitation of secondary minerals along a flow path away from the crater towards the well. Geochemical modeling based on fluid chemistry and geothermometry suggests that the well fluids equilibrated with an assemblage of secondary minerals at temperatures between 90 and 140oC. The C/S ratios in the well water, the parental magma, and the gas plume emanating from the caldera indicate that most of the sulfur degassed from the magma is scrubbed by groundwaters beneath the summit. However, based on the mean sulfate concentration in the well water and on the estimated mean annual water recharge in the caldera region, we conclude that the sulfate concentration in groundwater beneath Kilauea's summit must be an order of magnitude higher than that found in the well water.

Carbon dioxide diffuse emission and thermal energy release from hydrothermal systems at Copahue-Caviahue Volcanic Complex (Argentina)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiodini, Giovanni; Cardellini, Carlo; Lamberti, María Clara; Agusto, Mariano; Caselli, Alberto; Liccioli, Caterina; Tamburello, Giancarlo; Tassi, Franco; Vaselli, Orlando; Caliro, Stefano

2015-10-01

The north-western sector of Caviahue caldera (Argentina), close to the active volcanic system of Copahue, is characterized by the presence of several hydrothermal sites that host numerous fumarolic emissions, anomalous soil diffuse degassing of CO2 and hot soils. In March 2014, measurements of soil CO2 fluxes in 5 of these sites (namely, Las Máquinas, Las Maquinitas I, Las Maquinitas II, Anfiteatro, and Termas de Copahue) allowed an estimation that 165 t of deeply derived CO2 is daily released. The gas source is likely related to a relatively shallow geothermal reservoir containing a single vapor phase as also suggested by both the geochemical data from the 3 deep wells drilled in the 1980s and gas geoindicators applied to the fumarolic discharges. Gas equilibria within the H-C-O gas system indicate the presence of a large, probably unique, single phase vapor zone at 200-210 °C feeding the hydrothermal manifestations of Las Máquinas, Las Maquinitas I and II and Termas de Copahue. A natural thermal release of 107 MW was computed by using CO2 as a tracer of the original vapor phase. The magmatic signature of the incondensable fumarolic gases, the wide expanse of the hydrothermal areas and the remarkable high amount of gas and heat released by fluid expulsion seem to be compatible with an active magmatic intrusion beneath this portion of the Caviahue caldera.

Hydrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions of waters from fumaroles at Kilauea summit, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hinkley, T.K.; Quick, J.E.; Gregory, R.T.; Gerlach, T.M.

1995-01-01

Condensate samples were collected in 1992 from a high-temperature (300?? C) fumarole on the floor of the Halemaumau Pit Crater at Kilauea. The emergence about two years earlier of such a hot fumarole was unprecedented at such a central location at Kilauea. The condensates have hydrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions which indicate that the waters emitted by the fumarole are composed largely of meteoric water, that any magmatic water component must be minor, and that the precipitation that was the original source to the fumarole fell on a recharge area on the slopes of Mauna Loa Volcano to the west. However, the fumarole has no tritium, indicating that it taps a source of water that has been isolated from atmospheric water for at least 40 years. It is noteworthy, considering the unstable tectonic environment and abundant local rainfall of the Kilauea and Mauna Loa regions, that waters which are sources to the hot fumarole remain uncontaminated from atmospheric sources over such long times and long transport distances. As for the common, boiling point fumaroles of the Kilauea summit region, their 18O, D and tritium concentrations indicate that they are dominated by recycling of present day meteoric water. Though the waters of both hot and boiling point fumaroles have dominantly meteoric sources, they seem to be from separate hydrological regimes. Large concentrations of halogens and sulfur species in the condensates, together with the location at the center of the Kilauea summit region and the high temperature, initially suggested that much of the total mass of the emissions of the hot fumarole, including the H2O, might have come directly from a magma body. The results of the present study indicate that it is unreliable to infer a magmatic origin of volcanic waters based solely on halogen or sulfur contents, or other aspects of chemical composition of total condensates. ?? 1995 Springer-Verlag.

Factors controlling the geochemical evolution of fumarolic encrustations, Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kodosky, L.G.; Keith, T.E.C.

1993-01-01

Factor and canonical correlation analysis of geochemical data from eight fossil fumaroles suggest that six major factors controlled the formation and evolution of fumarolic encrustations on the 1912 ash-flow sheet in the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes (VTTS). The six-factor solution model explains a large proportion (low of 74% for Ni to high of 99% for Si) of the individual element data variance. Although the primary fumarolic deposits have been degraded by secondary alteration reactions and up to 75 years of weathering, the relict encrustations still preserve a signature of vapor-phase element transport. This vapor-phase transport probably occurred as halide or oxyhalide species and was significant for As, Sb and Br. At least three, and possibly four, varied temperature leaching events affected the fumarolic deposits. High-temperature gases/liquids heavily altered the ejecta glass and mineral phases adjacent to the fumarolic conduit. As the fumaroles cooled. Fe-rich acidic condensate leached the ejecta and primary fumarolic deposits and resulted in the subsequent precipitation of Fe-hydroxides and/or Fe-oxides. Low- to ambient-temperature leaching and hydration reactions generated abundant hydrated amorphous phases. Up to 87% of the individual element data variance is apparently controlled by the chemistry of the ejecta on which the relict encrustations are found. This matrix chemistry factor illustrates that the primary fumarolic minerals surrounding the active VTTS vents observed by earlier workers have been effectively removed by the dissolution reactions. Element enrichment factors calculated for the VTTS relict encrustations support the statistical factor interpretations. On the average, the relict encrustations are enriched, relative to visibly unaltered matrix protolith, in As, Br, Cr, Sb, Cu, Ni, Pb, Fe, and LOI (an indirect measure of sample H2O content). ?? 1993.

A comparison of gas geochemistry of fumaroles in the 1912 ash-flow sheet and on active stratovolcanoes, Katmai National Park, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sheppard, D.S.; Janik, C.J.; Keith, T.E.C.

1992-01-01

Fumarolic gas samples collected in 1978 and 1979 from the stratovolcanoes Mount Griggs, Mount Mageik, and the 1953-68 SW Trident cone in Katmai National Park, Alaska, have been analysed and the results presented here. Comparison with recalculated analyses of samples collected from the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes (VTTS) in 1917 and 1919 demonstrates differences between gases from the short-lived VTTS fumaroles, which were not directly magma related, and the fumaroles on the volcanic peaks. Fumarolic gases of Mount Griggs have an elevated total He content, suggesting a more direct deep crustal or mantle source for these gases than those from the other volcanoes. ?? 1992.

The Geothermal Systems along the Watukosek fault system (East Java, Indonesia):The Arjuno-Welirang Volcanic Complex and the Lusi Mud-Eruption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inguaggiato, Salvatore; Mazzini, Adriano; Vita, Fabio; Sciarra, Alessandra

2016-04-01

The Java Island is characterized by an intense volcanic activity with more then 100 active volcanoes. Moreover, this island is also known by the presence of many mud volcanoes and hydrothermal springs. In particular, in the 2006 several sudden hot mud eruptions, with fluids around 100° C, occurred in the NE side of the island resulting in a prominent eruption named Lusi (contraction of Lumpur Sidoarjo) located along the major Watukosek strike-slip fault zone. The Watukosek fault system, strikes from the Arjuno-Welirang volcanic complex, intersects Lusi and extends towards the NE of the Java island. Conversely of the normal mud eruptions (cold fluids emitted in a short time period of few days), the Lusi eruption was characterized by a persistent effusive hot fluids emissions for a long-time period of, so far, nearly a decade. Moreover, the isotopic composition of emitted gases like Helium showed a clear magmatic origin. For this reasons we decided to investigate the near Arjuno-Welirang complex located on the same strike-slip fault. Arjuno-Welirang is a twin strato-volcano system located in the East of Java along the Watukosek fault, at about 25 km SW respect to the Lusi volcano system. It features two main peaks: Arjuno (3339 masl) and Welirang (3156 masl). The last recorded eruptive activity took place in August 1950 from the flanks of Kawah Plupuh and in October 1950 from the NW part of the Gunung Welirang. This strato-volcano is characterized by a S-rich area, with high T-vent fumarole at least up to 220° C (and likely higher), located mainly in the Welirang crater. In addition, several hot springs vent from the flanks of the volcano, indicate the presence of a large hydrothermal system. During July 2015, in the framework of the Lusi Lab project (ERC grant n° 308126), we carried out a geochemical field campaign on the Arjuno-Welirang volcano hydrothermal system area, sampling water and dissolved gases from the thermal and cold springs located on the flanks of the volcano and from two high-T fumaroles located on the summit area of Welirang. Hydrothermal springs reveal temperatures up to 53° C and pH between 6.2 and 8.2. The hydrothermal springs show a volatile content (mainly CO2 and He) that is several order of magnitude higher than the Air Saturated Waters values (ASW) indicating a strong gas/water interaction processes between waters of meteoric origin and deep volatiles of volcanic origin. The hydrothermal springs have dissolved helium isotopic values with clear magmatic signature (R/Ra around 7) that is remarkably close to the helium isotope values from the fumaroles (R/Ra= 7.30). The isotopic composition of helium measured in the fluids emitted from the Lusi mud-volcano around 6.5R/Ra is very similar to the Welirang volcanic fluids indicating the presence of magmatic gases in the Lusi emitted fluids. While the isotopic composition of waters in the Welirang and Lusi fluids are markedly different suggesting a different origin and/or recharge areas for these two hydrothermal systems. These data support the hypothesis that the presence of volcanic gases could have triggered and conveyed the hot and persistent mud fluids emissions of Lusi volcano.

Generation and evolution of hydrothermal fluids at Yellowstone: Insights from the Heart Lake Geyser Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lowenstern, J. B.; Bergfeld, D.; Evans, W. C.; Hurwitz, S.

2012-01-01

We sampled fumaroles and hot springs from the Heart Lake Geyser Basin (HLGB), measured water and gas discharge, and estimated heat and mass flux from this geothermal area in 2009. The combined data set reveals that diverse fluids share an origin by mixing of deep solute-rich parent water with dilute heated meteoric water, accompanied by subsequent boiling. A variety of chemical and isotopic geothermometers are consistent with a parent water that equilibrates with rocks at 205°C ± 10°C and then undergoes 21% ± 2% adiabatic boiling. Measured diffuse CO2 flux and fumarole compositions are consistent with an initial dissolved CO2 concentration of 21 ± 7 mmol upon arrival at the caldera boundary and prior to southeast flow, boiling, and discharge along the Witch Creek drainage. The calculated advective flow from the basin is 78 ± 16 L s-1of parent thermal water, corresponding to 68 ± 14 MW, or ˜1% of the estimated thermal flux from Yellowstone. Helium and carbon isotopes reveal minor addition of locally derived crustal, biogenic, and meteoric gases as this fluid boils and degasses, reducing the He isotope ratio (Rc/Ra) from 2.91 to 1.09. The HLGB is one of the few thermal areas at Yellowstone that approaches a closed system, where a series of progressively boiled waters can be sampled along with related steam and noncondensable gas. At other Yellowstone locations, steam and gas are found without associated neutral Cl waters (e.g., Hot Spring Basin) or Cl-rich waters emerge without significant associated steam and gas (Upper Geyser Basin).

Generation and evolution of hydrothermal fluids at Yellowstone: Insights from the Heart Lake Geyser Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lowenstern, J. B.; Bergfeld, D.; Evans, William C.; Hurwitz, S.

2012-01-01

We sampled fumaroles and hot springs from the Heart Lake Geyser Basin (HLGB), measured water and gas discharge, and estimated heat and mass flux from this geothermal area in 2009. The combined data set reveals that diverse fluids share an origin by mixing of deep solute-rich parent water with dilute heated meteoric water, accompanied by subsequent boiling. A variety of chemical and isotopic geothermometers are consistent with a parent water that equilibrates with rocks at 205°C ± 10°C and then undergoes 21% ± 2% adiabatic boiling. Measured diffuse CO2 flux and fumarole compositions are consistent with an initial dissolved CO2 concentration of 21 ± 7 mmol upon arrival at the caldera boundary and prior to southeast flow, boiling, and discharge along the Witch Creek drainage. The calculated advective flow from the basin is 78 ± 16 L s−1 of parent thermal water, corresponding to 68 ± 14 MW, or –1% of the estimated thermal flux from Yellowstone. Helium and carbon isotopes reveal minor addition of locally derived crustal, biogenic, and meteoric gases as this fluid boils and degasses, reducing the He isotope ratio (Rc/Ra) from 2.91 to 1.09. The HLGB is one of the few thermal areas at Yellowstone that approaches a closed system, where a series of progressively boiled waters can be sampled along with related steam and noncondensable gas. At other Yellowstone locations, steam and gas are found without associated neutral Cl waters (e.g., Hot Spring Basin) or Cl-rich waters emerge without significant associated steam and gas (Upper Geyser Basin).

Geophysical Images of the Shallow Hydrothermal Degassing at Solfatara (Phlegrean Fields, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byrdina, S.; Vandemeulebrouck, J.; Cardellini, C.; Chiodini, G.; Legaz, A.; Camerlynck, C.; Lebourg, T.

2014-12-01

We present the results of an electric resistivity tomography (ERT) survey, combined with mappings of diffuse carbon dioxide flux, ground temperature and self-potential (SP) at Solfatara, the most active crater of Phlegrean Fields. Solfatara is characterized by an intense carbon dioxide degassing, fumarole activity, and ground deformation. This ensemble of methods is applied to image the hydrothermal system of Solfatara, to understand the geometry of the fluid circulation, and to define the extension of the hydrothermal plume at a high enough resolution for a quantitative modeling. ERT inversion results show Solfatara as a globally conductive structure, with resistivity in the range 1-200 Ohmm. Broad negative anomaly of self-potential in the inner part of Solfatara with a minimum in the area of Bocca Grande suggests a significant downward flow of condensing liquid water. Comparison between spatial variations of resistivity and gas flux indicates that resistivity changes at depth are related to gas saturation and fluid temperature. These variations delineate two plume structures: a liquid-dominated conductive plume below Fangaia mud-pool and a gas-dominated plume below Bocca Grande fumarole. The geometry of the Fangaia liquid-saturated plume is also imaged by a high resolution 3-D resistivity model. In order to estimate the permeability, we propose a 2-D axis-symmetric numerical model coupling Richards's equation for fluid flow in conditions of partial saturation with the resistivity calculation as function of saturation only. Alternatively, we apply the Dupuit equation to estimate the permeability of the shallow layer. Using these two approaches, we obtain the permeability of the shallow layer below Fangaia which ranges between (2 - 4) 10-14 m 2.

Total (fumarolic + diffuse soil) CO2 output from Furnas volcano.

PubMed

Pedone, M; Viveiros, F; Aiuppa, A; Giudice, G; Grassa, F; Gagliano, A L; Francofonte, V; Ferreira, T

Furnas volcano, in São Miguel island (Azores), being the surface expression of rising hydrothermal steam, is the site of intense carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) release by diffuse degassing and fumaroles. While the diffusive CO 2 output has long (since the early 1990s) been characterized by soil CO 2 surveys, no information is presently available on the fumarolic CO 2 output. Here, we performed (in August 2014) a study in which soil CO 2 degassing survey was combined for the first time with the measurement of the fumarolic CO 2 flux. The results were achieved by using a GasFinder 2.0 tunable diode laser. Our measurements were performed in two degassing sites at Furnas volcano (Furnas Lake and Furnas Village), with the aim of quantifying the total (fumarolic + soil diffuse) CO 2 output. We show that, within the main degassing (fumarolic) areas, the soil CO 2 flux contribution (9.2 t day -1 ) represents a minor (~15 %) fraction of the total CO 2 output (59 t day -1 ), which is dominated by the fumaroles (~50 t day -1 ). The same fumaroles contribute to ~0.25 t day -1 of H 2 S, based on a fumarole CO 2 /H 2 S ratio of 150 to 353 (measured with a portable Multi-GAS). However, we also find that the soil CO 2 contribution from a more distal wider degassing structure dominates the total Furnas volcano CO 2 budget, which we evaluate (summing up the CO 2 flux contributions for degassing soils, fumarolic emissions and springs) at ~1030 t day -1 .

Oxygen fugacity of gases and rocks from Momotombo Volcano, Nicaragua: Application to volcanological monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benhamou, G.; Allard, P.; Sabroux, J. C.; Vitter, G.; Dajlevic, D.; Creusot, A.

1988-12-01

The oxygen fugacity (fO2) and the fO2 versus T°C relationship of high-temperature (600°-860°C) gas emissions from Momotombo volcano, Nicaragua, was determined from both field electrochemical measurements (electrolytic cell assembly) and thermodynamic computations on gas samples collected between 1978 and 1985. It was then compared with the intrinsic fO2 of fresh and altered lavas from the last eruption (1905), as measured between 500° and 1100°C in laboratory. The electrochemical results show that the oxygen fugacity of Momotombo fumaroles, at equivalent temperature, is much higher than that of the fresh 1905 lava (˜FMQ buffer) and closer to that of their altered wall rocks (˜FMQ buffer). The equilibrium O2 fugacities calculated from the chemistry of gas samples confirm this pattern. However, they suggest that the gas mixtures preserve the (variable) memory of a higher thermal equilibrium achieved at depth, under temperature and fO2 conditions of up to 1050°C and 10-9.0 atm, respectively, which correspond to the cross over between the fO2-T gas and lava trends. These data thus support the idea that Momotombo volcanic gases, released in a period of increasing activity, escape from a shallow magma body before suffering a variable oxidation during their ascent through both unbuffered cooling and reactions with environmental fluids and rocks. This late oxidation is weaker at central fumaroles than at peripherical ones. While between 1978 and 1985 the temperature of the hottest fumarole increased from 750° to 865°-900°C, the equilibrium fO2 of the gas decreased by nearly one order of magnitude (at comparable equilibrium temperature). Such an evolution presumably reflects an increasing connection between the surface exhalations and the magma degassing at depth along with time. This work underlines the possibility of monitoring the processes of magma ascent and gas-magma separation within a volcano before an eruption by continuously recording the changes of both oxygen fugacity and temperature in hot fumaroles.

Microbial Populations in Extreme Environments: Investigations and Characterizations of the Microbiology and Geochemistry of Galapagos Island Fumaroles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayhew, L. E.; Childers, S. E.; Geist, D.

2005-12-01

The extreme physiochemical conditions, insularity, and wide range in ages of fumaroles of the Galapagos Islands provide an excellent opportunity to explore for novel microorganisms and to study life in extreme environments. This is the first study that measures microbial diversity of Galapagos fumaroles. Forty-seven samples were collected from six distinct fumarole fields on Sierra Negra and Alcedo volcanoes. Vulcan Chico, on Sierra Negra, was activated during the last eruption in 1979. Two of the other fumarole fields on Sierra Negra are associated with a long-lived fault system on the caldera floor and are therefore likely to be significantly older. The fault-associated fumaroles have widespread alteration haloes (up to 100 m in diameter) and thick deposits of native sulfur. The most vigorous of the fumarole fields on Alcedo activated in late 1993 to early 1994. The second fumarole field on Alcedo is associated with a recently extinct geyser and the third is located on a rhyolite vent. A diversity of colors was observed in the substrates at all of the fumarole fields and some may be the result of microbial activity. Collection sites were chosen on the basis of temperature and the variations in the substrate in order to obtain samples from a variety of environments. Temperatures at sample sites range from 25.0 to 178.5° C, and pH from 0 to 6. The material collected varies between sites and includes crystalline sulfur deposits, clay, sandy and rocky soils, and microbial mats. Substrate material is characterized by powder x-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy and gases collected from five of the fumarole fields are being analyzed to test for chemical controls on the microbial populations. Genomic DNA is being extracted from all of the samples. Primers for Bacteria and Archaea are used for PCR amplification of the 16S rRNA gene. To date, 22 of 37 processed samples have amplifiable DNA. Microbial diversity of samples possessing amplifiable DNA is being assessed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). These results may reveal the presence of novel organisms and will provide insights into how vent age, insularity, temperature, pH, and geochemistry influence the microbial populations in extreme environments in the Galapagos Islands.

Fumaroles in ice caves on the summit of Mount Rainier: preliminary stable isotope, gas, and geochemical studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zimbelman, D.R.; Rye, R.O.; Landis, G.P.

2000-01-01

The edifice of Mount Rainier, an active stratovolcano, has episodically collapsed leading to major debris flows. The largest debris flows are related to argillically altered rock which leave areas of the edifice prone to failure. The argillic alteration results from the neutralization of acidic magmatic gases that condense in a meteoric water hydrothermal system fed by the melting of a thick mantle of glacial ice. Two craters atop a 2000-year-old cone on the summit of the volcano contain the world's largest volcanic ice-cave system. In the spring of 1997 two active fumaroles (T=62°C) in the caves were sampled for stable isotopic, gas, and geochemical studies. Stable isotope data on fumarole condensates show significant excess deuterium with calculated δD and δ18O values (−234 and −33.2‰, respectively) for the vapor that are consistent with an origin as secondary steam from a shallow water table which has been heated by underlying magmatic–hydrothermal steam. Between 1982 and 1997, δD of the fumarole vapor may have decreased by 30‰. The compositions of fumarole gases vary in time and space but typically consist of air components slightly modified by their solubilities in water and additions of CO2 and CH4. The elevated CO2 contents δ13CCO2 = -11.8±0.7‰, with spikes of over 10,000 ppm, require the episodic addition of magmatic components into the underlying hydrothermal system. Although only traces of H2S were detected in the fumaroles, most notably in a sample which had an air δ13CCO2 signature (−8.8‰), incrustations around a dormant vent containing small amounts of acid sulfate minerals (natroalunite, minamiite, and woodhouseite) indicate higher H2S (or possibly SO2) concentrations in past fumarolic gases. Condensate samples from fumaroles are very dilute, slightly acidic, and enriched in elements observed in the much higher temperature fumaroles at Mount St. Helens (K and Na up to the ppm level; metals such as Al, Pb, Zn Fe and Mn up to the ppb level and volatiles such as Cl, S, and F up to the ppb level). The data indicate that the hydrothermal system in the edifice at Mount Rainier consists of meteoric water reservoirs, which receive gas and steam from an underlying magmatic system. At present the magmatic system is largely flooded by the meteoric water system. However, magmatic components have episodically vented at the surface as witnessed by the mineralogy of incrustations around inactive vents and gas compositions in the active fumaroles. The composition of fumarole gases during magmatic degassing is distinct and, if sustained, could be lethal. The extent to which hydrothermal alteration is currently occurring at depth, and its possible influence on future edifice collapse, may be determined with the aid of on site analyses of fumarole gases and seismic monitoring in the ice caves.

Fumarole emissions at Mount St. Helens volcano, June 1980 to October 1981: Degassing of a magma-hydrothermal system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gerlach, T.M.; Casadevall, T.J.

1986-01-01

This study is an investigation of the chemical changes in the Mount St. Helens fumarole gases up to October 1981, the sources of the fumarole gases, and the stability of gas species in the shallow magma system. These problems are investigated by calculations of element compositions, thermodynamic equilibria, and magmatic volatile-hydrothermal steam mixing models. The fumarole gases are treated as mixtures of magmatic volatiles and hydrothermal steam formed by magma degassing and boiling of local waters in a dryout zone near conduit and dome magma. The magmatic volatile fraction is significant in fumaroles with temperatures in excess of the magma cracking-temperature (??? 700??C) - i.e., the temperature below which cracking is induced by thermal stresses during cooling and solidification. Linear composition changes of the fumarole gases over time appear to be the result of a steady decline in the magmatic volatile mixing fraction, which may be due to the tapping of progressively volatile-depleted magma. The maximum proportion of hydrothermal steam in the fumaroles rose from about 25-35% in September 1980 to around 50-70% by October 1981. Fractional degassing of magmatic CO2 and sulfur also contributed to the chemical changes in the fumarole gases. The steady chemical changes indicate that replenishment of the magma system with undegassed magma was not significant between September 1980 and September 1981. Extrapolations of chemical trends suggest that fumarole gases emitted at the time of formation of the first dome in mid-June 1980 were more enriched in a magmatic volatile fraction and contained a minimum of 9% CO2. Calculations show H2S is the predominant sulfur species in Mount St. Helens magma below depths of 200 m. Rapid release of gases from magma below this depth is a plausible mechanism for producing the high H2S/SO2 observed in Mount St. Helens plumes during explosive eruptions. This study suggests that dacite-andesite volcanos may emit gases richer in CO2 during the earlier episodes of an eruptive cycle and burden the atmosphere with much more H2S than SO2 during explosive eruptions. ?? 1986.

Barometric pressure forcing on radon-222 and temperature in fumarolic gases: a tool to describe flow-rate dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richon, P.; Salaun, A.; Boudon, G.; Villemant, B.; Crispi, O.; Sabroux, J.

2010-12-01

We propose two conceptual models for the dynamics of fumarolic gases, during their ascent through the volcano plumbing, based on radon-222 and temperature data collected on fumaroles of La Soufrière volcano (Guadeloupe,FWI) together with local barometric pressure, and on a new interpretation of older data collected on Merapi volcano (1), Indonesia. All these in-situ measurements prove that the diurnal (24h, S1 barometric wave) and semidiurnal (12h, S2 barometric wave) variations in radon concentration are clearly observable, and positively or negatively correlated with barometric pressure variation. Two models are used to interpret this correlation. The first model, called “Accumulation mode”, is characterized by an initial and negligible deep radon-222 source and by a major contribution of radon-222 from conduit walls and connected fractures (emanation and exhalation mechanisms) during the gas ascent through the fumarolic system. This model is substantiated by a positive correlation between radon and pressure in the Merapi fumaroles. The second model, or “Decay mode”, is exemplified by a negative correlation between radon and pressure as measured in fumaroles at La Soufrière volcano. It is characterized by radioactive decay of a strong initial radon-222 source generated by a deeper reservoir (hydrothermal system or magmatic chamber) whereas contribution by conduit walls and connected fractures to the total radon-222 activity in the fumarole is comparatively minor during the transit time of the gas. In these two modes, it is possible to infer that, for transit times longer than ca. 21 days, the barometric pressure does not modulate the radon signal. Thus, the simultaneous monitoring of radon-222, temperature and barometric pressure provides a precise fumarole flowmeter. In addition, it is a tool to decipher shallow versus deep feeding of volcanic fumaroles that should prove useful for volcano monitoring. (1)Zimmer, M. & Erzinger, J. Continuous H2O, CO2, 222Rn and temperature measurements on Merapi Volcano, Indonesia. J. Volcanol. Geoth. Res. 125, 25-38 (2003).

Instrumental system for the quick relief of surface temperatures in fumaroles fields and steam heated soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diliberto, Iole; Cappuzzo, Santo; Inguaggiato, Salvatore; Cosenza, Paolo

2014-05-01

We present an instrumental system to measure and to map the space variation of the surface temperature in volcanic fields. The system is called Pirogips, its essential components are a Pyrometer and a Global Position System but also other devices useful to obtain a good performance of the operating system have been included. In the framework of investigation to define and interpret volcanic scenarios, the long-term monitoring of gas geochemistry can improve the resolution of the scientific approaches by other specific disciplines. Indeed the fluid phase is released on a continuous mode from any natural system which produces energy in excess respect to its geological boundaries. This is the case of seismic or magmatic active areas where the long-term geochemical monitoring is able to highlight, and to follow in real time, changes in the rate of energy release and/or in the feeding sources of fluids, thus contributing to define the actual behaviour of the investigated systems (e.g. Paonita el al., 2013; 2002; Taran, 2011; Zettwood and Tazieff, 1973). The demand of pirogips starts from the personal experience in long term monitoring of gas geochemistry (e.g. Diliberto I.S, 2013; 2011; et al., 2002; Inguaggiato et al.,2012a, 2012b). Both space and time variation of surface temperature highlight change of energy and mass release from the deep active system, they reveal the upraise of deep and hot fluid and can be easily detected. Moreover a detailed map of surface temperature can be very useful for establishing a network of sampling points or installing a new site for geochemical monitoring. Water is commonly the main component of magmatic or hydrothermal fluid release and it can reach the ground surface in the form of steam, as in the high and low temperature fumaroles fields, or it can even condense just below the ground surface. In this second case the water disperses in pores or circulates in the permeable layers while the un-condensable gases reach the surface (e.g. in mofettes and diffuse degassing areas). The occurrence of thermal anomalies at the surface often reveals that a process of steam condensation is occurring below the ground and that CO2 fluxes are being released on the surface. A thermal map of steam heated grounds therefore highlights boundaries of underground steam advection and also the more suitable sites for geochemical monitoring. Pirogips has been assembled for the quick acquisition of surface parameters related to the exhaling activity of volcanic systems. It has been formerly tested in a controlled environment, after in the well known fumaroles areas of Vulcano island, and then in the volcanic system El Machin (Colombia) for the field survey preliminary to the installation of new monitoring stations. The preliminary test and the first field experiences confirmed that pirogips acquires the surface temperatures quickly and with good detail. The combination of sensors supplies the advantage of in situ methods (i.e. accuracy of the direct measurement by thermocouple) and those of ground-based remote sensing techniques (i.e. quickness of measurement process), at the same time reducing the main disadvantages of each method. A home-made data-logger combines the acquired parameters and returns a data-string allowing an easy visualization of acquired data on geo-referenced maps. The string of data returns the position of acquisition (lat, long, WGS84), surface temperature (either derived by the pyrometer and by thermocouple), ambient temperature, barometric pressure and air moisture. -References -Diliberto I.S., Gurrieri S., Valenza M. (2002) Relationships between diffuse CO2 emissions and volcanic activity on the island of Vulcano (Aeolian Islands, Italy) during the period 1984-1994 Bulletin of Volcanology vol 64: 219-228. -Diliberto I.S., (2013) Time series analysis of high temperature fumaroles monitored on the island of Vulcano (Aeolian Archipelago, italy). Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research Manuscript Number: doi: 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2013.08.003. Inguaggiato, S., Mazot, A., Diliberto, I.S., Inguaggiato, C., Madonia, P., Rouwet, D., Vita, F., (2012a) Total CO2 output from Vulcano island (Aeolian Islands, Italy). Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst., 13, 2 ', Q02012, DOI 10.1029/2011GC003920. -Inguaggiato, S., Calderone, L., Inguaggiato, C., Mazot, A., Morici, S., Vita F. (2012b) Long time variation of soil CO2 fluxes at the summit crater of Vulcano (Italy). Bull Volcanol, 74:1859-1863, DOI 10.1007/s00445-012-0637-6. -Paonita, A., Favara, R., Nuccio, P. M., Sortino, F. (2002). Genesis of fumarolic emissions as inferred by isotope mass balances: CO2 and water at Vulcano Island, Italy. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 66, 759-772, doi:10.1016/S0016-7037(01)00814-6. -Paonita A., C. Federico, P. Bonfanti, G. Capasso, S. Inguaggiato, F. Italiano, P. Madonia, G. Pecoraino, F. Sortino (2013) The episodic and abrupt geochemical changes at La Fossa fumaroles (Vulcano Island, Italy) and related constraints on the dynamics, structure, and compositions of the magmatic system. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 120, 158-178. Taran Y. A. (2011). N2, Ar, and He as a tool for discriminating sources of volcanic fluids with application to Vulcano, Italy. Bulletin of volcanology, 73, 395-408, doi: 10.1007/s00445- 011-0448-1. -Zettwood, P., Tazieff, H. (1973). Instrumentation for measuring and recording mass and energy transfer from volcanoes to the atmosphere. Bulletin of Volcanology 36, 1-19.

Three-Dimensional Electrical Resistivity Tomography of the Solfatara Crater (Italy): Implication for the Multiphase Flow Structure of the Shallow Hydrothermal System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gresse, Marceau; Vandemeulebrouck, Jean; Byrdina, Svetlana; Chiodini, Giovanni; Revil, André; Johnson, Timothy C.; Ricci, Tullio; Vilardo, Giuseppe; Mangiacapra, Annarita; Lebourg, Thomas; Grangeon, Jacques; Bascou, Pascale; Metral, Laurent

2017-11-01

The Solfatara volcano is the main degassing area of the Campi Flegrei caldera, characterized by 60 years of unrest. Assessing such renewal activity is a challenging task because hydrothermal interactions with magmatic gases remain poorly understood. In this study, we decipher the complex structure of the shallow Solfatara hydrothermal system by performing the first 3-D, high-resolution, electrical resistivity tomography of the volcano. The 3-D resistivity model was obtained from the inversion of 43,432 resistance measurements performed on an area of 0.68 km2. The proposed interpretation of the multiphase hydrothermal structures is based on the resistivity model, a high-resolution infrared surface temperature image, and 1,136 soil CO2 flux measurements. In addition, we realized 27 soil cation exchange capacity and pH measurements demonstrating a negligible contribution of surface conductivity to the shallow bulk electrical conductivity. Hence, we show that the resistivity changes are mainly controlled by fluid content and temperature. The high-resolution tomograms identify for the first time the structure of the gas-dominated reservoir at 60 m depth that feeds the Bocca Grande fumarole through a 10 m thick channel. In addition, the resistivity model reveals a channel-like conductive structure where the liquid produced by steam condensation around the main fumaroles flows down to the Fangaia area within a buried fault. The model delineates the emplacement of the main geological structures: Mount Olibano, Solfatara cryptodome, and tephra deposits. It also reveals the anatomy of the hydrothermal system, especially two liquid-dominated plumes, the Fangaia mud pool and the Pisciarelli fumarole, respectively.

Microbial diversity in nonsulfur, sulfur and iron geothermal steam vents.

PubMed

Benson, Courtney A; Bizzoco, Richard W; Lipson, David A; Kelley, Scott T

2011-04-01

Fumaroles, commonly called steam vents, are ubiquitous features of geothermal habitats. Recent studies have discovered microorganisms in condensed fumarole steam, but fumarole deposits have proven refractory to DNA isolation. In this study, we report the development of novel DNA isolation approaches for fumarole deposit microbial community analysis. Deposit samples were collected from steam vents and caves in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Lassen Volcanic National Park. Samples were analyzed by X-ray microanalysis and classified as nonsulfur, sulfur or iron-dominated steam deposits. We experienced considerable difficulty in obtaining high-yield, high-quality DNA for cloning: only half of all the samples ultimately yielded sequences. Analysis of archaeal 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that sulfur steam deposits were dominated by Sulfolobus and Acidianus, while nonsulfur deposits contained mainly unknown Crenarchaeota. Several of these novel Crenarchaeota lineages were related to chemoautotrophic ammonia oxidizers, indicating that fumaroles represent a putative habitat for ammonia-oxidizing Archaea. We also generated archaeal and bacterial enrichment cultures from the majority of the deposits and isolated members of the Sulfolobales. Our results provide the first evidence of Archaea in geothermal steam deposits and show that fumaroles harbor diverse and novel microbial lineages. © 2011 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

A geochemical and geophysical reappraisal to the significance of the recent unrest at Campi Flegrei caldera (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moretti, Roberto; De Natale, Giuseppe; Troise, Claudia

2017-04-01

Volcanic unrest at calderas involve complex interaction between magma, hydrothermal fluids and crustal stress and strain. Campi Flegrei caldera (CFc), located in the Naples (Italy) area and characterised by the highest volcanic risk on Earth for the extreme urbanisation, undergoes unrest phenomena involving several meters of uplift and intense shallow micro-seismicity since several decades. Despite unrest episodes display in the last decade only moderate ground deformation and seismicity, current interpretations of geochemical data point to a highly pressurized hydrothermal system. We show that at CFc, the usual assumption of vapour-liquid coexistence in the fumarole plumes leads to largely overestimated hydrothermal pressures and, accordingly, interpretations of elevated unrest. By relaxing unconstrained geochemical assumptions, we infer an alternative model yielding better agreement between geophysical and geochemical observations. The model reconciles discrepancies between what observed 1) for two decades since the 1982-84 large unrest, when shallow magma was supplying heat and fluids to the hydrothermal system, and 2) in the last decade. Compared to the 1980's unrest, the post-2005 phenomena are characterized by much lower aquifers overpressure and magmatic involvement, as indicated by geophysical data and despite large changes in geochemical indicators. Our interpretation points out a model in which shallow sills, intruded during 1969-1984, have completely cooled, so that fumarole emissions are affected now by deeper, CO2-richer, magmatic gases producing a relatively modest heating and overpressure of the hydrothermal system. Our results do have important implications on the short-term eruption hazard assessment and on the best strategies for monitoring and interpreting geochemical data.

Geochemistry of volcanic gas from Avachinsky volcano (Kamchatka, Russia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaplygin, Ilya; Taran, Yuri; Lavrushin, Vasily; Inguaggiato, Salvatore

2015-04-01

Among 29 active volcanoes on Kamchatka Avachinsky volcano (2741 m) attracts more attention that others due to its proximity (25 km) to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the biggest city on Kamchatka. The last eruption at Avacha occurred in summit crater in January 1991. It produced small lava flow and left lava plug, which cracked in 2001. Gas emissions from the crack and fumarolic sites at Avachinsky has been monitored from 1994 (Malik, Zelensky, 2014). Previous data show that gas temperature increase (T°C): 473 (09.94), 416 (08.97), 400 (08.99), 500 (10.01), 626 (09.13). We present chemical and isotopic data on gas and condensate samples taken from the hottest fumarole at Avacha (630°C) in July 2014 (mol.%): H2O 96.46, CO2 1.55, SO2 1.32, HCl 0.27, HF 0.02, H2 0.28; δ18O 2.28‰, δD -48.8‰. According to data available gas from Avacha is close to magmatic fluid of subduction zone volcanoes. ICP data on condensate collected allow to intercompare metal-bearing capacity of high-temperature gases from Avacha, Gorely, Tolbachik and Kudriavy volcanoes. The study is supported by RFBR, grant 14-05-00874.

Mantle source beneath Turrialba volcano (Costa Rica): a geochemical investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Piazza, A.; Rizzo, A. L.; Barberi, F.; Carapezza, M. L.; Sortino, F.; De Astis, G.; Romano, C.

2014-12-01

In this study we analysed rocks and noble gas composition of fluid inclusions (FIs) hosted in olivine crystals contained in a suite of eruptive products of the last 10ka of activity of Turrialba volcano, Cordillera Central, Costa Rica. The suite of analyzed rocks display a calc-alkaline affinity, ranging in composition from basaltic-andesite to dacite. Trace element patterns indicate a typical behavior of subduction-related magmas and also the clear contribution of an OIB-like signature at source. A group of andesites displays also adakite-like geochemical features, as evidenced by their constant depletion in HFSE elements. Sr isotope (0.703593 - 0.703678) and Nd isotope ratios (0.512960 - 0.512968) suggest that Turrialba magmas belong to one of the less contaminated mantle source of Central America. The 3He/4He ratio of fluid inclusions from the most mafic eruptive products (basaltic-andesites) varies from 7.86 to 8.07 Ra, while that from andesite lavas varies from 7.03 to 7.18 Ra. In order to understand the mantle source feeding Turrialba volcano, we performed a geochemical investigation on fumarolic gases of summit craters. The He isotope composition of dry gases of Turrialba volcano is characterized by extremely high R/Ra values (7.08-7.96 Ra). The highest 3He/4He ratios were measured at both West and Central Craters (7.93-7.96 Ra and 7.78-7.88 Ra, respectively), and are the highest values of the entire Central America. Despite the observed variability, the 3He/4He ratio of fumarolic gases and FIs from Turrialba volcano is well in the range of arc related volcanism (~7-8 Ra; Hilton et al., 2002), and represents the signature of a mantle wedge in which the contamination by crustal fluids is small to negligible. In addition the occurrence of recent adakite-like magmatism suggests the presence of an abnormal heating of the subducting lithosphere under Turrialba volcano, allowing even old or cold oceanic crust to melt.

Dark Oligotrophic Volcanic Ecosystems (DOVEs) in Fumarolic Ice Caves of Mt. Erebus Volcano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staudigel, H.; Anitori, R.; Davis, R.; Connell, L.; Tebo, B. M.

2011-12-01

Dark Oligotrophic Volcanic Ecosystems (DOVEs) in the earth's crust may host substantial biomass sustained by chemolithoautotrophic metabolic reactions. It may serve as the base of the foodweb at the surface via hydrothermal circulation, venting pore fluids, cold seeps or gases, and offer a means for primary carbon fixation. When compared to other crustal oligotrophic environments, DOVEs are particularly relevant due to their considerable reductive potential, high permeability and the substantial chemical exchange facilitated by their hydrothermal systems. We studied terrestrial DOVEs in fumarolic ice caves on the summit plateau of Mt Erebus, an active volcano on Ross Island, Antarctica (http://erebuscaves.nmt.edu/). Most of the ice caves on Mt Erebus are relatively shallow and illuminated by natural light, but some are deep enough to afford complete darkness. Fumarole gases forming these caves are mostly atmospheric, enriched with water vapor and CO2. The fumaroles were studied in three caves, Warren, Warren West and Harry's Dream; these displayed, respectively, temperatures of 18°C, 2°C and 11°C at our sampling sites. Both Warren caves were completely dark, while Harry's Dream received continuous indirect light during the Austral summer, and offered a control to the two dark caves. The composition of the resident microbial communities was assessed using 16S rRNA and ITS libraries, while metabolic and functional characteristics were analyzed by culturing. The latter results are presented by Anitori et al. (this session). The three cave soils displayed very low (Warren, Warren West) or moderate division-level diversity, with distinct communities in each environment. Acidobacteria was the only phylum detected in all three caves, and was a major component of each library. The phototroph-containing phyla Cyanobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Chlorophyta (latter eukaryotic) were only seen in Harry's Dream. A number of phyla whose members are known to oxidize Mn(II) or Fe(II) were also identified in the caves. The overall phylum and class-level composition of the cave libraries displayed certain similarities to other cave communities, with a notable exception being the dominance of Ktedonobacteria (63% of the Warren cave 16S rDNA library), a recently described, filamentous bacterial lineage. A large fraction of the database matches for the cave libraries were to uncultured or cultured bacteria from environments with one or more similarities to the Mt. Erebus ice caves, i.e, associated with volcanic rocks and soils, alpine soil types, glaciers, caves and other cold environments. A functional analysis of microbes from these caves (Anitori et al., this session) shows good evidence for chemolithotrophic metabolisms, autotrophic carbon fixation as well as nitrogen fixation. These studies validate fumarolic ice caves at Mt Erebus as viable experimental study sites for chemolithotrophic microbial communities in DOVEs.

Scrubbing masks magmatic degassing during repose at Cascade-Range and Aleutian-Arc volcanoes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Symonds, Robert B.; Janik, C.J.; Evans, William C.; Ritchie, B.E.; Counce, Dale; Poreda, R.J.; Iven, Mark

2003-01-01

Between 1992 and 1998, we sampled gas discharges from ≤173°C fumaroles and springs at 12 quiescent but potentially restless volcanoes in the Cascade Range and Aleutian Arc (CRAA) including Mount Shasta, Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, Augustine Volcano, Mount Griggs, Trident, Mount Mageik, Aniakchak Crater, Akutan, and Makushin. For each site, we collected and analyzed samples to characterize the chemical (H2O, CO2, H2S, N2, CH4, H2, HCl, HF, NH3, Ar, O2, He) and isotopic (δ13C of CO2, 3He/4He, 40Ar/36Ar, δ34S, δ13C of CH4, δ15N, and δD and δ18O of water) compositions of the gas discharges, and to create baseline data for comparison during future unrest. The chemical and isotopic data show that these gases contain a magmatic component that is heavily modified from scrubbing by deep hydrothermal (150° - 350°C) water (primary scrubbing) and shallow meteoric water (secondary scrubbing). The impact of scrubbing is most pronounced in gas discharges from bubbling springs; gases from boiling-point fumaroles and superheated vents show progressively less impact from scrubbing. The most effective strategies for detecting gas precursors to future CRAA eruptions are to measure periodically the emission rates of CO2 and SO2, which have low and high respective solubilities in water, and to monitor continuously CO2 concentrations in soils around volcanic vents. Timely resampling of fumaroles can augment the geochemical surveillance program by watching for chemical changes associated with drying of fumarolic pathways (all CRAA sites), increases in gas geothermometry temperatures (Mount Mageik, Trident, Mount Baker, Mount Shasta), changes in δ13C of CO2 affiliated with magma movement (all CRAA site), and increases in 3He/4He coupled with intrusion of new magma (Mount Rainier, Augustine Volcano, Makushin, Mount Shasta). Repose magmatic degassing may discharge substantial amounts of S and Cl into the edifices of Mount Baker and several other CRAA volcanoes that is trapped by primary and secondary scrubbing. The consequent acidic fluids produce ongoing alteration in the 0.2- to 3-km-deep hydrothermal systems and in fields of boiling-point fumaroles near the surface. Such alteration may influence edifice stability and contribute to the formation of more-hazardous cohesive debris flows. In particular, we recommend further investigation of the volume, extent, and hazards of hydrothermal alteration at Mount Baker. Other potential hazards associated with the CRAA volcano hydrothermal systems include hydrothermal eruptions and, for deeper systems intruded by magma, deep-seated edifice collapse.

The role of magmas in the formation of hydrothermal ore deposits

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hedenquist, Jeffrey W.; Lowenstern, Jacob B.

1994-01-01

Magmatic fluids, both vapour and hypersaline liquid, are a primary source of many components in hydrothermal ore deposits formed in volcanic arcs. These components, including metals and their ligands, become concentrated in magmas in various ways from various sources, including subducted oceanic crust. Leaching of rocks also contributes components to the hydrothermal fluid—a process enhanced where acid magmatic vapours are absorbed by deeply circulating meteoric waters. Advances in understanding the hydrothermal systems that formed these ore deposits have come from the study of their active equivalents, represented at the surface by hot springs and volcanic fumaroles.

Mercury emissions and stable isotopic compositions at Vulcano Island (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zambardi, T.; Sonke, J. E.; Toutain, J. P.; Sortino, F.; Shinohara, H.

2009-01-01

Sampling and analyses methods for determining the stable isotopic compositions of Hg in an active volcanic system were tested and optimized at the volcanic complex of Vulcano (Aeolian Islands, Italy). Condensed gaseous fumarole Hg (fum)T, plume gaseous elemental Hg (g)0 and plume particulate Hg (p)II were obtained at fumaroles F0, F5, F11, and FA. The average total Hg emissions, based on Hg T/SO 2 in condensed fumarolic gases and plumes, range from 2.5 to 10.1 kg y - 1 , in agreement with published values [Ferrara, R., Mazzolai, B., Lanzillotta, E., Nucaro, E., Pirrone, N., 2000. Volcanoes as emission sources of atmospheric mercury in the Mediterranean Basin. Sci. Total Environ. 259(1-3), 115-121; Aiuppa, A., Bagnato, E., Witt, M.L.I., Mather, T.A., Parello, F., Pyle, D.M., Martin, R.S., 2007. Real-time simultaneous detection of volcanic Hg and SO 2 at La Fossa Crater, Vulcano (Aeolian Islands, Sicily). Geophys. Res. Lett. 34(L21307).]. Plume Hg (p)II increases with distance from the fumarole vent, at the expense of Hg (g)0 and indicates significant in-plume oxidation and condensation of fumarole Hg (fum)T. Relative to the NIST SRM 3133 Hg standard, the stable isotopic compositions of Hg are δ 202Hg (fum)T = - 0.74‰ ± 0.18 (2SD, n = 4) for condensed gaseous fumarole Hg (fum)T, δ 202Hg (g)0 = - 1.74‰ ± 0.36 (2SD, n = 1) for plume gaseous elemental Hg (g)0 at the F0 fumarole, and δ 202Hg (p)II = - 0.11‰ ± 0.18 (2SD, n = 4) for plume particulate Hg (p)II. The enrichment of Hg (p)II in the heavy isotopes and Hg (g)0 in the light isotopes relative to the total condensed fumarolic Hg (fum)T gas complements the speciation data and demonstrates a gas-particle fractionation occurring after the gas expulsion in ambient T° atmosphere. A first order Rayleigh equilibrium condensation isotope fractionation model yields a fractionation factor α cond-gas of 1.00135 ± 0.00058.

Reconstruction of Ancestral Hydrothermal Systems on Mount Rainier Using Hydrothermally Altered Rocks in Holocene Debris Flows and Tephras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

John, D. A.; Breit, G. N.; Sisson, T. W.; Vallance, J. W.; Rye, R. O.

2005-12-01

Mount Rainier is the result of episodic stages of edifice growth during periods of high eruptive activity and edifice destruction during periods of relative magmatic quiescence over the past 500 kyr. Edifice destruction occurred both by slow erosion and by catastrophic collapses, some of which were strongly influenced by hydrothermal alteration. Several large-volume Holocene debris-flow deposits contain abundant clasts of hydrothermally altered rocks, most notably the 4-km3 clay-rich Osceola Mudflow which formed by collapse of the northeast side and upper 1000+ m of the edifice about 5600 ya and flowed >120 km downstream into Puget Sound. Mineral assemblages and stable isotope data of hydrothermal alteration products in Holocene debris-flow deposits indicate formation in distinct hydrothermal environments, including magmatic-hydrothermal, steam-heated (including a large fumarolic component), magmatic steam (including a possible fumarolic component), and supergene. The Osceola Mudflow and phreatic components of coeval tephras contain the highest-temperature and inferred most deeply formed alteration minerals; assemblages include magmatic-hydrothermal quartz-alunite, quartz-topaz, quartz-pyrophyllite and quartz-illite (all +pyrite), in addition to steam-heated opal-alunite-kaolinite and abundant smectite-pyrite. In contrast, the Paradise lahar, which formed by a collapse of the surficial upper south side of the edifice, contains only steam-heated assemblages including those formed largely above the water table from condensation of fumarolic vapor (opal-alunite-jarosite). Younger debris-flow deposits on the west side of the volcano (Round Pass lahar and Electron Mudflow) contain only smectite-pyrite alteration, whereas an early 20th century rock avalanche on Tahoma Glacier also contains magmatic-hydrothermal alteration that is exposed in the avalanche headwall of Sunset Amphitheater. Mineralogy and isotopic composition of the alteration phases, geologic and geophysical data, as well as analog fossil hydrothermal systems in volcanoes elsewhere, constrain hydrothermal alteration geometry on the pre-Osceola-collapse edifice of Mount Rainier. Relatively narrow zones of acid magmatic-hydrothermal alteration in the central core of the volcano grade to more widely distributed smectite-pyrite alteration farther out on the upper flanks, capped by steam-heated alteration with a large component of alteration resulting from condensation of fumarolic vapor above the water table. Alteration was polygenetic in zones formed episodically, and was strongly controlled by fluxes of heat and magmatic fluid and by local permeability.

Halophilic Archaea determined from geothermal steam vent aerosols.

PubMed

Ellis, Dean G; Bizzoco, Richard W; Kelley, Scott T

2008-06-01

Hydrothermal vents, known as 'fumaroles', are ubiquitous features of geothermal areas. Although their geology has been extensively characterized, little is known about the subsurface microbial ecology of fumaroles largely because of the difficulty in collecting sufficient numbers of cells from boiling steam water for DNA extraction and culture isolation. Here we describe the first collection, molecular analysis and isolation of microbes from fumarole steam waters in Russia (Kamchatka) and the USA (Hawaii, New Mexico, California and Wyoming). Surprisingly, the steam vent waters from all the fumaroles contained halophilic Archaea closely related to the Haloarcula spp. found in non-geothermal salt mats, saline soils, brine pools and salt lakes around the world. Microscopic cell counting estimated the cell dispersal rate at approximately 1.6 x 10(9) cells year(-1) from a single fumarole. We also managed to enrich microbes in high-salt media from every vent sample, and to isolate Haloarcula from a Yellowstone vent in a 20% salt medium after a month-long incubation, demonstrating both salt tolerance and viability of cells collected from high-temperature steam. Laboratory tests determined that microbes enriched in salt media survived temperatures greater than 75 degrees C for between 5 and 30 min during the collection process. Hawaiian fumaroles proved to contain the greatest diversity of halophilic Archaea with four new lineages that may belong to uncultured haloarchaeal genera. This high diversity may have resulted from the leaching of salts and minerals through the highly porous volcanic rock, creating a chemically complex saline subsurface.

Thermal areas on Kilauea and Mauna Loa Volcanoes, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Casadevall, Thomas J.; Hazlett, Richard W.

1983-01-01

Active thermal areas are concentrated in three areas on Mauna Loa and three areas on Kilauea. High-temperature fumaroles (115-362°C) on Mauna Loa are restricted to the summit caldera, whereas high-temperature fumaroles on Kilauea are found in the upper East Rift Zone (Mauna Ulu summit fumaroles, 562°C), middle East Rift Zone (1977 eruptive fissure fumaroles), and in the summit caldera. Solfataric activity that has continued for several decades occurs along border faults of Kilauea caldera and at Sulphur Cone on the southwest rift zone of Mauna Loa. Solfataras that are only a few years old occur along recently active eruptive fissures in the summit caldera and along the rift zones of Kilauea. Steam vents and hot-air cracks also occur at the edges of cooling lava ponds, on the summits of lava shields, along faults and graben fractures, and in diffuse patches that may reflect shallow magmatic intrusions.

Pyrite–sulfosalt reactions and semimetal fractionation in the Chinkuashih, Taiwan, copper–gold deposit: a 1 Ma paleo-fumarole

USGS Publications Warehouse

Henley, R.W.; Berger, Byron R.

2012-01-01

The mineralized fracture system that underlay paleo-fumarole field at Chinkuashih, Taiwan has been exposed by copper–gold mining to depths of about 550 m below the paleo-surface. Its mineralogy and systematic variations in metal and semimetal (Fe, Cu, As, Sb, Bi, Hg, Cd, Sn, Zn, Pb, Se, Te, Au, Ag) concentrations provide insights into the chemical responses of a magmatic-vapor phase as it expands through fracture arrays to the surface and discharges as fumaroles associated with more extensive solfatara. At Chinkuashih, following initial sealing of the fractures by silica-alunite alteration, brittle failure reestablished discharge from an underlying reservoir of magmatic vapor. Crystalline pyrite was deposited first in the fractures and was succeeded and replaced by ‘enargite’ (Cu3(As,Sb)S4) as sulfosalt encrustations (‘sublimate’) on fracture surfaces and in extensional cracks. Subsequent recrystallization resulted in complex exsolution intergrowths with antimony fractionation to the evolving crystal–vapor interface. Heavy metal fractionation between sulfosalt and vapor enriched the vapor phase in heavy metals that subsequently precipitated as complex Bi–Hg–Sn sulfosalts in discrete areas (paleo-fumaroles) close to the paleo-surface in a manner analogous to modern-day fumaroles on active volcanoes such as Vulcano, Italy. As in similar paleo-fumaroles (e.g., El Indio, Chile and Lepanto, Philippines), the most characteristic reaction sequence is the partial replacement of the early pyrite by enargite and Fe-tennantite. It is proposed that this reaction tracks the decrease in the pressure of the underlying magmatic-vapor reservoir because of the sustained discharge of vapor to the surface.

Sulfate mineralogy of fumaroles in the Salton Sea Geothermal Field, Imperial County, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, Paul M.; Lynch, David K.; Buckland, Kerry N.; Johnson, Patrick D.; Tratt, David M.

2017-11-01

The Salton Trough lies in the transition between the San Andreas Fault and oblique spreading centers and transform faults in the Gulf of California. The Salton Sea Geothermal Field is the northernmost expression of those spreading centers. In 2007 two ammonia-emitting fumarole fields that had been submerged beneath the Salton Sea were exposed for the first time in nearly 50 years. As the sea level continued to drop these fields have developed a number of boiling pools, mud pots, gryphons and a unique suite of ammonium sulfate minerals. These have been studied over time with long-wave infrared remote sensing coupled with ground truth surveys backed by laboratory analyses of the minerals. Many vents lie at the center of concentric rings of mineralization with systematic occurrence of different minerals from center to edge. Three semi-concentric zones (fumarole, transition and evaporite) have been defined with respect to ammonia-emitting vents and bubbling pools. The scale of these zones range from several meters, localized around individual vents, to that of the fumarole fields as a whole. The fumarole zone is closest to the vents and locally contains cavernous sulfur crystals and significant deposits of gypsum, mascagnite, boussingaultite and other ammonium sulfates. The transition zone comprises a dark brown surficial band of inconspicuous sodium nitrate underlain by anhydrite/bassanite that is thought to have formed by ammonia-oxidizing microbes interacting with the ammonium sulfates of the outer fumarole zone. The evaporite zone is the outermost and contains blödite, thenardite and glauberite, which are typical of the sulfates associated with the shoreline of the Salton Sea. Remote sensing has shown that the mineral zones have remained relatively stable from 2013 to 2017, with minor variations depending on rainfall, temperature and levels of agricultural runoff.

Mixing of magmatic volatiles with groundwater and interaction with basalt on the summit of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurwitz, Shaul; Goff, Fraser; Janik, Cathy J.; Evans, William C.; Counce, Dale A.; Sorey, Michael L.; Ingebritsen, Steven E.

2003-01-01

We interpret new chemical and isotopic data from samples collected between October 1998 and March 2002 from the NSF well (also called the Keller well), the only deep well on the summit of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii. Sample collection followed cleaning of the well, which renewed access to the hydrothermal system very close to the loci of magmatic and fumarolic activity. The chemical and isotopic compositions of the new samples differ remarkably from data published previously. On the basis of the S/Cl ratio and carbon and helium isotopes we conclude that the thermal fluids formed by condensation of magmatic gas into shallow meteoric groundwater. Gas condensation was followed by a complex pattern of basalt dissolution accompanied by an increase of fluid pH and precipitation of secondary minerals. Geochemical modeling and geothermometry imply that the fluids equilibrated with an assemblage of secondary minerals at temperatures between 90 and 140°C. The significantly different chemical composition of the NSF well fluids from that of springs along the southern coast of the island indicates that mass transport from the summit region toward the lower flanks of the volcano is limited.

Evaluating links between deformation, topography and surface temperature at volcanic domes: Results from a multi-sensor study at Volcán de Colima, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salzer, Jacqueline T.; Milillo, Pietro; Varley, Nick; Perissin, Daniele; Pantaleo, Michele; Walter, Thomas R.

2017-12-01

Dome building activity is common at many volcanoes and due to the gravitational instability, a dome represents one of the most hazardous volcanic phenomena. Shallow volcanic processes as well as rheological and structural changes of the dome affecting the fluid transport have been linked to transitions in eruptive activity. Also, hydrothermal alteration may affect the structural integrity of the dome, increasing the potential for collapse. However, mapping the deformation and details of fluid escape at the summit of steep sloped volcanoes and integrating these with other types of data is challenging due to difficult access and poor coverage. Here we present for the first time the near-vertical and near-horizontal surface deformation field of a quiescent summit dome and the relationships with degassing and topographic patterns. Our results are derived from high resolution satellite radar interferometry (InSAR) time series based on a year of TerraSAR-X SpotLight acquisitions and Structure from Motion (SfM) processing of overflight infrared data at Volcán de Colima, Mexico. The identified deformation is dominated by localized heterogeneous subsidence of the summit dome exceeding rates of 15 cm/yr, and strongly decreasing over the year 2012, up to the renewal of explosive and extrusive activity in early 2013. We tentatively attribute the deformation to the degassing, cooling and contraction of the dome and shallow conduit material. We also find that the results strongly differ depending on the chosen InSAR time series method, which potentially overprints the true physical complexities of small scale, shallow deformation processes. The combined interpretation of the deformation and infrared data reveals a complex spatial relationship between the degassing pathways and the deformation. While we observe no deformation across the crater rim fumaroles, discontinuities in the deformation field are more commonly observed around the dome rim fumaroles and occasionally on the dome upper surface. We propose that the deformation pattern is also linked to processes controlling the fumarole formation and distribution (topography, permeability and volcanic activity), and the lack of direct relationships may be explained by how the influence of these processes varies across the volcanic summit. The presented work provides a new approach for safely monitoring the activity and stability of internal dome structures, as well as for constraining and validating models of dome degassing pathways and densification processes.

Evaluation of gas data from high-temperature fumaroles at Mount St. Helens, 1980-1982

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gerlach, T.M.; Casadevall, T.J.

1986-01-01

The Mount St. Helens fumarole gases show linear composition trends during periods of noneruptive degassing between September 1980 and October 1981. The trends are characterized by increasing H2O and decreasing CO2 and sulfur. Maximum fumarole temperatures also show a linear decrease during this period. High-temperature fumarole gases collected from the crater and dome between September 1980 and July 1982 are all H2O-rich (> 90%) with 1-10% CO2 and small amounts of H2S, SO2, H2, CO, HC, and HF. Trace amounts of COS and S2 are present, and occasional observations of minor CH4 appear to result from contamination or low-temperature reactions in sample vessels. The O2 fugacities of the gases remain near Ni-NiO during cooling. The low sulfur content of the gases obviates the need for extensive gas-rock oxygen exchange to maintain fO2's near Ni-NiO. A detailed thermodynamic analysis of 50 gas samples collected between September 1980 and December 1981 led to improved compositions for 22 samples. The gases were initially in a state of equilibrium, but disequilibrium modifications from atmospheric oxidation of H2 and, to a lesser extent, CO occurred within the upper portions of the fumarole vents. The last temperatures of equilibrium for the fumarole gases range from 800??C to 650??C and are nearly always higher than the collection temperatures. No evidence was found of disequilibrium admixture of surface waters; if such modifications of the fumarole gases occurred, the water must have been added at depth and have reequilibrated with the other gas species at magmatic or near-magmatic temperatures. The highest quality analytical data are obtained by field gas chromatograph measurements and from caustic soda bottle samples. Samples collected in evacuated bottles or by pumping through double stopcock tubes tend to be severely deficient in sulfur due to post-collection reactions between H2S and SO2. It is also necessary to infer the water content of the latter samples. ?? 1986.

Diffuse He degassing from Furnas Volcano, Sao Miguel, Azores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernández, I.; Melian, G.; Nolasco, D.; Dionis, S.; Hernández, P.; Perez, N.; Noehn, D.; Nobrega, D.; Gonzalez, P.; Forjaz, V. H.; França, Z.

2012-04-01

Furnas is the easternmost of the three active central volcanoes on the island of Sâo Miguel in Azores archipielago. Unlike the other two main volcanoes, Sete Cidades and Fogo, Furnas does not have a well-developed edifice, but consists of a steep-sided caldera complex 8 x 5 km across. It is built on the outer flanks of the Povoaçao - Nordeste lava complex that forms the eastern end of Sao Miguel. The caldera margins of Furnas reflect the regional-local tectonic pattern which has also controlled the distribution of vents within the caldera and areas of thermal springs. Helium is considered as an ideal geochemical tracer due to its properties: chemically inert, physically stable and practically insoluble in water under normal conditions. These properties together with its high mobility on the crust, make the presence of helium anomalies on the surface environment of a volcanic system to be related to deep fluid migration controlled by volcano-tectonic features of the area and provide valuable information about the location and characteristics of the gas source and the fracturing of the crust. On the summer of 2011, a diffuse helium emission survey was carried out on the surface environment of Furnas volcano, covering an area of 15.4 km2 with a total of 276 sampling site observations. To collect soil gases at each sampling point, a stainless steel probe was inserted 40 cm depth in the soil. Helium concentration was measured within 24 hours by means of a quadrupole mass spectrometer Pfeiffer Omnistar 422. DeltaHe (DeltaHe= Hesoil atmosphere - Heair) distribution map was constructed following Sequential Gaussian Simulation. DeltaHe distribution map shows that most of the study area presents values similar to those of air (Heair = 5,240 ppb). Soil gas helium enrichment was mainly observed at the areas affected by the discharge of hydrothermal fluids: the fumarole area on the north part of Furnas Lake (DeltaHe> 10,000 ppb) and the fumarole area on Furnas Village (DeltaHe> 5,000 ppb). No other significant enrichment DeltaHe were found which indicate the presence of a vertical permeability area for the migration of deep fluid to the surface.

Fumarolic activity in marie byrd land, antarctica.

PubMed

Lemasurier, W E; Wade, F A

1968-10-18

Ice towers, probably formed by recent fumarolic activity, have been found around the summit calderas of two volcanoes in Marie Byrd Land. These active (?) volcanoes lie within a broad belt of Mesozoic intrusion and late Cenozoic extrusion that appears to be part of the circum-Pacific orogenic province.

Apacheta, a new geothermal prospect in Northern Chile

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Urzua, Luis; Powell, Tom; Cumming, William B.

2002-05-24

The discovery of two high-temperature fumaroles, with gas geochemistry compatible with an economic geothermal system, established Apacheta as one of the most attractive geothermal exploration prospects in northern Chile. These remote fumaroles at 5,150 m elevation were first sampled in 1999 by ENAP and its partners, following up on the reports of a CODELCO water exploration well that flowed small amounts of dry steam at 4,540 m elevation in the valley 4.5 km east of the fumaroles. The prospect is associated with a Plio-Pleistocene volcanic complex located within a NW-trending graben along the axis of the high Andes. The regionalmore » water table is 4,200 masl. There are no hot springs, just the 88 degrees C steam well and the 109 degrees and 118 degrees C fumaroles with gas compositions that indicate reservoir temperatures of greater than or equal to 250 degrees C, using a variety of gas geothermometers. An MT-TDEM survey was completed in 2001-2002 by Geotermica del Norte (SDN), an ENAP-C ODELCO partnership, to explore the Apacheta geothermal concession. The survey results indicated that base of the low resistivity clay cap has a structural apex just west of the fumaroles, a pattern typically associated with shallow permeability within a high temperature geothermal resource. SGN plans to drill at least one exploration well in 2002-03 to characterize a possible economic resource at Apacheta.« less

Water-rock interaction in the magmatic-hydrothermal system of Nisyros Island (Greece)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ambrosio, Michele; Doveri, Marco; Fagioli, Maria Teresa; Marini, Luigi; Principe, Claudia; Raco, Brunella

2010-04-01

In this work, we investigated the water-rock interaction processes taking place in the hydrothermal reservoir of Nisyros through both: (1) a review of the hydrothermal mineralogy encountered in the deep geothermal borehole Nisyros-2; and (2) a comparison of the analytically-derived redox potentials and acidities of fumarolic-related liquids, with those controlled by redox buffers and pH buffers, involving hydrothermal mineral phases. The propylitic zone met in the deep geothermal borehole Nisyros-2, from 950 to 1547 m (total depth), is characterised by abundant, well crystallised epidote, adularia, albite, quartz, pyrite, chlorite, and sericite-muscovite, accompanied by less abundant anhydrite, stilpnomelane, wairakite, garnet, tremolite and pyroxene. These hydrothermal minerals were produced in a comparatively wide temperature range, from 230 to 300 °C, approximately. Hydrothermal assemblages are well developed from 950 to 1360 m, whereas they are less developed below this depth, probably due to low permeability. Based on the RH values calculated for fumarolic gases and for the deep geothermal fluids of Nisyros-1 and Nisyros-2 wells, redox equilibrium with the (FeO)/(FeO 1.5) rock buffer appears to be closely attained throughout the hydrothermal reservoir of Nisyros. This conclusion may be easily reconciled with the nearly ubiquitous occurrence of anhydrite and pyrite, since RH values controlled by coexistence of anhydrite and pyrite can be achieved by gas separation. The pH of the liquids feeding the fumarolic vents of Stephanos and Polybote Micros craters was computed, by means of the EQ3 code, based on the Cl- δD relationship which is constrained by the seawater-magmatic water mixing occurring at depth in the hydrothermal-magmatic system of Nisyros. The temperature dependence of analytically-derived pH values for the reservoir liquids feeding the fumarolic vents of Stephanos and Polybote Micros craters suggests that some unspecified pH buffer fixes the acidity of these reservoir liquids at values of 4.72-4.85 and 4.88-5.23, respectively. Many of these pH values are lower than those expected for the full-equilibrium condition, although they are close to those of the reservoir liquids of Nisyros-1, 5.16, and Nisyros-2, 4.87. It is likely that this excess of acidity-producing species, chiefly CO 2, promotes release of Fe(II) and Fe(III) to the reservoir liquids through rock dissolution, permitting the attainment of redox equilibrium with the (FeO)/(FeO 1.5) rock buffer, as already suggested by the late Werner Giggenbach.

Diffuse degassing at Longonot volcano, Kenya: Implications for CO2 flux in continental rifts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson, Elspeth; Biggs, Juliet; Edmonds, Marie; Clor, Laura; Fischer, Tobias P.; Vye-Brown, Charlotte; Kianji, Gladys; Koros, Wesley; Kandie, Risper

2016-11-01

Magma movement, fault structures and hydrothermal systems influence volatile emissions at rift volcanoes. Longonot is a Quaternary caldera volcano located in the southern Kenyan Rift, where regional extension controls recent shallow magma ascent. Here we report the results of a soil carbon dioxide (CO2) survey in the vicinity of Longonot volcano, as well as fumarolic gas compositions and carbon isotope data. The total non-biogenic CO2 degassing is estimated at < 300 kg d- 1, and is largely controlled by crater faults and fractures close to the summit. Thus, recent volcanic structures, rather than regional tectonics, control fluid pathways and degassing. Fumarolic gases are characterised by a narrow range in carbon isotope ratios (δ13C), from - 4.7‰ to - 6.4‰ (vs. PDB) suggesting a magmatic origin with minor contributions from biogenic CO2. Comparison with other degassing measurements in the East African Rift shows that records of historical eruptions or unrest do not correspond directly to the magnitude of CO2 flux from volcanic centres, which may instead reflect the current size and characteristics of the subsurface magma reservoir. Interestingly, the integrated CO2 flux from faulted rift basins is reported to be an order of magnitude higher than that from any of the volcanic centres for which CO2 surveys have so far been reported.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goff, F.; Aams, A.I.; McMurtry, G.M.

This is the final report of a three-year, Laboratory-Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Detailed geochemical sampling of high-temperature fumaroles, background water, and fresh magmatic products from 14 active volcanoes reveal that they do not produce measurable amounts of tritium ({sup 3}H) of deep origin (<0.1 T.U. or <0.32 pCi/kg H{sub 2}O). On the other hand, all volcanoes produce mixtures of meteoric and magmatic fluids that contain measurable {sup 3}H from the meteoric end-member. The results show that cold fusion is probably not a significant deep earth process but the samples and data havemore » wide application to a host of other volcanological topics.« less

Improved quantification of CO2 emission at Campi Flegrei by combined Lagrangian Stochastic and Eulerian dispersion modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedone, Maria; Granieri, Domenico; Moretti, Roberto; Fedele, Alessandro; Troise, Claudia; Somma, Renato; De Natale, Giuseppe

2017-12-01

This study investigates fumarolic CO2 emissions at Campi Flegrei (Southern Italy) and their dispersion in the lowest atmospheric boundary layer. We innovatively utilize a Lagrangian Stochastic dispersion model (WindTrax) combined with an Eulerian model (DISGAS) to diagnose the dispersion of diluted gas plumes over large and complex topographic domains. New measurements of CO2 concentrations acquired in February and October 2014 in the area of Pisciarelli and Solfatara, the two major fumarolic fields of Campi Flegrei caldera, and simultaneous measurements of meteorological parameters are used to: 1) test the ability of WindTrax to calculate the fumarolic CO2 flux from the investigated sources, and 2) perform predictive numerical simulations to resolve the mutual interference between the CO2 emissions of the two adjacent areas. This novel approach allows us to a) better quantify the CO2 emission of the fumarolic source, b) discriminate ;true; CO2 contributions for each source, and c) understand the potential impact of the composite CO2 plume (Pisciarelli ;plus; Solfatara) on the highly populated areas inside the Campi Flegrei caldera.

Mass and heat flux balance of La Soufrière volcano (Guadeloupe) from aerial infrared thermal imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaudin, Damien; Beauducel, François; Coutant, Olivier; Delacourt, Christophe; Richon, Patrick; de Chabalier, Jean-Bernard; Hammouya, Gilbert

2016-06-01

La Soufrière of Guadeloupe is an active volcano of Lesser Antilles that is closely monitored due to a high eruptive hazard potential. Since 1992 it exhibits a medium-level but sustained background hydrothermal activity with low-energy and shallow seismicity, hot springs temperature increase and high flux acidic gas fumaroles at the summit. The problem of estimating the heat balance and quantifying the evolution of hydrothermal activity has become a key challenge for surveillance. This work is the first attempt of a global mapping and quantification of La Soufrière thermal activity performed in February 2010 using aerial thermal infrared imagery. After instrument calibration and data processing, we present a global map of thermal anomalies allowing to spot the main active sites: the summit area (including the fumaroles of Tarissan Pit and South Crater), the Ty Fault fumarolic zone, and the hot springs located at the vicinity of the dome. In a second step, we deduce the mass and the energy fluxes released by the volcano. In particular, we propose a simple model of energy balance to estimate the mass flux of the summit fumaroles from their brightness temperature and size. In February 2010, Tarissan Pit had a 22.8 ± 8.1 kg s -1 flux (1970 ± 704 tons day -1), while South Crater vents had a total of 19.5 ± 4.0 kg s -1 (1687 ± 348 tons day -1). Once converted into energy flux, summit fumaroles represent 98% of the 106 ± 30 MW released by the volcano, the 2% remaining being split between the hot springs and the thermal anomalies at the summit and at the Ty Fault fumarolic zone. These values are in the high range of the previous estimations, highlighting the short-term variability of the expelled fluxes. Such a heat flux requires the cooling of 1500 m 3 of magma per day, in good agreement with previous geochemical studies.

Influence of rainfalls on heat and steam fluxes of fumarolic zones: Six months records along the Ty fault (Soufrière of Guadeloupe, Lesser Antilles)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaudin, Damien; Finizola, Anthony; Delcher, Eric; Beauducel, François; Allemand, Pascal; Delacourt, Christophe; Brothelande, Elodie; Peltier, Aline; Di Gangi, Fabio

2015-09-01

Fumarolic zones are permeable areas where both steam and heat are expelled to the atmosphere. Surface fluxes and flows, which are representative of the intensity of the hydrothermal circulation in depth, can be monitored by thermometers, thermal infrared cameras, spectrometers, or condensers. However, the superficial activity of fumarolic zones can be modified by the meteorological conditions, in particular the rainfalls, which might result in erroneous estimations. From this perspective, we developed a set of physical equations to quantify the effects of rainfalls on the thermal behavior of fumarolic zones. Results were faced to continuous measurements achieved at the Ty fault fumarolic zone (La Soufrière volcano, Guadeloupe, Lesser Antilles) during six months in 2010, using six vertical series of thermometers measuring the heat transfer in the ground and one condenser measuring the rising steam flux. Results demonstrate that in the absence of rainfalls, heat and steam flux reach an equilibrium that is representative of the geothermal flux in depth. Conversely, after the rainfalls, the cooling of the ground provokes a deepening of the condensation level. The related soil temperature drop can be estimated by computing the heat required to warm the infiltrated water up to boiling temperature while the recovery rate is directly linked to the geothermal flux. Our observations allow defining in which conditions flux are at steady state, but also to build a first-order numerical model allowing estimating both the physical parameters of the ground (thermal conductivity, precipitation efficiency coefficient and surface flux constant) and the long-term thermal behavior of the hydrothermal system. In particular, our results predict that the hydrothermal activity must vanish on the zones where the geothermal flux drops under a certain threshold (60 W/m2 at La Soufrière). The existence of this limit may have strong implications for the precipitation rate of minerals and the possible reactivation of the fumarolic zones during volcanic crises.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mas, Graciela R.; Mas, Luis C.; Bengochea, Leandro

In the area of the Copahue Geothermal Field, there are five active geothermal manifestations, which mainly consist of fumaroles, hot springs and mud pots. Four of these manifestations are located in Argentina: Las Máquinas, Termas de Copahue, Las Maquinitas and El Anfiteatro, and the fifth on the Chilean side: Chancho Co. All of them present a strong acid sulfate country rock alteration, characterized by the assemblage alunite + kaolinite + quartz + cristobalite + pyrite + sulfur + jarosite, as the result of the base leaching by fluids concentrated in H 2SO 4 by atmospheric oxidation at the water tablemore » in a steam heated environment of H 2S released by deeper boiling fluids. Another alteration zone in this area, called COP-2, is a fossil geothermal manifestation which shows characteristics of neutral to alkaline alteration represented mainly by the siliceous sinter superimposed over the acid alteration. The mineralogy and zoning of these alteration zones, and their relation with the hidrothermal solutions and the major structures of the area are analized.« less

Geochemical constraints on volatile sources and subsurface conditions at Mount Martin, Mount Mageik, and Trident Volcanoes, Katmai Volcanic Cluster, Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopez, T.; Tassi, F.; Aiuppa, A.; Galle, B.; Rizzo, A. L.; Fiebig, J.; Capecchiacci, F.; Giudice, G.; Caliro, S.; Tamburello, G.

2017-11-01

We use the chemical and isotopic composition of volcanic gases and steam condensate, in situ measurements of plume composition and remote measurements of SO2 flux to constrain volatile sources and characterize subvolcanic conditions at three persistently degassing and seismically active volcanoes within the Katmai Volcanic Cluster (KVC), Alaska: Mount Martin, Mount Mageik and Trident. In situ plume measurements of gas composition were collected at all three volcanoes using MultiGAS instruments to calculate gas ratios (e.g. CO2/H2S, SO2/H2S and H2O/H2S), and remote measurements of SO2 column density were collected from Mount Martin and Mount Mageik by ultraviolet spectrometer systems to calculate SO2 fluxes. Fumaroles were directly sampled for chemical and isotopic composition from Mount Mageik and Trident. Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB)-like 3He/4He ratios ( 7.2-7.6 Rc/RA) within Mount Mageik and Trident's fumarole emissions and a moderate SO2 flux ( 75 t/d) from Mount Martin, combined with gas compositions dominated by H2O, CO2 and H2S from all three volcanoes, indicate magma degassing and active hydrothermal systems in the subsurface of these volcanoes. Mount Martin's gas emissions have the lowest CO2/H2S ratio ( 2-4) and highest SO2 flux compared to the other KVC volcanoes, indicative of shallow magma degassing. Geothermometry techniques applied to Mount Mageik and Trident's fumarolic gas compositions suggest that their hydrothermal reservoirs are located at depths of 0.2 and 4 km below the surface, respectively. Observations of an unusually reducing gas composition at Trident and organic material in the near-surface soils suggest that thermal decomposition of sediments may be influencing gas composition. When the measured gas compositions from Mount Mageik and Trident are compared with previous samples collected in the late 1990's, relatively stable magmatic-hydrothermal conditions are inferred for Mount Mageik, while gradual degassing of residual magma and contamination by shallow crustal fluids is inferred for Trident. The isotopic composition of volcanic gases emitted from Mount Mageik and Trident reflect mixing of subducted slab, mantle and crustal volatile sources, with organic sediment and carbonate being the predominant sources. Considering the close proximity of the target volcanoes in comparison with the depth to the subducted slab we speculate that Aleutian Arc volatiles are fed by a relatively homogeneous subducted fluid and that much of the apparent variability in volatile provenance can be explained by shallow crustal volatile sources and/or processes.

Visualization and modeling of sub-populations of compositional data: statistical methods illustrated by means of geochemical data from fumarolic fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pawlowsky-Glahn, Vera; Buccianti, Antonella

In the investigation of fluid samples of a volcanic system, collected during a given period of time, one of the main goals is to discover cause-effect relationships that allow us to explain changes in the chemical composition. They might be caused by physicochemical factors, such as temperature, pressure, or non-conservative behavior of some chemical constituents (addition or subtraction of material), among others. The presence of subgroups of observations showing different behavior is evidence of unusually complex situations, which might render even more difficult the analysis and interpretation of observed phenomena. These cases require appropriate statistical techniques as well as sound a priori hypothesis concerning underlying geological processes. The purpose of this article is to present the state of the art in the methodology for a better visualization of compositional data, as well as for detecting statistically significant sub-populations. The scheme of this article is to present first the application, and then the underlying methodology, with the aim of the first motivating the second. Thus, the first part has the goal to illustrate how to understand and interpret results, whereas the second is devoted to expose how to perform a study of this kind. The case study is related to the chemical composition of a fumarole of Vulcano Island (southern Italy), called F14. The volcanic activity at Vulcano Island is subject to a continuous program of geochemical surveillance from 1978 up to now and the large data set of observations contains the main chemical composition of volcanic gases as well as trace element concentrations in the condensates of fumarolic gases. Out of the complete set of measured components, the variables H2S, HF and As, determined in samples collected from 1978 to 1993 (As is not available in recent samples) are used to characterize two groups in the original population, which proved to be statistically distinct. The choice of the variables is motivated by the importance of investigating the behavior of well-known toxicity elements, which show, like As, a significant mobility under hydrothermal conditions. The statistical methodology used for this study is based on models devised for compositional data. They include (1) the perturbation approach for a better visualization; (2) cluster analysis to detect groups; (3) confidence regions for the center of the groups to obtain graphical evidence of differences between groups; and (4) tests of hypothesis about centers and covariance structures to obtain statistical evidence about differences between groups. The fact that only three components are used allows us to illustrate the results using ternary diagrams.

Multidisciplinary field surveys as the new norm: Integrating geosciences to characterize the fate of carbon in a geothermal fumarole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheik, C.; Giovannelli, D.; Cox, A. D.; Hummer, D. R.; Pratt, K.; Thomas, D.; Viveiros, M. F.

2016-12-01

Has a reviewer ever asked you, "Why didn't you measure x, y, and z for this manuscript"? After venting your frustration to anyone who'll listen, you start to think maybe they're right and the study would benefit from a few extra measurements. Modern science demands multidisciplinary projects, data integration, and a holistic understanding of complex biogeochemical systems. With this in mind, we integrating field sampling into an early career scientist workshop. We asked, "Can we assemble early career scientists from disparate geoscience fields and effectively characterize carbon reservoirs and fluxes at a geologically active site?" Here, we present the results of an integrated, multidisciplinary, and co-located sampling effort carried out during the Second Deep Carbon Observatory Early Career Science Workshop 2015 in the Azores, Portugal. At the fumarole site, sediments lithology indicate a recent lacustrine deposition. All sediments show a degree of hydrothermal alteration, especially with depth. Carbonates were observed throughout the site as well as sulfur minerals jarosite and alunite. Temperatures of ejected waters quickly cooled from near boiling, to ambient 30 oC within an 35 m flow channel. Sediment surface gases (H2S, CO2 and CH4) were highly elevated at the site indicating a strong degassing influence. Analysis of noble gas isotopes unequivocally confirm the existence of mantle-derived fluids in the fumarole gases. Waters and sediments taken from mid-point within the channel were elevated in concentrations of all elements measured, especially elemental sulfur and copper. The organic matter content of sediments was typically low in the channel. Microbial analyses also show a strong temperature-dependent relationship, with Archaea dominating at higher temperatures and Bacteria at lower temperatures. Evidence of sulfur utilizing archaea were present in both ribosomal and metagenome libraries. Together, our interdisciplinary approach demonstrates, unsurprisingly, that collesing a diverse group of geoscientists to characterize a natural system is highly advantageous and productive. However, this approach also highlights the ever present problem of how to fund such highly interdisciplinary, field oriented, research.

Hydrogeochemical exploration of geothermal prospects in the Tecuamburro Volcano region, Guatemala

USGS Publications Warehouse

Janik, C.J.; Goff, F.; Fahlquist, L.; Adams, A.I.; Alfredo, Roldan M.; Chipera, S.J.; Trujillo, P.E.; Counce, D.

1992-01-01

Chemical and isotopic analyses of thermal and nonthermal waters and of gases from springs and fumaroles are used to evaluate the geothermal potential of the Tecuamburro Volcano region, Guatemala. Chemically distinct geothermal surface manifestations generally occur in separate hydrogeologic areas within this 400 km2 region: low-pressure fumaroles with temperatures near local boiling occur at 1470 m elevation in a sulfur mine near the summit of Tecuamburro Volcano; non-boiling acid-sulfate hot springs and mud pots are restricted to the Laguna Ixpaco area, about 5 km NNW of the sulfur mine and 350-400 m lower in elevation; steam-heated and thermal-meteoric waters are found on the flanks of Tecuamburro Volcano and several kilometers to the north in the andesitic highland, where the Infernitos fumarole (97??C at 1180 m) is the primary feature; neutral-chloride hot springs discharge along Rio Los Esclavos, principally near Colmenares at 490 m elevation, about 8-10 km SE of Infernitos. Maximum geothermometer temperatures calculated from Colmenares neutral-chloride spring compositions are ???180??C, whereas maximum subsurface temperatures based on Laguna Ixpaco gas compositions are ???310??C. An exploration core hole drilled to a depth of 808 m about 0.3 km south of Laguna Ixpaco had a bottom-hole temperature of 238??C but did not produce sufficient fluids to confirm or chemically characterize a geothermal reservoir. Hydrogeochemical data combined with regional geologic interpretations indicate that there are probably two hydrothermal-convection systems, which are separated by a major NW-trending structural boundary, the Ixpaco fault. One system with reservoir temperatures near 300??C lies beneath Tecuamburro Volcano and consists of a large vapor zone that feeds steam to the Laguna Ixpaco area, with underlying hot water that flows laterally to feed a small group of warm, chloriderich springs SE of Tecuamburro Volcano. The other system is located beneath the Infernitos area in the andesitic highland and consists of a lower-temperature (150-190??C) reservoir with a large natural discharge that feeds the Colmenares hot springs. ?? 1992.

Geochemistry of the acid Kawah Putih lake, Patuha Volcano, West Java, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sriwana, T.; van Bergen, M. J.; Varekamp, J. C.; Sumarti, S.; Takano, B.; van Os, B. J. H.; Leng, M. J.

2000-04-01

Kawah Putih is a summit crater of Patuha volcano, West Java, Indonesia, which contains a shallow, ∼300 m-wide lake with strongly mineralized acid-sulfate-chloride water. The lake water has a temperature of 26-34°C, pH=<0.5-1.3, Stot=2500-4600 ppm and Cl=5300-12 600 ppm, and floating sulfur globules with sulfide inclusions are common. Sulfur oxyanion concentrations are unusually high, with S4O62-+S5O62-+S6O62-=2400 - 4200 ppm. Subaerial fumaroles (<93°C) on the lake shore have low molar SO2/H2S ratios (<2), which is a favorable condition to produce the observed distribution of sulfur oxyanion species. Sulfur isotope data of dissolved sulfate and native sulfur show a significant 34S fractionation (ΔSO4-Se of ⩾20‰), probably the result of SO2 disproportionation in or below the lake. The lake waters show strong enrichments in 18O and D relative to local meteoric waters, a result of the combined effects of mixing between isotopically heavy fluids of deep origin and meteoric water, and evaporation-induced fractionation at the lake surface. The stable-isotope systematics combined with energy-balance considerations support very rapid fluid cycling through the lake system. Lake levels and element concentrations show strong seasonal fluctuations, indicative of a short water residence time in the lake as well. Thermodynamic modeling of the lake fluids indicates that the lake water is saturated with silica phases, barite, pyrite and various Pb, Sb, Cu, As, Bi-bearing sulfides when sulfur saturation is assumed. Precipitating phases predicted by the model calculations are consistent with the bulk chemistry of the sulfur-rich bottom sediments and their identified mineral phases. Much of the lake water chemistry can be explained by congruent rock dissolution in combination with preferential enrichments from entering fumarolic gases or brines and element removal by precipitating mineral phases, as indicated by a comparison of the fluids, volcanic rocks and lake bed sediment. Flank springs on the mountain at different elevations vary in composition, and are consistent with local rock dissolution as a dominant factor and pH-dependent element mobility. Discharges of warm sulfate- and chloride-rich water at the highest elevation and a near-neutral spring at lower level may contain a small contribution of crater-lake water. The acid fluid-induced processes at Patuha have led to the accumulation of elements that are commonly associated with volcano-hosted epithermal ore deposits. The dispersal of heavy metals and other potentially toxic elements from the volcano via the local drainage system is a matter of serious environmental concern.

Barite aerosol particles from volcanic plumes and fumaroles - FESEM/EDS analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obenholzner, J. H.; Schroettner, H.; Delgado, H.

2003-04-01

Studies of aerosol particles (AP) contained in volcanic plumes has been enormously benefited by the use of field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM/EDS; responsability by H. Schroettner) permitting morphological, mineralogical and chemical detailed observations and opening new scientific questions. This work shows the ubiquitous presence of Ba in volcanic emissions. We sampled e.g. a volcanic plume (Popocatepetl v.; 1997, 2002) revealing Ba-S-O particles, interpreteted as barite (BaSO4) and Sr-bearing barite with Fe-rich rim (w=1µm). The ca. 500 nm - 4 µm long crystals are +/- euhedral, anhedral and/or partially etched. The µm-sized crystals had been collected on a Teflon fiber filter (1997), the nm-sized on borosilicate fiber filter (BFF, 2002); one set of crystals (ca. l=500-800 nm) is scattered on Fe-hydr/oxide(?). APs collected from the degassing lava flow of Etna (2001) revealed barite (l= ca. 100 nm) on a rounded NaCl (d= 500 nm) and on Fe-hydr/oxides (?). BFF exposed to the F0 fumarole at Vulcano (2001) showed incrustations of barite (l=ca.200 nm) on fibers indicating barite formation during 5 min sampling. At Solfatra we observed almost euhedral barite particles (l=ca.300 nm) of unusual pseudo-trigonal shape. APs from Alpine air masses (A) did not reveal barite. Sources for barite could be vesicle fillings of lavas (known from continental-crust settings), vapor-phase crystallization of ignimbrites (Bandelier Tuff, USA), Ba-rich fumarolic incrustations, rock coatings in the vicinity of fumaroles (Vulcano, I.), sinter of hot springs (Akita-Yaka-Yama v., J.), barite veins (Milos, Gr.), contact-metamorphosed sedimentary xenoliths (Kloech, A.) or lithics associated with hydrovolcanic eruptions (Alban Hills v., I.). Barite has been observed in many Si-tube experiments. Stratospheric APs (1985) of the El Chichon eruption (1982) revealed barite. Ba is known as a trace element in fumarole gases of Vulcano (F11) and TOF mass spectrometry studies detected 138Ba++ in the upper troposphere over Mexico (1998). Barite APs being the product of fragmented rocks would be very rare. The incrustations on fibrous filters at Vulcano indicate that Ba species exist in fumarolic gases. Can barite be used as a proxy for volcanic signals in ice cores or other environments? Do Ba species exist in all volcanic gases or are there speciations according to plate tectonic settings? What the effects might be of Ba in fumaroles, plumes interacting with the atmosphere? Ba-rich particles are known as natural ice-forming nuclei.

Helium/Carbon dioxide ratios as premonitors of volcanic activity.

PubMed

Thomas, D M; Naughton, J J

1979-06-15

The composition of the gaseous emissions of two fumaroles at the summit of Kilauea Volcano was monitored for môre than 2 years. Magma was released from the summit reservoir on three occasions during this period; prior to or during each event the ratios of helium to carbon dioxide in the fumarole gases decreased substantially from that observed during periods of quiescence.

A geochemical reconnaissance of the Alid volcanic center and geothermal system, Danakil depression, Eritrea

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lowenstern, J. B.; Janik, C.J.; Fournier, R.O.; Tesfai, T.; Duffield, W.A.; Clynne, M.A.; Smith, James G.; Woldegiorgis, L.; Weldemariam, K.; Kahsai, G.

1999-01-01

Geological and geochemical studies indicate that a high-temperature geothermal system underlies the Alid volcanic center in the northern Danakil depression of Eritrea. Alid is a very late-Pleistocene structural dome formed by shallow intrusion of rhyolitic magma, some of which vented as lavas and pyroclastic flows. Fumaroles and boiling pools distributed widely over an area of ~10 km2 on the northern half of Alid suggest that an active hydrothermal system underlies much of that part of the mountain. Geothermometers indicate that the fumarolic gases are derived from a geothermal system with temperatures >225??C. The isotopic composition of condensed fumarolic steam is consistent with these temperatures and implies that the source water is derived primarily from either lowland meteoric waters or fossil Red Sea water, or both. Some gases vented from the system (CO2, H2S and He) are largely magmatic in origin. Permeability beneath the volcanic center may be high, given the amount of intrusion-related deformation and the active normal faulting within the Danakil depression.Geological and geochemical studies indicate that a high-temperature geothermal system underlies the Alid volcanic center in the northern Danakil depression of Eritrea. Alid is a very late-Pleistocene structural dome formed by shallow intrusion of rhyolitic magma, some of which vented as lavas and pyroclastic flows. Fumaroles and boiling pools distributed widely over an area of approx. 10 km2 on the northern half of Alid suggest that an active hydrothermal system underlies much of that part of the mountain. Geothermometers indicate that the fumarolic gases are derived from a geothermal system with temperatures >225??C. The isotopic composition of condensed fumarolic steam is consistent with these temperatures and implies that the source water is derived primarily from either lowland meteoric waters or fossil Red Sea water, or both. Some gases vented from the system (CO2, H2S and He) are largely magmatic in origin. Permeability beneath the volcanic center may be high, given the amount of intrusion-related deformation and the active normal faulting within the Danakil depression.

Dynamic model of intrusion of magma and/or magmatic fluids in the large-scale deformation source of the Campi Flegrei caldera (Italy).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crescentini, Luca; Amoruso, Antonella; Luongo, Annamaria

2015-04-01

The Campi Flegrei (CF) caldera is located in a densely populated area close to Naples (Southern Italy). It is renowned as a site of continual slow vertical movements. After the last eruption in 1538, the caldera generally subsided until 1969 when minor uplift occurred. In the early 1970s this uplift became significant (~1.5 m max). A further large uplift episode occurred from 1982 to 1984 (~1.8 m max), and subsequently smaller uplift episodes have occurred since then. Amoruso et al. (2014a,b) have recently shown that the CF surface deformation field from 1980 to 2013 can be decomposed into two stationary parts. Large-scale deformation can be explained by a quasi-horizontal source, oriented NW to SE and mathematically represented by a pressurized finite triaxial ellipsoid (PTE) ~4 km deep, possibly related to the injection of magma and/or magmatic fluids from a deeper magma chamber into a sill, or pressurization of interconnected (micro)cavities. Residual deformation not accounted for by PTE is confined to the Solfatara fumarolic area and can be mathematically explained by a small (point) pressurized oblate spheroid (PS) ~2 km below the Solfatara fumarolic field, that has been equated with a poroelastic response of the substratum to pore pressure increases near the injection point of hot magmatic fluids into the hydrothermal system. A satisfying feature of this double source model is that the geometric source parameters of each are constant over the period 1980-2013 with the exception of volume changes (potencies). Several papers have ascribed CF deformation to the injection of magmatic fluids at the base of the hydrothermal system. All models predict complex spatial and temporal evolution of the deformation pattern and consequently contrast with the observed deformation pattern stationarity. Also recently proposed dynamic models of sill intrusion in a shallow volcanic environment do not satisfy the observed CF deformation pattern stationarity. We have developed an analytical dynamic model of intrusion of magma or injection of supercritical fluids in the PTE. Propagation is governed by a Navier-Stokes equation for magma intrusion and modelled as creeping flow in porous media (Darcy's law) for supercritical fluids injection. In both cases the ground deformation pattern is constant over time. Using Finite Element Modeling, we also show that the presence of a viscoelastic shell surrounding the PTE amplifies ground deformation, with no appreciable effect on the ground deformation pattern. Thus, our model satisfies the observed CF deformation pattern stationarity both using a purely elastic medium or allowing for stress relaxation close to the PTE, caused by the rock temperature. Amoruso et al. (2014a), J. Geophys. Res., 119 (2), 858-879 Amoruso et al. (2014b), Geophys. Res. Lett., 41 (9), 3081-3088

Implications of a Caldera Origin of the Lunar Crater Copernicus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, J.

2007-12-01

The forthcoming renaissance in lunar exploration will focus on many objectives such as Copernicus. Copernicus appears to be a caldera for at least 8 reasons. If a caldera we see (1) transient activity (2) no overturned impact flap at the crater margins (3) internal sinuous leveed lava flow channels (4) a lava covered floor (5) terraces of different ages (6) multiple central volcanoes, one showing a directed volcanic blast (7) olivine-rich komatiitic lavas on central volcanoes and (8) magmatic inflation/deflation on caldera flanks localizing craterlets and extinct fumaroles in "loop" patterns. Regarding (6), directed volcanic blasts can remove a segment of the volcano wall as evidenced in terrestrial analogs at Mt. St. Helens and Bezymianny. Impact mechanisms to produce this feature in Copernicus are contrived. For (7) Clementine spectral data show a high olivine content of the central mountains on Copernicus which I interpret as forsteritic spinifex mineralization in komatiitic lavas and not as impact rebound of olivine-rich deep seated rocks. (8) MacDonald (1956) documented loop patterns on the flank of Halemaumau in Hawaii defining arcuate fractures localizing fumaroles and craterlets. Inflation/deflation of subjacent magma bodies are interpreted as the cause for these loops. Inflation/deflation mechanisms on caldera flanks are common around terrestrial calderas. "Loop" patterns on the flank of Copernicus localizing "gouge" craterlets have been interpreted as ballistic features resulting from the meteorite impact of this crater. Questioned is the logic of a linear N26E trending array of fragments within Copernicus to serve as a source of ballistic projectiles to form the loops localizing conjugate craterlets. The fused craterlet axes on the lunar loops do not point back to a presumed impact center in Copernicus. The axes are oriented parallel to a regional northwest (N35-60W) fracture zone. Implications for an endogenic origin of Copernicus would involve revisions of lunar stratigraphy. The origin of major rayed craters would also require review. The breached central volcano would offer a unique exploration objective. Hydrothermal alteration on the interior walls of the volcano should be accessible. Permanently shadowed zones at 40 K and near surface layers within the volcano could retain pockets of Precambrian fumarolic ices such as carbon and sulfur-bearing fluids, chlorine, methane, formaldehyde, nitrogen, ammonia, ammonium cyanide and water. A major implication would be possibility of biomarkers of Precambrian protolife. Energies for the creation of protolife would be electrical potentials created by flow charging or, on freezing, by charge separation. Well documented progressions from racemic amino acids formed "in the spark" (and stabilized by volcanic ammonium borate) reacting with adenine (formed in part by cooling ammonium cyanide) yield adenosine. The latter in turn can react with water-soluble volcanic polyphosphates to form adenosine triphosphate. Trace amounts of fumarolic tungsten could create tungstoenzymes as catalysts. Fischer-Tropsch catalysis could also generate lipid micelles and polycyclic amino acids. A critical prebiotic compound, formic acid, can be formed from troilite (a relatively common lunar iron sulfide) in an aqueous solution with hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide. The reaction is thermodynamically viable with a free energy of -11.9 kj/mole. Special physical attributes of fumaroles, such as spatter, involve wet/dry cycles and a version of a polymerase chain reaction creating an exponential replication of nucleotides. Copernicus as a caldera offers a significant role in both robotic and human exploration.

Lessons from geothermal gases at Yellowstone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lowenstern, J. B.; Bergfeld, D.; Evans, W.; Hurwitz, S.

2015-12-01

The magma-hydrothermal system of the Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field encompasses over ten thousand individual springs, seeps, and fumaroles spread out over >9000 square kilometers, and produces a range of acid, neutral and alkaline waters. A prominent model (Fournier, 1989 and related papers) concludes that many neutral and alkaline fluids found in hot springs and geysers are derived from a uniform, high-enthalpy parent fluid through processes such as deep boiling and mixing with dilute meteoric groundwater. Acid waters are generally condensates of gas-bearing steam that boils off of subsurface geothermal waters. Our recent studies of gases at Yellowstone (Lowenstern et al., 2015 and references therein) are compatible with such a model, but also reveal that gases are largely decoupled from thermal waters due to open-system addition of abundant deep gas to (comparatively) shallow circulating thermal waters. Fumarole emissions at Yellowstone range from gas-rich (up to 15 mol%) composed of deeply derived CO2, He and CH4, to steam-rich emissions (<0.01% gas) dominated by N2 and Ar. The clear implication is that deep gas is diluted with atmospheric gas boiled off of geothermal liquids. The general trend is antithetical to that predicted by progressive boiling of a parent fluid (Rayleigh or batch degassing), where decreasing gas content should correlate with increasing proportions of soluble gas (i.e., CO2). Deep gas at Yellowstone fits into two general categories: 1) mantle-derived CO2 with a hotspot He isotope signature (>16 RA) and low CH4 and He concentrations and 2) mantle-derived CO2 with much higher CH4 and/or He concentrations and abundant radiogenic He picked up from crustal degassing. Individual thermal areas have distinct CH4/He. It remains unclear whether some gas ratios mainly reflect subsurface geothermal temperatures. Instead, they may simply reflect signatures imparted by local rock types and mixing on timescales too fast for reequilibration. Overall, the gas chemistry reflects a broader view of mantle-crust dynamics than can be appreciated by studies of only dissolved solutes in the neutral and alkaline waters from Yellowstone geysers. Fournier (1989) Ann. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. v. 17, p. 13-53. Lowenstern et al. (2015) JVGR, v. 302, 87-101.

Chemistry and mineralogy of high-temperature gas discharges from Colima volcano, Mexico. Implications for magmatic gas atmosphere interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taran, Y. A.; Bernard, A.; Gavilanes, J.-C.; Lunezheva, E.; Cortés, A.; Armienta, M. A.

2001-08-01

Gases, condensates and silica tube precipitates were collected from 400°C (Z2) and 800°C (Z3) fumaroles at Colima volcano, Mexico, in 1996-1998. Volcanic gases at Colima were very oxidized and contain up to 98% air due to mixing with air inside the dome interior, close to the hot magmatic body. An alkaline trap method was used to collect gas samples, therefore only acidic species were analysed. Colima volcanic gases are water-rich (95-98 mol%) and have typical S/C/Cl/F ratios for a subduction type volcano. δD-values for the high-temperature Z3 fumarolic vapour vary from -26 to -57‰. A negative δD-Cl correlation for the Z3 high-temperature fumarole may result from magma degassing: enrichment in D and decrease in the Cl concentration in condensates are likely a consequence of input of ;fresh; batches of magma and an increasing of volcanic activity, respectively. The trace element composition of Colima condensates generally does not differ from that of other volcanoes (e.g. Merapi, Kudryavy) except for some enrichment in V, Cu and Zn. Variations in chemical composition of precipitates along the silica tube from the high-temperature fumarole (Colima 1, fumarole Z3), in contrast to other volcanoes, are characterized by high concentrations of Ca and V, low concentration of Mo and a lack of Cd. Mineralogy of precipitates differs significantly from that described for silica tube experiments at other volcanoes with reduced volcanic gas. Thermochemical modelling was used to explain why very oxidized gas at Colima does not precipitate halite, sylvite, and Mo- and Cd-minerals, but does precipitate V-minerals and native gold, which have not been observed before in mineral precipitates from reduced volcanic gases.

Fumarole/plume and diffuse CO2 emission from Sierra Negra caldera, Galapagos archipelago

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padrón, Eleazar; Hernández, Pedro A.; Pérez, Nemesio M.; Toulkeridis, Theofilos; Melián, Gladys; Barrancos, José; Virgili, Giorgio; Sumino, Hirochika; Notsu, Kenji

2012-08-01

Measurements of visible and diffuse gas emission were conducted in 2006 at the summit of Sierra Negra volcano, Galapagos, with the aim to better characterize degassing after the 2005 eruption. A total SO2 emission of 11 ± 2 t day-1 was derived from miniature differential optical absorption spectrometer (mini-DOAS) ground-based measurements of the plume emanating from the Mini Azufral fumarolic area, the most important site of visible degassing at Sierra Negra volcano. Using a portable multigas system, the H2S/SO2, CO2/SO2, and H2O/SO2 molar ratios in the Mina Azufral plume emissions were found to be 0.41, 52.2, and 867.9, respectively. The corresponding H2O, CO2, and H2S emission rates were 562, 394, and 3 t day-1, respectively. The total output of diffuse CO2 emissions from the summit of Sierra Negra volcano was 990 ± 85 t day-1, with 605 t day-1 being released by a deep source. The diffuse-to-plume CO2 emission ratio was about 1.5. Mina Azufral fumaroles released gasses containing 73.6 mol% of H2O; the main noncondensable components amounted to 97.4 mol% CO2, 1.5 mol% SO2, 0.6 mol% H2S, and 0.35 mol% N2. The higher H2S/SO2 ratio values found in 2006 as compared to those reported before the 2005 eruption reveal a significant hydrothermal contribution to the fumarolic emissions. 3He/4He ratios measured at Mina Azufral fumarolic discharges showed values of 17.88 ± 0.25 R A , indicating a mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB) and a Galapagos plume contribution of 53 and 47 %, respectively.

Helium Flux from the Earth's Mantle as Estimated from Hawaiian Fumarolic Degassing.

PubMed

Naughton, J J; Lee, J H; Keeling, D; Finlayson, J B; Dority, G

1973-04-06

Averaged helium to carbon dioxide ratios measured from systematic collections of gases from Sulphur Bank fumarole. Kilauea, Hawaii, when coupled with estimates of carbon in the earth's crust, give a helium flux of 1 x 105 atoms per square centimeter per second. This is within the lower range of other estimates, and may represent the flux from deep-seated sources in the upper mantle.

Titanium Mass-balance Analysis of Paso Robles Soils: Elemental Gains and Losses as Affected by Acid Alteration Fluids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sutter, Brad; Ming, Douglas W.

2010-01-01

The Columbia Hills soils have been exposed to aqueous alteration in alkaline [1] as well as acid conditions [2,3]. The Paso Robles class soils are bright soils that possess the highest S concentration of any soil measured on Mars [2]. Ferric-sulfate detection by Moessbauer analysis indicated that acid solutions were involved in forming these soils [4]. These soils are proposed to have formed by alteration of nearby rock by volcanic hydrothermal or fumarolic activity. The Paso Robles soils consist of the original Paso Robles-disturbed-Pasadena (PR-dist), Paso Robles- PasoLight (PR-PL), Arad-Samra, Arad-Hula, Tyrone- Berker Island1 and Tyrone-MountDarwin [2 ,3. ]Chemical characteristics indicate that the PR-dist and PR-PL soils could be derived from acid weathering of local Wishstone rocks while the Samra and Hula soils are likely derived from local Algonquin-Iroquet rock [3]. The Paso Robles soils were exposed to acidic sulfur bearing fluids; however, little else is known about the chemistry of the alteration fluid and its effects on the alteration of the proposed parent materials. The objectives of this work are to conduct titanium normalized mass-balance analysis to1) assess elemental gains and losses from the parent materials in the formation of the Paso Robles soils and 2) utilize this information to indicate the chemical nature of the alteration fluids.

Carbon dioxide degassing and thermal energy release at Vesuvio (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frondini, F.; Chiodini, G.; Caliro, S.; Cardellini, C.; Granieri, D.

2003-04-01

At Vesuvio, basing on the data of the CO2 flux surveys carried out in April and May 2000, are discharged about 130 t d-1 of CO2 through soil diffuse degassing. In the crater area the distribution of the soil temperatures show a general correspondence between the CO2 flux anomalies and the high temperatures, suggesting that the heating of the soil is mainly due to the condensation of the rising volcanic-hydrothermal fluids. Considering that the original H2O/CO2 ratio of hydrothermal fluids is recorded by fumarolic effluents, the steam associated to the CO2 output has been computed and amount to is 475 t d-1. The energy produced by the steam condensation and cooling of the liquid phase is 1.26 1012 J d-1 (14.6 MW). The amounts of gas and energy released by Vesuvio are comparable to those released by other volcanic degassing areas of the world and their estimates, through periodical CO2 flux surveys, can constitute a powerful tool to monitor the activity of the volcano.

Hydrothermal circulation at Mount St. Helens determined by self-potential measurements

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bedrosian, P.A.; Unsworth, M.J.; Johnston, M.J.S.

2007-01-01

The distribution of hydrothermal circulation within active volcanoes is of importance in identifying regions of hydrothermal alteration which may in turn control explosivity, slope stability and sector collapse. Self-potential measurements, indicative of fluid circulation, were made within the crater of Mount St. Helens in 2000 and 2001. A strong dipolar anomaly in the self-potential field was detected on the north face of the 1980-86 lava dome. This anomaly reaches a value of negative one volt on the lower flanks of the dome and reverses sign toward the dome summit. The anomaly pattern is believed to result from a combination of thermoelectric, electrokinetic, and fluid disruption effects within and surrounding the dome. Heat supplied from a cooling dacite magma very likely drives a shallow hydrothermal convection cell within the dome. The temporal stability of the SP field, low surface recharge rate, and magmatic component to fumarole condensates and thermal waters suggest the hydrothermal system is maintained by water vapor exsolved from the magma and modulated on short time scales by surface recharge. ?? 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gravity monitoring of Tatun Volcanic Group activities and inference for underground fluid circulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mouyen, Maxime; Chao, Benjamin Fong; Hwang, Cheinway; Hsieh, Wen-Chi

2016-12-01

The Tatun Volcano Group (TVG), located on the northern coast of Taiwan adjacent to the city of Taipei, experiences active hydrothermalism but has no historical record of volcanic eruption. Yet recent studies suggest that TVG is dormant-active rather than extinct. To monitor mass transfers and to gain further understanding of this volcanic area, gravity variations have been recorded continuously since 2012 using a superconducting gravimeter, and once every few months since 2005 using absolute gravimeters. We analyze the continuous gravity time series and propose a model that best explains the gravity variations due to local groundwater redistribution. By correcting these variations, we identify gravity changes as large as 35 μGal that occurred concomitantly to fluid pressure-induced earthquakes and changes in the gas composition at Dayoukeng, one of TVG's fumaroles, over 2005-2007. We examine several fluid movements that can match the gravity observations, yet too few additional constraints exist to favor any of them. In particular, no significant ground displacements are observed when these gravity variations occurred. On the other hand, the model of gravity changes due to local groundwater redistribution can be routinely computed and removed from the ongoing time gravity measurements in order to quickly identify any unusual mass transfer occurring beneath TVG.

Gravity monitoring of Tatun Volcanic Group activities and inference for underground fluid circulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mouyen, Maxime; Chao, Benjamin; Hwang, Cheinway; Hsieh, Wen-Chi

2017-04-01

The Tatun Volcano Group (TVG), located on the northern coast of Taiwan adjacent to the city of Taipei, experiences active hydrothermalism but has no historical record of volcanic eruption. Yet recent studies suggest that TVG is dormant-active rather than extinct. To monitor mass transfers and to gain further understanding of this volcanic area, gravity variations have been recorded continuously since 2012 using a superconducting gravimeter, and once every few months since 2005 using absolute gravimeters. We analyze the continuous gravity time series and propose a model that best explain the gravity variations due to local groundwater redistribution. By correcting these variations, we identify gravity changes as large as 35 µGal that occurred concomitantly to fluid pressure-induced earthquakes and changes in the gas composition at Dayoukeng, one of TVG's fumaroles, over 2005-2007. We examine several fluid movements that can match the gravity observations, yet too few additional constraints exist to favor any of them. In particular, no significant ground displacements are observed when these gravity variations occurred. On the other hand, the model of gravity changes due to local groundwater redistribution can be routinely computed and removed from the ongoing time gravity measurements in order to quickly identify any unusual mass transfer occurring beneath TVG.

Geothermal activity and hydrothermal mineral deposits at southern Lake Bogoria, Kenya Rift Valley: Impact of lake level changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renaut, Robin W.; Owen, R. Bernhart; Ego, John K.

2017-05-01

Lake Bogoria, a saline alkaline closed-lake in a drainage basin of Neogene volcanic rocks in the central Kenya Rift, is fed partly by ∼200 hot alkaline springs located in three groups along its margins. Hot springs along the midwest shoreline (Loburu, Chemurkeu) and their travertine deposits have been studied, but little is known about the geothermal activity at southern Lake Bogoria. Observations, field measurements and analyses (geochemical and mineralogical) of the spring waters and deposits, spanning three decades, show that the southern spring waters are more saline, the hydrothermal alteration there is more intense, and that most hot spring deposits are siliceous. Geothermal activity at southern Lake Bogoria (Ng'wasis, Koibobei, Losaramat) includes littoral boiling springs and geysers, with fumaroles at slightly higher elevations. Modern spring deposits are ephemeral sodium carbonates, opal-A crusts and silica gels. Local fossil spring deposits include diatomaceous silica-cemented conglomerates that formed subaqueously when the lake was then dilute and higher than today, and outlying calcite tufa deposits. In contrast, mineral deposits around neighbouring fumarole vents and sites of hydrothermal alteration include clays (kaolinite), sulfate minerals (jarosite, alunite), and Fe-oxyhydroxides linked to rising acidic fluids. When lake level falls, the zone of acidity moves downwards and may overprint older alkaline spring deposits. In contrast, rising lake level leads to lake water dilution and vents in the lower parts of the acidic zone may become dilute alkaline springs. The new evidence at Lake Bogoria shows the potential for using the mineralogy of geothermal sediments to indicate former changes in lake level.

Volatilization, transport and sublimation of metallic and non-metallic elements in high temperature gases at Merapi Volcano, Indonesia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Symonds, R.B.; Rose, William I.; Reed, M.H.; Lichte, F.E.; Finnegan, David L.

1987-01-01

Condensates, silica tube sublimates and incrustations were sampled from 500-800??C fumaroles and lava samples were collected at Merapi Volcano, Indonesia in Jan.-Feb., 1984. With respect to the magma, Merapi gases are enriched by factors greater than 105 in Se, Re, Bi and Cd; 104-105 in Au, Br, In, Pb and W; 103-104 in Mo, Cl, Cs, S, Sn and Ag; 102-103 in As, Zn, F and Rb; and 1-102 in Cu, K, Na, Sb, Ni, Ga, V, Fe, Mn and Li. The fumaroles are transporting more than 106 grams/day ( g d) of S, Cl and F; 104-106 g/d of Al, Br, Zn, Fe, K and Mg; 103-104 g d of Pb, As, Mo, Mn, V, W and Sr; and less than 103 g d of Ni, Cu, Cr, Ga, Sb, Bi, Cd, Li, Co and U. With decreasing temperature (800-500??C) there were five sublimate zones found in silica tubes: 1) cristobalite and magnetite (first deposition of Si, Fe and Al); 2) K-Ca sulfate, acmite, halite, sylvite and pyrite (maximum deposition of Cl, Na, K, Si, S, Fe, Mo, Br, Al, Rb, Cs, Mn, W, P, Ca, Re, Ag, Au and Co); 3) aphthitalite (K-Na sulfate), sphalerite, galena and Cs-K. sulfate (maximum deposition of Zn, Bi, Cd, Se and In; higher deposition of Pb and Sn); 4) Pb-K chloride and Na-K-Fe sulfate (maximum deposition of Pb, Sn and Cu); and 5) Zn, Cu and K-Pb sulfates (maximum deposition of Pb, Sn, Ti, As and Sb). The incrustations surrounding the fumaroles are also chemically zoned. Bi, Cd, Pb, W, Mo, Zn, Cu, K, Na, V, Fe and Mn are concentrated most in or very close to the vent as expected with cooling, atmospheric contamination and dispersion. The highly volatile elements Br, Cl, As and Sb are transported primarily away from high temperature vents. Ba, Si, P, Al, Ca and Cr are derived from wall rock reactions. Incomplete degassing of shallow magma at 915??C is the origin of most of the elements in the Merapi volcanic gas, although it is partly contaminated by particles or wall rock reactions. The metals are transported predominantly as chloride species. As the gas cools in the fumarolic environment, it becomes saturated with sublimate phases that fractionate from the gas in the order of their equilibrium saturation temperatures. Devolatilization of a cooling batholith could transport enough acids and metals to a hydrothermal system to play a significant role in forming an ore deposit. However, sublimation from a high temperature, high velocity carrier gas is not efficient enough to form a large ore deposit. Re, Se, Cd and Bi could be used as supporting evidence for magmatic fluid transport in an ore deposit. ?? 1987.

Gas hazard assessment in the touristic area of Levante Beach (Vulcano island, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carapezza, Maria Luisa; Di Piazza, Andrea; Gattuso, Alessandro; Ranaldi, Massimo; Sortino, Francesco; Tarchini, Luca

2016-04-01

Since the last eruption occurred at "La Fossa" in 1888-1890, Vulcano remained in a quiescence state characterized by an intense fumarolic activity. The main degassing manifestations are concentrated in La Fossa crater area (high temperature fumaroles) and in the area of Vulcano Porto, between Levante Beach and Faraglioni (medium-low temperature fumaroles). In addition the entire volcanic edifice of La Fossa, its base and the area of Vulcano Porto are characterized by en extensive soil CO2 diffuse degassing. In the last century episodic "crises" have occurred with increase of temperature, gas output and compositional changes of the crater fumaroles indicating an increase of the magmatic component in the discharged fluids. These episodic crises occurred in 1916-1924, in 1988-1993, in 1996 and in 2004-2006. During the period 1988-1990, the accumulation of CO2 in morphological depressions or excavation provoked the death for asphyxiation of two children in the area of Vulcano Porto and of some small animals at the base of the crater area. In April 2015, a child lost his senses while playing at Levante Beach; he was rescued by an air ambulance to the hospital of Lipari. According to the national chronicle (La Repubblica, 22 June 2015), doctors attributed the malaise to a high CO2 air concentration. Soon after this event the Major of Lipari installed at Levante Beach some panels informing tourists on gas hazard. In summer 2015 we performed a geochemical survey of the Levante Beach sector (onshore and offshore) and of the mud pool, estimating the diffuse and viscous gas flux and the air gas concentration in order to evaluate the degassing level. The total gas flux in the Levante Beach area, from 0.3 km2, has been estimated in 1 t/day of CO2 and 16,1 kg/day of H2S; values comparable with those of the 2009 and 2011 campaigns. In addition, a soil CO2 flux survey of the target area at La Fossa crater was performed, ascertaining that the degassing rate was within the range of the inter-crisis period (CO2 = 200 t/day). In the mud pool area, continuous measurements of CO2 and H2S air concentration were also carried out for a period of a week. The CO2 concentration was almost always higher than in the normal unpolluted air. Concentration of H2S displayed high values (maximum of 43 ppm), with the TWA (10 ppm) and STEL (15 ppm) H2S thresholds frequently exceeded. Offshore, gas concentration in atmosphere over the submarine vents of the Levante Beach, displayed extremely high concentrations of H2S (values up to 1000 ppm) and CO2 (8.6 vol.%). these values may cause serious adverse health consequences on the exposed people even in periods when the volcanic activity is not considered high or anomalous.

Heat flux-based strategies for the thermal monitoring of sub-fumarolic areas: Examples from Vulcano and La Soufrière de Guadeloupe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaudin, Damien; Ricci, Tullio; Finizola, Anthony; Delcher, Eric; Alparone, Salvatore; Barde-Cabusson, Stéphanie; Brothelande, Elodie; Di Gangi, Fabio; Gambino, Salvatore; Inguaggiato, Salvatore; Milluzzo, Vincenzo; Peltier, Aline; Vita, Fabio

2017-09-01

Although it is relatively easy to set-up, the monitoring of soil temperature in sub-fumarolic areas is quite rarely used to monitor the evolution of hydrothermal systems. Indeed, measurements are highly sensitive to environmental conditions, in particular daily and seasonal variations of atmospheric temperatures and rainfalls, which can be only partially filtered by the established statistical analysis. In this paper, we develop two innovative processing methods, both based on the computation of the heat flux in the soil. The upward heat flux method (UHF), designed for dry environments, consists in computing both the conductive and convective components of the heat flux between two thermocouples placed vertically. In the cases of wet environments, the excess of total heat method (ETH) allows the integration of rain gauges data in order to correct the heat balance from the superficial cooling effect of the precipitations. The performances of both processing techniques are faced to established methods (temperature gradient and coefficient of determination) on soil temperature time series from two test volcanoes. At La Fossa di Vulcano (Italy), the UHF method undoubtedly detects three thermal crises between 2009 and 2012, enabling to quantify not only the intensity but also the precise timing of the heat flux increase with respect to corresponding geochemical and seismic crises. At La Soufrière de Guadeloupe (French Lesser Antilles), despite large rainfalls dramatically influencing the thermal behavior of the soil, a constant geothermal heat flux is retrieved by the ETH method, confirming the absence of fumarolic crisis during the observation period (February-August 2010). Being quantitative, robust, and usable in almost any context of sub-fumarolic zones, our two heat flux-based methods increase the potential of soil temperature for the monitoring, but also the general interpretation of fumarolic crises together with geochemical and seismological observations. A spreadsheet allowing direct computation of UHF and ETH is provided as supplemental material.

Multi-2D seismic imaging of the Solfatara crater (Campi Flegrei Caldera, southern Italy) from active seismic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gammaldi, S.; Amoroso, O.; D'Auria, L.; Zollo, A.

2017-12-01

Campi Flegrei is an active caldera characterized by secular, periodic episodes of spatially extended, low-rate ground deformation (bradyseism) accompanied by an intense seismic and geothermal activity. Its inner crater Solfatara is characterized by diffuse surface degassing and continuous fumarole activity. This points out the relevance of fluid and heat transport from depth and prompts for further research to improve the understanding of the hydrothermal system feeding processes and fluid migration to the surface. The experiment Repeated Induced Earthquake and Noise (RICEN) (EU Project MEDSUV), was carried out between September 2013 and November 2014 to investigate the space and time varying properties of the subsoil beneath the crater. The processed dataset consists of records from two 1D orthogonal seismic arrays deployed along WNW-ESE and NNE-SSW directions crossing the 400 m crater surface. To highlight the first P-wave arrivals a bandpass filter and an AGC were applied which allowed the detection of 17894 manually picked arrival times. Starting from a 1D velocity model, we performed a 2D non-linear Bayesian estimation. The method consists in retrieving the velocity model searching for the maximum of the "a posteriori" probability density function. The optimization is performed by the sequential use of the Genetic Algorithm and the Simplex methods. The retrieved images provide evidence for a very low P-velocity layer (Vp<500 m/s) associated with quaternary deposits, a low velocity (Vp=500-1500 m/s) water saturated deep layer at West, contrasted by a high velocity (Vp=2000-3200 m/s) layer correlated with a consolidated tephra deposit. The transition velocity range (from 1500 to 2000 m/s) suggests the possible presence of a gas-rich, accumulation volume. Based on the surface evidence of the gas released by the Bocca Grande and Bocca Nuova fumaroles at the Eastern border of Solfatara and the presence of the central deeper plume, we infer a detailed image for the gas migration via. The multi-2D tomographic images provide the evidence for a fault zone situated in the central part of the crater which seems to represent the main buried conduit for the degassing.

Investigating the Habitability and Preservation Potential of Two Aqueous Settings in Gusev Crater, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruff, S. W.; Farmer, J. D.; Milliken, R.; Niles, P. B.; Alfano, F.; Clarke, A. B.; Kraft, M. D.; Hardgrove, C. J.

2014-12-01

The Spirit rover was sent to Gusev crater because of evidence that it contained an ancient lake. Lacustrine sediments were not identified, but aqueous activity was. Spirit encountered widespread meter-scale eroded outcrops and regolith composed of opaline silica in a setting associated with small-scale explosive volcanism. This combination was interpreted as evidence for a hydrothermal system, with silica produced by either fumarolic acid-sulfate leaching of host rocks or precipitation from silica-rich hot spring or geyser waters [1]. Evidence for the latter is stronger based on stratigraphic and textural arguments [2]. Our ongoing lab and field studies of terrestrial opaline silica occurrences demonstrate that fumarolic alteration leads to greater mineral diversity and less SiO2 enrichment than observed in the Gusev case, pointing to a hot spring or geyser origin. Terrestrial hot springs support microbial communities and can preserve that evidence over geologic timescales [3], making outcrops of opaline silica ideal targets in a search for biosignatures with instruments on the Mars 2020 rover. Spirit also discovered outcrops with 16-34 wt% Mg-Fe carbonate. Dubbed Comanche, the carbonate was thought to result from dissolution by hydrothermal fluids of pre-existing carbonates elsewhere in Gusev followed by transport and re-precipitation [4]. A reanalysis found evidence that the alteration is consistent with evaporative precipitation of low-temperature, near-surface solutions derived from limited water-rock interaction in rocks equivalent to nearby "Algonquin" outcrops [5]. Water-limited leaching of formerly widespread Algonquin-like tephra deposits by ephemeral waters, followed by transport and evaporative precipitation of the fluids into the Comanche outcrops, can explain their chemical, mineralogical, and textural characteristics. The habitability potential of this setting is unclear, but detrital materials carried by floodwaters and preserved in carbonate cements may be of astrobiological interest. [1] Squyres, S. W., et al. (2008), Science, 320, 1063-1067. [2] Ruff, S. W., et al. (2011), J. Geophys. Res., 116, E00F2. [3] Walter, M. R., et al. (1996), Palaios, 11, 497-518. [4] Morris, R. V., et al. (2010), Science, 329, 421-424. [5] Ruff, S. W., et al. (2014), Geology, 42, 4, 359-362.

Fumarole/plume and diffuse CO2 emission from Sierra Negra volcano, Galapagos archipelago

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padron, E.; Hernandez Perez, P. A.; Perez, N.; Theofilos, T.; Melian, G.; Barrancos, J.; Virgil, G.; Sumino, H.; Notsu, K.

2009-12-01

The active shield-volcano Sierra Negra is part of the Galapagos hotspot. Sierra Negra is the largest shield volcano of Isabela Island, hosting a 10 km diameter caldera. Ten historic eruptions have occurred and some involved a frequently visited east caldera rim fissure zone called Volcan Chico. The last volcanic event occurred in October 2005 and lasted for about a week, covering approximately twenty percent of the eastern caldera floor. Sierra Negra volcano has experienced some significant changes in the chemical composition of its volcanic gas discharges after the 2005 eruption. This volcanic event produced an important SO2 degassing that depleted the magmatic content of this gas. Not significant changes in the MORB and plume-type helium contribution were observed after the 2005 eruption, with a 65.5 % of MORB and 35.5 % of plume contribution. In 2006 a visible and diffuse gas emission study was performed at the summit of Sierra Negra volcano, Galapagos, to evaluate degassing rate from this volcanic system. Diffuse degassing at Sierra Negra was mainly confined in three different DDS: Volcan Chico, the southern inner margin of the caldera, and Mina Azufral. These areas showed also visible degassing, which indicates highly fractured areas where volcano-hydrothermal fluids migrate towards surface. A total fumarole/plume SO2 emission of 11 ± 2 td-1 was calculated by mini-DOAS ground-based measurements at Mina Azufral fumarolic area. Molar ratios of major volcanic gas components were also measured in-situ at Mina Azufral with a portable multisensor. The results showed H2S/SO2, CO2/SO2 and H2O/SO2 molar ratios of 0.41, 52.2 and 867.9, respectively. Multiplying the observed SO2 emission rate times the observed (gas)i/SO2 mass ratio we have estimated other volatiles emission rates. The results showed that H2O, CO2 and H2S emission rates from Sierra Negra are 562, 394, and 2.4 t d-1, respectively. The estimated total output of diffuse CO2 emission from the summit of Sierra Negra was 989 ± 85 t d-1. Estimated diffuse/plume CO2 emission ratio was 2.5.

Geochemical evidence for the existence of high-temperature hydrothermal brines at Vesuvio volcano, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiodini, Giovanni; Marini, Luigi; Russo, Massimo

2001-07-01

A high-temperature hydrothermal system is present underneath the crater area of Vesuvio volcano. It is suggested that NaCl brines reside in the high-temperature reservoir and influence the chemical composition of the gases discharged by the fumaroles of the crater bottom (vents FC1, FC2, and FC5). These have typical hydrothermal compositions, with H 2O and CO 2 as major components, followed by H 2, H 2S, N 2, CH 4, and CO (in order of decreasing contents) and undetectable SO 2, HCl, and HF. Fumarolic H 2O is either meteoric water enriched in 18O through high-temperature water-rock oxygen isotope exchange or a mixture of meteoric and arc-type magmatic water. Fumarolic CO 2 is mainly generated by decarbonation reactions of marine carbonates, but the addition of small amounts of magmatic CO 2 is also possible. All investigated gas species (H 2O, CO 2, CO, CH 4, H 2, H 2S, N 2, and NH 3) equilibrate, probably in a saturated vapor phase, at temperatures of 360 to 370°C for vent FC1 and 430 to 445°C for vents FC2 and FC5. These temperatures are confirmed by the H 2-Ar geoindicator. The minimum salt content of the liquid phase coexisting with the vapor phase is ˜14.9 wt.% NaCl, whereas its maximum salinity corresponds to halite saturation (49.2-52.5 wt.% NaCl). These poorly constrained salinities of NaCl brines reflect in large uncertainties in total fluid pressures, which are estimated to be 260 to 480 bar for vents FC2 and FC5 and 130 to 220 bar for vent FC1. Pressurization in some parts of the hydrothermal system, and its subsequent discharge through hydrofracturing, could explain the relatively frequent seismic crises recorded in the Vesuvio area after the last eruption. An important heat source responsible for hydrothermal circulation is represented by the hot rocks of the eruptive conduits, which have been active from 1631 to 1944. Geochemical evidence suggests that no input of fresh magma at shallow depths took place after the end of the last eruptive period.

A model for the magmatic-hydrothermal system at Mount Rainier, Washington, from seismic and geochemical observations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moran, S.C.; Zimbelman, D.R.; Malone, S.D.

2000-01-01

Mount Rainier is one of the most seismically active volcanoes in the Cascade Range, with an average of one to two high-frequency volcano-tectonic (or VT) earthquakes occurring directly beneath the summit in a given month. Despite this level of seismicity, little is known about its cause. The VT earthquakes occur at a steady rate in several clusters below the inferred base of the Quaternary volcanic edifice. More than half of 18 focal mechanisms determined for these events are normal, and most stress axes deviate significantly from the regional stress field. We argue that these characteristics are most consistent with earthquakes in response to processes associated with circulation of fluids and magmatic gases within and below the base of the edifice. Circulation of these fluids and gases has weakened rock and reduced effective stress to the point that gravity-induced brittle fracture, due to the weight of the overlying edifice, can occur. Results from seismic tomography and rock, water, and gas geochemistry studies support this interpretation. We combine constraints from these studies into a model for the magmatic system that includes a large volume of hot rock (temperatures greater than the brittle-ductile transition) with small pockets of melt and/or hot fluids at depths of 8-18 km below the summit. We infer that fluids and heat from this volume reach the edifice via a narrow conduit, resulting in fumarolic activity at the summit, hydrothermal alteration of the edifice, and seismicity.

Beneficial effects of groundwater entry into liquid-dominated geothermal systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lippmann, M.J.; Truesdell, A.H.

In all active liquid-dominated geothermal systems there is continuous circulation of mass and transfer of heat, otherwise they would slowly cool and fade away. In the natural state these systems are in dynamic equilibrium with the surrounding colder groundwater aquifers. The ascending geothermal fluids cool conductively, boil, or mix with groundwaters, and ultimately may discharge at the surface as fumaroles or hot springs. With the start of fluid production and the lowering of reservoir pressure, the natural equilibrium is disrupted and cooler groundwater tends to enter the reservoir. Improperly constructed or damaged wells, and wells located near the margins ofmore » the geothermal system, exhibit temperature reductions (and possibly scaling from mixing of chemically distinct fluids) as the cooler-water moves into the reservoir. These negative effects, especially in peripheral wells are, however, compensated by the maintenance of reservoir pressure and a reduction in reservoir boiling that might result in mineral precipitation in the formation pores and fractures. The positive effect of cold groundwater entry on the behavior of liquid-dominated system is illustrated by using simple reservoir models. The simulation results show that even though groundwater influx into the reservoir causes cooling of fluids produced from wells located near the cold-water recharge area, it also reduces pressure drawdown and boiling in the exploited zone, and sweeps the heat stored in the reservoir rocks toward production wells, thus increasing the productive life of the wells and field. 9 refs.« less

Fatal fall into a volcanic fumarole.

PubMed

Cantrell, Lee; Young, Michael

2009-01-01

Fatalities secondary to inhalation of volcanic gases in the United States have rarely been reported. We report the deaths of 3 ski patrol members at a popular California ski resort. After a snowstorm, ski patrol members were fencing off a well-known volcanic fumarole when the snow around the vent collapsed. Two members slid into the deep hole and rapidly lost consciousness. A third member carrying oxygen descended into the hole and also lost consciousness. A fourth member affixed an oxygen mask, but still lost consciousness upon descent. The 3 initial victims expired at the scene, while the fourth victim survived. Autopsy results for all 3 were consistent with a suffocation/asphyxiation death. In the case described, the involved fumarole is a well-known source of toxic gases. Atmospheric sampling data dating back decades demonstrate that carbon dioxide levels typically range from 97% to 99%, nitrogen gas from 1% to 3%, and hydrogen sulfide from .004% to .07%. Other gases in smaller concentrations include oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide. Given the rapidity with which our victims lost consciousness and the historical data available on the Mammoth Mountain Fumarole (MMF), it is plausible that our patients suffered from acute asphyxiation, although the contribution of the directly toxic effects of the gases involved cannot be ruled out. During winter months, snow can build up and disguise volcanic vents and potentially trap toxic fumes to form dangerous, gas-filled pits. Recognition of such potential hazards is essential when working in or venturing into volcanically active areas during the winter.

An Overview of Thermal Measurements (IR) at the Summit of Piton de la Fournaise Active Volcano and Inferences on the Structure and Dynamics of its Hydrothermal System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fontaine, F.; Peltier, A.; Kowalski, P.; Di Muro, A.; Villeneuve, N.; Ferrazzini, V.; Staudacher, T.

2017-12-01

Piton de la Fournaise, located on La Réunion Island in the South East Indian Ocean, is one of the most active basaltic volcanoes (hotspot) of the world with a mean eruption frequency <6 months over the last 20 years. The central dome of the shield is thought to host an active hydrothermal system evidenced by self-potential techniques early in the 90's and mining heat from a magmatic source located about 2-2.5 km below the summit. Surface manifestations of this activity such as fumeroles or hot grounds have however never been observed before 2007 when deep magma withdrawal from the magmatic horizon during the "eruption of the century" (>100×106 m3) on the island, led to the formation of a 400-m-deep, 1000-m-large, funnel-shaped summit caldera. Since then, the floor and inner flanks of this summit depression hosting hot grounds and active fumaroles, are monitored using an infra-red camera device permanently installed on the caldera rim.This thermal dataset constitutes the first opportunity to understand the structure and dynamics of the hydrothermal system and its ability to relay deep-seated heat and mass perturbations. We present in this communication an overview of this thermal datasets focusing on ground/fumaroles temperature evolution during volcanic crisis and rest periods and analyzing correlations with the other permanently acquired data such as the temporal evolution of gas geochemistry (CO2, SO2, H2S), ground deformation and micro-seismic activity. We finally propose a conceptual model of fluid flow architecture within the edifice which paves the way for future quantitative models of hydrothermal heat and mass transfers.

Volatile emissions from the crater and flank of Oldoinyo Lengai volcano, Tanzania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Koepenick, K.W.; Brantley, S.L.; Thompson, J.M.; Rowe, G.L.; Nyblade, A.A.; Moshy, C.

1996-01-01

As a comparison to airborne infrared (IR) flux measurements, ground-based sampling of fumarole and soil gases was used to characterize the quiescent degassing of CO2 from Oldoinyo Lengai volcano. Aerial and ground-based measurements are in good agreement: ???75% of the aerially measured CO2 flux at Lengai (0.05-0.06 ?? 1012 mol yr-1 or 6000-7200 tonnes CO2 d-1) can be attributed to seven large crater vents. In contrast to Etna and Vulcano Island, where 15-50% of the total CO2 flux emanates diffusely through the volcanic flanks, diffuse emissions were measured only within 500 m of the crater rim at Lengai, contributing < 2% of the total flux. The lack of extensive flank emissions may reflect the dimensions of the magma chamber and/or the lack of a shallow fluid flow system. Thermodynamic restoration of fumarole analyses shows that gases are the most CO2-rich and H2O-poor reported for any volcano, containing 64-74% CO2, 24-34% H2O, 0.88-1.0% H2, 0.1-0.4% CO and < 0.1% H2S, HCl, HF, and CH4. Volatile emissions of S, Cl, and F at Oldoiyno Lengai are estimated as 4.5, 1.5, and 1.0 ?? 107 mol yr-1, respectively. Accuracy of the airborne technique was also assessed by measuring the C emission rate from a coal-burning power plant. CO2 fluxes were measured within ??10% near the plant; however, poor resolution at increased distances caused an underestimation of the flux by a factor of 2. The relatively large CO2 fluxes measured for alkaline volcanoes such as Oldoinyo Lengai or Etna may indicate that midplate volcanoes represent a large, yet relatively unknown, natural source of CO2.

Utilization of Indonesia's Hot Spring Sources for Electricity using Kalina Cycle and Organic Rankine Cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prabumukti, Grano; Purwanto; Widodo, Wahyu

2018-02-01

Indonesia posses 40% of the world's geothermal energy sources. The existence of hydrothermal sources is usually characterized by their surface manifestations such as hot springs, geysers and fumarole. Hot spring has a potential to be used as a heat source to generate electricity especially in a rural and isolated area. Hot springs can be converted into electricity by binary thermodynamic cycles such as Kalina cycle and ORC. The aim of this study is to obtain the best performances of cycle configuration and the potential power capacity. Simulation is conducted using UNISIM software with working fluid and its operating condition as the decision variables. The simulation result shows that R1234yf and propene with simple ORC as desired working fluid and cycle configuration. It reaches a maximum thermal efficiency up to 9.6% with a specific turbine inlet pressure. Higher temperature heat source will result a higher thermal efficiency‥ Cycle thermal efficiency varies from 4.7% to 9.6% depends on source of hot spring temperature. Power capacity that can be generated using Indonesia's hot spring is ranged from 2 kWe to 61.2 kWe. The highest capacity located in Kawah Sirung and the least located in Kaendi.

Ground magnetometer survey in the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, Alaska. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trible, M. C.

1972-01-01

A reconnaissance magnetometer survey was conducted with both total- and vertical-field magnetometers. The large, sharp, narrow total magnetic anomalies observed over a zone of relict fumaroles in Broken Mountain Valley showed spectacular agreement with the surficial geology. Such a correlation is a strong indication that accumulations of magnetic minerals have been preserved along these fissure vents at shallow depths. Since large magnetic anomalies were measured near fumarolic markings along all of the traverses, it is proposed that the retention of sublimates along fumarolic vents is common throughout the Valley. The generally concentric contours of the vertical magnetic anomaly at the head of the Valley suggest that the dome of Novarupta is merely the surficial expression of a very massive conical-shaped intrusive centered just northeast of the dome. The magnetometer survey indicates that the pyroclastics in the Valley may be over 150 meters thick. Such an estimate is compatible with the volume of eruptive material needed to compensate for the subsidence surrounding Novarupta as well as a sizable amount of other regional subsidence.

Crustal migration of CO2-rich magmatic fluids recorded by tree-ring radiocarbon and seismicity at Mammoth Mountain, CA, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lewicki, Jennifer L.; Hilley, George E.; Shelly, David R.; King, John C.; McGeehin, John P.; Mangan, Margaret T.; Evans, William C.

2014-01-01

Unrest at Mammoth Mountain over the past several decades, manifest by seismicity, ground deformation, diffuse CO2 emissions, and elevated 3He/4He ratios in fumarolic gases has been driven by the release of CO2-rich fluids from basaltic intrusions in the middle to lower crust. Recent unrest included the occurrence of three lower-crustal (32–19 km depth) seismic swarms beneath Mammoth Mountain in 2006, 2008 and 2009 that were consistently followed by peaks in the occurrence rate of shallow (≤10 km depth) earthquakes. We measured 14C in the growth rings (1998–2012) of a tree growing in the largest (∼0.3 km2) area of diffuse CO2 emissions on Mammoth Mountain (the Horseshoe Lake tree kill; HLTK) and applied atmospheric CO2 concentration source area modeling to confirm that the tree was a reliable integrator of magmatic CO2 emissions over most of this area. The tree-ring 14C record implied that magmatic CO2 emissions from the HLTK were relatively stable from 1998 to 2009, nearly doubled from 2009 to 2011, and then declined by the 2012 growing season. The initial increase in CO2 emissions was detected during the growing season that immediately followed the largest (February 2010) peak in the occurrence rate of shallow earthquakes. Migration of CO2-rich magmatic fluids may have driven observed patterns of elevated deep, then shallow seismicity, while the relationship between pore fluid pressures within a shallow (upper 3 km of crust) fluid reservoir and permeability structure of the reservoir cap rock may have controlled the temporal pattern of surface CO2 emissions.

Heat flux from magmatic hydrothermal systems related to availability of fluid recharge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harvey, M. C.; Rowland, J.V.; Chiodini, G.; Rissmann, C.F.; Bloomberg, S.; Hernandez, P.A.; Mazot, A.; Viveiros, F.; Werner, Cynthia A.

2015-01-01

Magmatic hydrothermal systems are of increasing interest as a renewable energy source. Surface heat flux indicates system resource potential, and can be inferred from soil CO2 flux measurements and fumarole gas chemistry. Here we compile and reanalyze results from previous CO2 flux surveys worldwide to compare heat flux from a variety of magma-hydrothermal areas. We infer that availability of water to recharge magmatic hydrothermal systems is correlated with heat flux. Recharge availability is in turn governed by permeability, structure, lithology, rainfall, topography, and perhaps unsurprisingly, proximity to a large supply of water such as the ocean. The relationship between recharge and heat flux interpreted by this study is consistent with recent numerical modeling that relates hydrothermal system heat output to rainfall catchment area. This result highlights the importance of recharge as a consideration when evaluating hydrothermal systems for electricity generation, and the utility of CO2 flux as a resource evaluation tool.

Clues on the origin of post-2000 earthquakes at Campi Flegrei caldera (Italy).

PubMed

Chiodini, G; Selva, J; Del Pezzo, E; Marsan, D; De Siena, L; D'Auria, L; Bianco, F; Caliro, S; De Martino, P; Ricciolino, P; Petrillo, Z

2017-06-30

The inter-arrival times of the post 2000 seismicity at Campi Flegrei caldera are statistically distributed into different populations. The low inter-arrival times population represents swarm events, while the high inter-arrival times population marks background seismicity. Here, we show that the background seismicity is increasing at the same rate of (1) the ground uplift and (2) the concentration of the fumarolic gas specie more sensitive to temperature. The seismic temporal increase is strongly correlated with the results of recent simulations, modelling injection of magmatic fluids in the Campi Flegrei hydrothermal system. These concurrent variations point to a unique process of temperature-pressure increase of the hydrothermal system controlling geophysical and geochemical signals at the caldera. Our results thus show that the occurrence of background seismicity is an excellent parameter to monitor the current unrest of the caldera.

Disclosing Multiple Magma Degassing Sources Offers Unique Insights of What's Behind the Campi Flegrei Caldera Unrest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moretti, R.; Civetta, L.; Orsi, G.; Arienzo, I.; D'Antonio, M.; Di Renzo, V.

2013-12-01

The definition of the structure and evolution of the magmatic system of Campi Flegrei caldera (CFc), Southern Italy, has been a fundamental tool for the assessment of the short-term volcanic hazard. The ensemble of geophysical and petrologic data show that the CFc magmatic system has been -and still is- characterized by two major reservoirs at different depths. From the deep one (around 8 km), less evolved magmas crystallize and degas, supplying fluids and magmas to the shallow (3-4 km) reservoirs. A thorough reconstruction of processes occurring in magma chamber/s prior and/or during the CFc eruptions has shown that magmas entering shallow reservoirs mixed with resident and crystallized batches. Also the 1982-85 unrest episode has been related to a magma intrusion of 2.1 x 10^7 m^3 at 3-4 km depth, on the basis of geophysical data (ground deformation, gravimetry, seismic imaging) and their interpretation. Thermodynamic evaluation of magma properties, at the time of emplacement, suggests for such an intrusion a bulk density of 2.000 kg/m^3 . Such a value testifies the high amount of exsolved volatiles within the system. The available record of geochemical and isotopic data on surface fumaroles, coupled with melt inclusion data, has already shown that dual (deep and shallow) magma degassing from such two reservoirs, as well as their interaction with the hydrothermal system, allows explaining the relevant fluctuations observed at crater fumaroles after the 1982-85 magma intrusion. An important role was played by the rapid crystallization (around 30 years) of the shallow magma, such that in the recent years gas discharges should be fuelled mostly by the deep magma. Such a process is well recorded in the fumarolic gas composition of the last ~10 years, but has to be reconciled with the unrest dynamics which took place after year 2000, characterized by a slow but continuous ground uplift. All geochemical indicators (major species and noble gases) point to three possible scenarios: 1) only deep gases enter the hydrothermal system, because the shallow magmatic body is now fully crystallized and degassed. 2) The shallow magmatic body, invested by the arrival of deep gases, starts remelting and releasing gases into the hydrothermal system. 3) Magma from the deep reservoir slowly rises to shallow depths, well below the ductile-fragile transition for this area. These three scenarios carry contrasting implications for the volcanic hazard assessment, and demand a comprehensive treatment of geochemical and geophysical data in a way coherent with the knowledge that we have of the 1982-85 unrest

Monitoring gas and heat emissions at Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, USA based on a combined eddy covariance and Multi-GAS approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewicki, J. L.; Kelly, P. J.; Bergfeld, D.; Vaughan, R. G.; Lowenstern, J. B.

2017-11-01

We quantified gas and heat emissions in an acid-sulfate, vapor-dominated area (0.04-km2) of Norris Geyser Basin, located just north of the 0.63 Ma Yellowstone Caldera and near an area of anomalous uplift. From 14 May to 3 October 2016, an eddy covariance system measured half-hourly CO2, H2O and sensible (H) and latent (LE) heat fluxes and a Multi-GAS instrument measured (1 Hz frequency) atmospheric H2O, CO2 and H2S volumetric mixing ratios. We also measured soil CO2 fluxes using the accumulation chamber method and temperature profiles on a grid and collected fumarole gas samples for geochemical analysis. Eddy covariance CO2 fluxes ranged from - 56 to 885 g m- 2 d- 1. Using wavelet analysis, average daily eddy covariance CO2 fluxes were locally correlated with average daily environmental parameters on several-day to monthly time scales. Estimates of CO2 emission rate from the study area ranged from 8.6 t d- 1 based on eddy covariance measurements to 9.8 t d- 1 based on accumulation chamber measurements. Eddy covariance water vapor fluxes ranged from 1178 to 24,600 g m- 2 d- 1. Nighttime H and LE were considered representative of hydrothermal heat fluxes and ranged from 4 to 183 and 38 to 504 W m- 2, respectively. The total hydrothermal heat emission rate (H + LE + radiant) estimated for the study area was 11.6 MW and LE contributed 69% of the output. The mean ± standard deviation of H2O, CO2 and H2S mixing ratios measured by the Multi-GAS system were 9.3 ± 3.1 parts per thousand, 467 ± 61 ppmv, and 0.5 ± 0.6 ppmv, respectively, and variations in the gas compositions were strongly correlated with diurnal variations in environmental parameters (wind speed and direction, atmospheric temperature). After removing ambient H2O and CO2, the observed variations in the Multi-GAS data could be explained by the mixing of relatively H2O-CO2-H2S-rich fumarole gases with CO2-rich and H2O-H2S-poor soil gases. The fumarole H2O/CO2 and CO2/H2S end member ratios (101.7 and 27.1, respectively, on average) were invariant during the measurement period and fell within the range of values measured in direct fumarole gas samples. The soil gas H2O/CO2 end member ratios ( 15-30) were variable and low relative to the fumarole end member, likely resulting from water vapor loss during cooling and condensation in the shallow subsurface, whereas the CO2/H2S end member ratio was high ( 160), presumably related to transport of CO2-dominated soil gas emissions mixed with trace fumarolic emissions to the Multi-GAS station. Nighttime eddy covariance ratios of H2O to CO2 flux were typically between the soil gas and fumarole end member H2O/CO2 ratios defined by Multi-GAS measurements. Overall, the combined eddy covariance and Multi-GAS approach provides a powerful tool for quasi-continuous measurements of gas and heat emissions for improved volcano-hydrothermal monitoring.

Microbial Communities of High-Elevation Fumaroles, Penitentes, and Dry Tephra "Soils" of the Puna de Atacama Volcanic Zone.

PubMed

Solon, Adam J; Vimercati, Lara; Darcy, J L; Arán, Pablo; Porazinska, Dorota; Dorador, C; Farías, M E; Schmidt, S K

2018-01-05

The aim of this study was to understand the spatial distribution of microbial communities (18S and 16S rRNA genes) across one of the harshest terrestrial landscapes on Earth. We carried out Illumina sequencing using samples from two expeditions to the high slopes (up to 6050 m.a.s.l.) of Volcán Socompa and Llullaillaco to describe the microbial communities associated with the extremely dry tephra compared to areas that receive water from fumaroles and ice fields made up of nieves penitentes. There were strong spatial patterns relative to these landscape features with the most diverse (alpha diversity) communities being associated with fumaroles. Penitentes did not significantly increase alpha diversity compared to dry tephra at the same elevation (5825 m.a.s.l.) on Volcán Socompa, but the structure of the 18S community (beta diversity) was significantly affected by the presence of penitentes on both Socompa and Llullaillaco. In addition, the 18S community was significantly different in tephra wetted by penitentes versus dry tephra sites across many elevations on Llullaillaco. Traditional phototrophs (algae and cyanobacteria) were abundant in wetter tephra associated with fumaroles, and algae (but not cyanobacteria) were common in tephra associated with penitentes. Dry tephra had neither algae nor cyanobacteria but did host potential phototrophs in the Rhodospirillales on Volcán Llullaillaco, but not on Socompa. These results provide new insights into the distribution of microbes across one of the most extreme terrestrial environments on Earth and provide the first ever glimpse of life associated with nieves penitentes, spire-shaped ice structures that are widespread across the mostly unexplored high-elevation Andean Central Volcanic Zone.

Mineral Systems, Their Types, and Distribution in Nature: 2. Products of Contemporary Fumarole Activity at Tolbachik Volcano (Russia) and Vulcano (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krivovichev, V. G.; Charykova, M. V.

2017-12-01

The number of mineral species in which a certain chemical element is species-defining (according to statistical data up to 2015) has been specified. Seventy chemical elements are species-defining for 5044 minerals. The following chemical elements lead in the composition of minerals (number of mineral species in parentheses): oxygen (4115), hydrogen (2800), silicon (1471), calcium (1167), sulfur (1056), aluminium (985), sodium (949), iron (945), copper (636), phosphorus (597), arsenic (594), and magnesium (571). The distribution of mineral species by various systems in the products of contemporary fumarole activity at two volcanoes, Tolbachik in Kamchatka, Russia, and Vulcano in Sicily, Italy, has been compared. These locations were also compared for the distribution of species-defining elements. Thus, it has been determined that in fumaroles of both volcanoes, Tl, S, Cl, F and Na are "excessive," present in minerals in elevated amounts, whereas H, Ca, Fe, and Mn are "deficient." The abundance of Cu, Se, V, Mg, Zn, As, and F in minerals at Tolbachik is higher than the global mean values of these elements in the Earth's crust, whereas the abundance is significantly lower at Vulcano. Sn, I, Br, K, Pb, Al, Fe, and Bi demonstrate the opposite behavior. Comparison of the Yadovitaya and Arsenatnaya fumaroles at the Tolbachik volcano showed that the products of the former are richer in H, Cl, Cu, S, K, O, Al, Fe, and Pb, and poorer in As, Ca, Mg, and Na as species-defining elements. In addition, V-and Mo-bearing minerals are found only at Yadovitaya, whereas minerals containing F, Ti, B, Te, and Zn are known only at Arsenatnaya.

Deep low-frequency earthquake activities during the failed magmatic eruptions of Mts. Iwate and Fuji, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamichi, H.; Hamaguchi, H.; Ukawa, M.; Tanaka, S.; Ueki, S.; Nishimura, T.

2008-12-01

I review deep low-frequency earthquake (DLF) activities during the failed magmatic eruptions of Mts. Iwate and Fuji, Japan. Volcanic unrests at Mts. Iwate and Fuji were observed in 1998-1999 and 2000-2001, respectively. Several hundred DLFs occurred during the unrest at Mt. Iwate; the number of DLFs in a normal year is less than or equal to 10. The DLF activity at Mt. Fuji increased sharply during the period from September 2000 to May 2001. The frequency of DLFs at Mt. Fuji during the DLF swarm was 20 times higher than that during normal activity. The DLFs of Mts. Iwate and Fuji show non-DC source mechanisms and suggest fluid motion at the focal regions. The DLF hypocenters of Mt. Fuji defined an ellipsoid with a diameter of 5 km; their focal depths are 11-16 km. The ellipsoid was centered 3 km northeast of the summit, and its major axis was directed in the northwest-southeast direction. The center of the ellipsoid gradually migrated upward, and 2-3 km in the northwest direction during 1998-2001. The migration of the DLFs reflects the volcanic fluid migration associated with a northwest-southeast-oriented dike beneath Mt. Fuji. The DLFs of Mt. Iwate were located at intermediate depths (5-12 km) beneath the summit and at deep depths (31-37 km) in the regions located 10 km south and 10 km northeast of the summit. In April 1998, the frequency of DLFs increased five days before an increase in the occurrence of shallow volcanic earthquakes at Mt. Iwate. Hypocenter migration of the DLFs at intermediate depths was observed from April 1998 to September 1998. New fumarole activity in the western region of Mt. Iwate commenced in 1999. These observations indicate that DLFs at Mts. Fuji and Iwate have common features in their activities and source mechanisms. But, shallow volcanic activities at these two volcanoes were much different: strong shallow seismic activity and volcano inflations as well as a new formation of fumarolic area were observed at Mt. Iwate, while such shallow activities were not detected at Mt. Fuji. Although it is still unknown what mechanisms control their magma supply systems, we may say that activation of DLF beneath active volcanoes does not always accompany magma intrusions in the shallow volcano edifice.

Gas geochemistry of the magmatic-hydrothermal fluid reservoir in the Copahue-Caviahue Volcanic Complex (Argentina)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agusto, M.; Tassi, F.; Caselli, A. T.; Vaselli, O.; Rouwet, D.; Capaccioni, B.; Caliro, S.; Chiodini, G.; Darrah, T.

2013-05-01

Copahue volcano is part of the Caviahue-Copahue Volcanic Complex (CCVC), which is located in the southwestern sector of the Caviahue volcano-tectonic depression (Argentina-Chile). This depression is a pull-apart basin accommodating stresses between the southern Liquiñe-Ofqui strike slip and the northern Copahue-Antiñir compressive fault systems, in a back-arc setting with respect to the Southern Andean Volcanic Zone. In this study, we present chemical (inorganic and organic) and isotope compositions (δ13C-CO2, δ15N, 3He/4He, 40Ar/36Ar, δ13C-CH4, δD-CH4, and δD-H2O and δ18O-H2O) of fumaroles and bubbling gases of thermal springs located at the foot of Copahue volcano sampled in 2006, 2007 and 2012. Helium isotope ratios, the highest observed for a Southern American volcano (R/Ra up to 7.94), indicate a non-classic arc-like setting, but rather an extensional regime subdued to asthenospheric thinning. δ13C-CO2 values (from - 8.8‰ to - 6.8‰ vs. V-PDB), δ15N values (+ 5.3‰ to + 5.5‰ vs. Air) and CO2/3He ratios (from 1.4 to 8.8 × 109) suggest that the magmatic source is significantly affected by contamination of subducted sediments. Gases discharged from the northern sector of the CCVC show contribution of 3He-poor fluids likely permeating through local fault systems. Despite the clear mantle isotope signature in the CCVC gases, the acidic gas species have suffered scrubbing processes by a hydrothermal system mainly recharged by meteoric water. Gas geothermometry in the H2O-CO2-CH4-CO-H2 system suggests that CO and H2 re-equilibrate in a separated vapor phase at 200°-220 °C. On the contrary, rock-fluid interactions controlling CO2, CH4 production from Sabatier reaction and C3H8 dehydrogenation seem to occur within the hydrothermal reservoir at temperatures ranging from 250° to 300 °C. Fumarole gases sampled in 2006-2007 show relatively low N2/He and N2/Ar ratios and high R/Ra values with respect to those measured in 2012. Such compositional and isotope variations were likely related to injection of mafic magma that likely triggered the 2000 eruption. Therefore, changes affecting the magmatic system had a delayed effect on the chemistry of the CCVC gases due to the presence of the hydrothermal reservoir. However, geochemical monitoring activities mainly focused on the behavior of inert gas compounds (N2 and He), should be increased to investigate the mechanism at the origin of the unrest started in 2011.

Real-time measurements of the concentration and isotope composition of atmospheric and volcanic CO2 at Mount Etna (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizzo, Andrea Luca; Jost, Hans-Jürg; Caracausi, Antonio; Paonita, Antonio; Liotta, Marcello; Martelli, Mauro

2014-04-01

We present unprecedented data of real-time measurements of the concentration and isotope composition of CO2 in air and in fumarole-plume gases collected in 2013 during two campaigns at Mount Etna volcano, which were made using a laser-based isotope ratio infrared spectrometer. We performed approximately 360 measurements/h, which allowed calculation of the δ13C values of volcanic CO2. The fumarole gases of Torre del Filosofo (2900 m above sea level) range from -3.24 ± 0.06‰ to -3.71 ± 0.09‰, comparable to isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) measurements of discrete samples collected on the same dates. Plume gases sampled more than 1 km from the craters show a δ13C = -2.2 ± 0.4‰, in agreement with the crater fumarole gases analyzed by IRMS. Measurements performed along ~17 km driving track from Catania to Mount Etna show more negative δ13C values when passing through populated centers due to anthropogenic-derived CO2 inputs (e.g., car exhaust). The reported results demonstrate that this technique may represent an important advancement for volcanic and environmental monitoring.

Geochemical investigation of the hydrothermal system on Akutan Island, Alaska, July 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bergfeld, D.; Lewicki, Jennifer L.; Evans, William C.; Hunt, Andrew G.; Revesz, Kinga; Huebner, Mark

2014-01-01

We have studied the geochemistry of the hot springs on Akutan Island in detail for the first time since the early 1980s. Springs in four discrete groups (A-D) along Hot Springs Creek showed generally higher temperatures and substantially higher Na, Ca, and Cl concentrations than previously reported, and total hot-spring discharge has also increased markedly. The springs now account for a heat output of ~29 MW, about an order of magnitude more than in 1981. Gas samples from the hot springs and from a fumarolic area on the flank of Akutan Volcano show high 3He/4He ratios (>6.4 RA) after correction for air contamination and reveal a common magmatic heat source. Hot-spring gases are unusually rich in N2, Ar, and CH4, suggesting that the water has boiled and lost CO2 during upflow beneath the flank fumarole field. Gas geothermometry calculations applied to the flank fumarole field implies temperatures of 200–240 °C for the reservoir, and Na-K-Ca geothermometry implies temperatures near 180 °C for the outflow waters that feed the hot springs. The results of our study confirm the existence of a substantial geothermal resource on the island.

Temperature profiles from Pos Crater Lake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neshyba, Steve; Fernandez, Walter; Diaz-Andrade, José

In 1984, we took part in an expedition to measure the temperature field and bathymetry of the acid lake (Figure 1) that has formed in the crater of Poás volcano, Costa Rica, since its last eruption in 1953. Obtaining these data was the first step in a long-range study planned by researchers at the Center for Geophysical Research, University of Costa Rica (San Jose, Costa Rica), and the College of Oceanography, Oregon State University (Corvallis). The study will eventually consider all aspects of fluid behavior in a volcanic lake that is heated or otherwise convectively driven by energy injected at the lake bottom.Evidence of convection is clearly visible on the surface of the Poás lake most of the time. Fumarole activity has been continuous since 1953. Phreatic explosions are quite frequent, varying from weak to strong, and the height of the ejected column varies from 1 to more than 500 m. One immediately useful result of the research would be an estimate of the heat transfer from sources within the conduit to the overlying water column. As far as geophysical fluid behavior goes, we are interested in the turbulent and diffusive processes by which heat and chemical species are transferred. We are especially interested in the impact on the density stratification of the density changes that occur as particulates settle downward through the fluid column. The stratification would otherwise be controlled by the turbulent and diffusive processes driven by thermochemical factors.

Hydrothermal disturbances at the Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park (USA) in 2003

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lowenstern, J. B.; Heasler, H.; Smith, R. B.

2003-12-01

The Norris Geyser Basin in north-central Yellowstone National Park (YNP) experienced a series of notable changes during 2003, including formation of new hot springs and fumaroles, renewed activity of dormant geysers and elevated ground temperatures. This abstract provides a short synopsis of the new hydrothermal activity. In 2000, Yellowstone's tallest geyser, Steamboat, erupted after a dormant period of nearly 9 years. It erupted twice in 2002 and then again on 26 March and 27 April 2003. Surges in flux of thermal water preceding the eruptions (preplay) were recorded by a couplet of temperature data loggers placed in the outlet stream. The data indicated pulses of water flow with 1 and ~3 day intervals. On 10 July 2003, a new thermal feature was reported just west of Nymph Lake, ~ 3.5 km northwest of the Norris Museum. A linear series of vigorous fumaroles, about 75 m long had formed in a forested area, ~ 200 m up a hill on the lake's west shore. Fine particles of rock and mineral fragments coated nearby vegetation. Fumarole temperatures were around the local boiling temperature of water (92° C). After two months, somewhat reduced steam emission was accompanied by discharge of ~ 3-10 gallons per minute of near-neutral thermal water. Trees within 4 meters of the lineament were dead and were being slowly combusted. Porkchop Geyser in Norris' Back Basin had been dormant since it exploded in 1989, littering the nearby area with boulders up to over 1 m in diameter. Since that time, its water had remained well below the boiling temperature of water. From 1 April through 1 July `03, the temperature of waters in Porkchop's vent increased continuously from 67° to 88° C. Each Summer, Norris' Back Basin experiences an "annual disturbance" where individual hot springs and geysers typically show anomalous boiling, and have measurable increases in turbidity, acidity and SO4/Cl ratios. The disturbance has been linked to depressurization of the hydrothermal system as the hydrostatic pressure of the snowmelt-fed groundwater table wanes each summer. This year, the "Norris disturbance" is estimated to have begun on 11 July 2003,when pronounced changes were noted, including thermal pools that were boiled to dryness (e.g., Pearl Geyser), creating fumaroles. Porkchop Geyser erupted for the first time since 1989 on 16 July. New mud pots formed along the Back Basin Trail and increased ground temperatures were noted over an 500 x 300 m area. Park staff noted temperatures up to 94° C at 1 cm beneath the ground surface in areas that were previously cool. Vegetation in the area immediately died and began to break down due to the high temperatures. Yellowstone National Park closed the Back Basin Trail to all visitor travel on 22 July 2003. During the first week of August 2003, the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory installed a temporary monitoring network in the Norris Geyser Basin. University of Utah staff, with equipment and personnel made available by IRIS, UNAVCO, USGS and YNP, installed seven broadband seismometers and five continuous GPS receivers. In addition, YNP deployed a series of temperature data-loggers to record changes in flow from thermal features within the Norris Back Basin. The network is intended to identify ground motions associated with fluid flow within the geyser basin that may accompany eruptions of geysers, boiling episodes or events precursory to hydrothermal explosions. The monitoring network will remain operational for between four and twelve weeks.

Diffuse volcanic emissions of carbon dioxide from Vulcano Island, Italy.

PubMed

Baubron, J C; Allard, P; Toutain, J P

1990-03-01

RECENT investigations on Mount Etna (Sicily)(1-3) have revealed that volcanoes may release abundant carbon dioxide not only from their active craters, but also from their flanks, as diffuse soil emanations. Here we present analyses of soil gases and air in water wells on Vulcano Island which provide further evidence of such lateral degassing. Nearly pure carbon dioxide, enriched in helium and radon, escapes from the slopes of the Fossa active cone, adding a total output of 30 tonnes per day to the fumarolic crater discharge ( 180 tonnes CO(2) per day). This emanation has similar He/CO(2) and (13)C/(12)C ratios to those of the crater fumaroles (300%ndash;500 degrees C) and therefore a similar volcanic origin. Gases rich in carbon dioxide also escape at sea level along the isthmus between the Fossa and Vulcanello volcanic cones, but their depletion in both He and (13)C suggests a distinct source. Diffuse volcanic gas emanations, once their genetic link with central fumarole degassing has been demonstrated, can be used for continuous volcano monitoring, at safe distances from active craters. Such monitoring has been initiated at Vulcano, where soil and well emanations of nearly pure CO(2) themselves represent a threat to the local population.

Evidences of volcanic unrest on high-temperature fumaroles by satellite thermal monitoring: The case of Santa Ana volcano, El Salvador

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laiolo, M.; Coppola, D.; Barahona, F.; Benítez, J. E.; Cigolini, C.; Escobar, D.; Funes, R.; Gutierrez, E.; Henriquez, B.; Hernandez, A.; Montalvo, F.; Olmos, R.; Ripepe, M.; Finizola, A.

2017-06-01

On October 1st, 2005, Santa Ana volcano (El Salvador) underwent a VEI 3 phreatomagmatic eruption after approximately one century of rest. Casualties and damages to some of the local infrastructures and surrounding plantations were followed by the evacuation of the nearby communities. The analysis of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) infrared data reveals that the main explosion was preceded by a one-year-long thermal unrest, associated to the development of a fumaroles field, located at the western rim of the summit crater lake. By combining space-based thermal flux and ground-based measurements (seismicity, sulfur emissions and lake temperatures), we suggest that the activity observed at Santa Ana between 2004 and 2005 was driven by the gradual intrusion of an undegassed magma body at a very shallow depth. Magma injection induced thermal anomalies associated with sustained degassing from the fumaroles field and promoted the interaction between the magmatic-hydrothermal system and the overlying water table. This process culminated into the VEI 3 phreatomagmatic eruption of October 2005 that strongly modified the shallow structure of the crater area. The subsequent three-years-long activity resulted from self-sealing of the fracture system and by the opening of a new fracture network directly connecting the deeper hydrothermal system with the crater lake. Our results show that satellite-based thermal data allow us to detect the expansion of the high-temperature fumarolic field. This may precede an explosive eruption and/or a lava dome extrusion. In particular, we show that thermal records can be analyzed with other geochemical (i.e. SO2 emissions) and geophysical (seismicity) data to track a shallow magmatic intrusion interacting with the surrounding hydrothermal system. This provides a remarkable support for volcano monitoring and eruption forecasting, particularly in remote areas where permanent ground data acquisition is hazardous, expensive and difficult.

Models of Metabolic Community Structure in Martian Habitable Environments: Constraints from a Terrestrial Analog Acid-Sulfate Fumarole Environment, Cerro Negro Volcano, Nicaragua

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogers, K. L.; McCollom, T. M.; Hynek, B. M.

2014-12-01

Microbial habitability in extreme environments on Earth is described by microscale geochemical conditions that constrain metabolic niches in concert with long-term habitat stability that is governed by dynamic geologic processes. Using terrestrial analogs to identify habitable martian environments requires correlating microscale geochemical constraints with reconstructions of past martian environments that are based on global-scale observations. While past martian environments can be characterized by primary parameters (e.g. pH, redox, mineralogy, thermal history), microbial habitability on Earth is a complex function of both primary and derived parameters (e.g. metabolic reaction energetics, chemical & thermal gradients, flow dynamics). In recent years we have been investigating acid-sulfate fumaroles at the Mars analog site, Cerro Negro Volcano, Nicaragua, where habitability is constrained by steep thermal gradients, spatially- and temporally-variable vent dynamics, and limited water and nutrient availability. The most common niche identified thus far is found in fumaroles that host mixed photosynthetic and chemosynthetic endolithic microbial communities. One such endolith is dominated by acidic red algae (Cyanidiales), aerobic bacterial heterotrophs (Ktedonobacteria), and archaeal thermoacidophiles (Hyperthermus, Caldisphaera, and Thermofilum). An analysis of the metabolic structure suggests that primary production by the red algae supports the growth of heterotrophic thermoacidophiles. Diversification among the chemoheterotrophs with respect to temperature and oxygen tolerance suggests community adaptation to environmental gradients or variable venting dynamics. Furthermore, individual cells within the endolith are silica-encrusted, providing the possibility for biosignature formation and preservation. Putative hydrothermal environments on early Mars with similar conditions could have supported endolithic communities with comparable metabolic strategies. Even on a generally cold and dry Mars, volcanic craters likely provided long-lived warm and wet conditions that could have supported diverse assemblages of thermoacidophilic organisms with various metabolic strategies adapted to environmental conditions of acid-sulfate fumaroles.

Life at extreme elevations on Atacama volcanoes: the closest thing to Mars on Earth?

PubMed

Schmidt, S K; Gendron, E M S; Vincent, K; Solon, A J; Sommers, P; Schubert, Z R; Vimercati, L; Porazinska, D L; Darcy, J L; Sowell, P

2018-03-20

Here we describe recent breakthroughs in our understanding of microbial life in dry volcanic tephra ("soil") that covers much of the surface area of the highest elevation volcanoes on Earth. Dry tephra above 6000 m.a.s.l. is perhaps the best Earth analog for the surface of Mars because these "soils" are acidic, extremely oligotrophic, exposed to a thin atmosphere, high UV fluxes, and extreme temperature fluctuations across the freezing point. The simple microbial communities found in these extreme sites have among the lowest alpha diversity of any known earthly ecosystem and contain bacteria and eukaryotes that are uniquely adapted to these extreme conditions. The most abundant eukaryotic organism across the highest elevation sites is a Naganishia species that is metabolically versatile, can withstand high levels of UV radiation and can grow at sub-zero temperatures, and during extreme diurnal freeze-thaw cycles (e.g. - 10 to + 30 °C). The most abundant bacterial phylotype at the highest dry sites sampled (6330 m.a.s.l. on Volcán Llullaillaco) belongs to the enigmatic B12-WMSP1 clade which is related to the Ktedonobacter/Thermosporothrix clade that includes versatile organisms with the largest known bacterial genomes. Close relatives of B12-WMSP1 are also found in fumarolic soils on Volcán Socompa and in oligotrophic, fumarolic caves on Mt. Erebus in Antarctica. In contrast to the extremely low diversity of dry tephra, fumaroles found at over 6000 m.a.s.l. on Volcán Socompa support very diverse microbial communities with alpha diversity levels rivalling those of low elevation temperate soils. Overall, the high-elevation biome of the Atacama region provides perhaps the best "natural experiment" in which to study microbial life in both its most extreme setting (dry tephra) and in one of its least extreme settings (fumarolic soils).

Naturally occurring heavy radioactive elements in the geothermal microcosm of the Los Azufres (Mexico) volcanic complex.

PubMed

Abuhani, W A; Dasgupta-Schubert, N; Villaseñor, L M; García Avila, D; Suárez, L; Johnston, C; Borjas, S E; Alexander, S A; Landsberger, S; Suárez, M C

2015-01-01

The Los Azufres geothermal complex of central Mexico is characterized by fumaroles and boiling hot-springs. The fumaroles form habitats for extremophilic mosses and ferns. Physico-chemical measurements of two relatively pristine fumarolic microcosms point to their resemblance with the paleo-environment of earth during the Ordovician and Devonian periods. These geothermal habitats were analysed for the distribution of elemental mass fractions in the rhizospheric soil (RS), the native volcanic substrate (VS) and the sediments (S), using the new high-sensitivity technique of polarized x-ray energy dispersive fluorescence spectrometry (PEDXRF) as well as instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) for selected elements. This work presents the results for the naturally occurring heavy radioactive elements (NOHRE) Bi, Th and U but principally the latter two. For the RS, the density was found to be the least and the total organic matter content the most. Bi was found to be negligibly present in all substrate types. The average Th and U mass fractions in the RS were higher than in the VS and about equal to their average mass fractions in the S. The VS mass fraction of Th was higher, and of U lower, than the mass fractions in the earth's crust. In fact for the fumaroles of one site, the average RS mass fractions of these elements were higher than the averaged values for S (without considering the statistical dispersion). The immobilization of the NOHRE in the RS is brought about by the bio-geochemical processes specific to these extremophiles. Its effectiveness is such that despite the small masses of these plants, it compares with, or may sometimes exceed, the immobilization of the NOHRE in the S by the abiotic and aggressive chemical action of the hot-springs. These results indicate that the fumarolic plants are able to transform the volcanic substrate to soil and to affect the NOHRE mass fractions even though these elements are not plant nutrients. Mirrored back to the paleo times when such plant types were ubiquitous, it would mean that the first plants contributed significantly to pedogenesis and the biogeochemical recycling of even the heaviest and radioactive elements. Such plants may potentially be useful for the phytostabilisation of soil moderately contaminated by the NOHRE. Furthermore where applicable, geochronology may require taking into account the influence of the early plants on the NOHRE distributions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the Giggenbach bottle method using artificial fumarolic gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, S.; Jeong, H. Y.

2013-12-01

Volcanic eruption is one of the most dangerous natural disasters. Mt. Baekdu, located on the border between North Korea and China, has been recently showing multiple signs of its eruption. The magmatic activity of a volcano strongly affects the composition of volcanic gases, which can provide a useful tool for predicting the eruption. Among various volcanic gas monitoring methods, the Giggenbach bottle method involves the on-site sampling of volcanic gases and the subsequent laboratory analysis, thus making it possible to detect a range of volcanic gases at low levels. In this study, we aim to evaluate the effectiveness of the Giggenbach bottle method and develop the associated analytical tools using artificial fumarolic gases with known compositions. The artificial fumarolic gases are generated by mixing CO2, CO, H2S, SO2, Ar, and H2 gas streams with a N2 stream sparged through an acidic medium containing HCl and HF. The target compositions of the fumarolic gases are selected to cover those reported for various volcanoes under different tectonic environments as follows: CO2 (2-12 mol %), CO (0.3-1 mol %), H2S (0.7-2 mol %), SO2 (0.6-4 mol %), Ar (0.3-0.7 mol %), H2 (0.3-0.7 mol %), HCl (0.2-1 mol %), and HF (< 0.015 mol %). The artificial fumarolic gases are collected into an evacuated bottle partially filled with 4 M NaOH solution containing 0.5 mM Cd(CH3COO)2. While non-condensable components such as CO, Ar, H2, and N2 accumulate in the headspace of the bottle, acidic components including CO2, SO2, HCl, and HF dissolve into the alkaline solution. In case of H2S, it reacts with dissolved Cd2+ to precipitate as CdS(s). The gas accumulated in the headspace can be analyzed for CO, Ar, H2, and N2 on a gas chromatography. The alkaline solution is first separated from yellowish CdS precipitates by filtration, and then pretreated with hydrogen peroxide to oxidize dissolved SO2 (H2SO3) to SO42-. The resultant solution can be analyzed for SO2 as SO42-, HCl as Cl-, and HF as F- on an ion chromatography and CO2 on an ionic carbon analyzer. Also, the amount of H2S can be determined by measuring the remaining dissolved Cd2+ on an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.

Permeability estimates from artificial drawdown and natural refill experiments at Solfatara volcano, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woith, Heiko; Chiodini, Giovanni; Mangiacapra, Annarita; Wang, Rongjiang

2016-04-01

The hydrothermal system beneath Campi Flegrei is strongly affected by sub-surface processes as manifested by a geothermal "plume" below Solfatara, associated with the formation of mud-pools (Fangaia), fumaroles (Bocca Grande, Pisciarelli), and thermal springs (Agnano). Within the frame of MED-SUV (The MED-SUV project has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme FP7 under Grant agreement no 308665), pressure transients in the hydrothermal system of Campi Flegrei are being continuously monitored at fumaroles, mudpools, hot springs, and geothermal wells. In total, waterlevel and temperature is recorded at 8 sites across the hydrothermal plume along a profile aligned between Agnano Termal in the East and Fangaia in the West. Autonomous devices are used to record the water level and water temperature at 10 minute intervals. At Fangaia mudpool water level and water temperature are dominantly controlled by rain water. Thus, the pool is refilled episodically. Contrary, the water level at a well producing hot water (82°C) for the Pisciarelli tennis club drops and recovers at nearly regular intervals. The induced water level changes are of the order of 1-2m and 3-4m in case of the mudpool and the hot-water-well, respectively. At first glance, both monitoring sites might seem to be fully useless to access natural changes in the Campi Flegrei fluid system. At a second thought, both timeseries provide a unique opportunity to monitor potential permeability changes in the aquifer system. A similar approach had been proposed to deduce earthquake-related permeability changes from Earth tide variations. Contrary to the indirect Earth tide approach, we have the chance to estimate the hydraulic aquifer properties from our monitoring data directly, since each time series contains a sequence of discrete hydraulic tests - namely drawdown tests and refill experiments. Although our Cooper-Jacob approach is really crude, we obtained reasonable permeability estimates for both sites. Preliminary permeability timeseries are presented.

Potential Magma Chambers beneath the Tatun Volcanic Area, Taiwan: Results from Magnetotelluric Survey and Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, C.

2013-12-01

Previous earthquakes analysis indicated existing seismicity anomaly beneath Tatun volcano, Taiwan, possibly caused by the fluid activity of the volcano. Helium isotope studies also indicated that over 60% of the fumarolic gases and vapors originated from deep mantle in the Tatun volcano area. The chemistry of the fumarolic gases and vapors and seismicity anomaly are important issues in view of possible magma chamber in the Tatun volcano, where is in the vicinity of metropolitan Taipei, only 15 km north of the capital city. In this study magnetotelluric (MT) soundings and monitoring were deployed to understand the geoelectric structures in the Tatun volcano as Electromagnetic methods are sensitive to conductivity contrasts and can be used as a supplementary tool to delineate reservoir boundaries. An anticline extending more than 10 km beneath the Chih-Shin-Shan and Da-You-Kan areas was recognized. Low resistivity at a shallow and highly porous layer 500m thick might indicate circulation of heated water. However, a high resistivity layer at depth between 2 and 6 km was detected. This layer could be associated with high micro-earthquakes zone. The characteristics of this layer produced by either the magma chamber or other geothermal activity were similar to that of some other active volcanic areas in the world. At 6 km underground was a dome structure of medium resistivity. This structure could be interpreted as a magma chamber in which the magma is possibly cooling down, as judged by its relatively high resistivity. The exact attributes of the magma chamber were not precisely determined from the limited MT soundings. At present, a joint monitors including seismic activity, ground deformation, volcanic gases, and changes in water levels and chemistry are conducted by universities and government agencies. When unusual activity is detected, a response team may do more ground surveys to better determine if an eruption is likely.

Monitoring ground-surface heating during expansion of the Casa Diablo production well field at Mammoth Lakes, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bergfeld, D.; Vaughan, R. Greg; Evans, William C.; Olsen, Eric

2015-01-01

The Long Valley hydrothermal system supports geothermal power production from 3 binary plants (Casa Diablo) near the town of Mammoth Lakes, California. Development and growth of thermal ground at sites west of Casa Diablo have created concerns over planned expansion of a new well field and the associated increases in geothermal fluid production. To ensure that all areas of ground heating are identified prior to new geothermal development, we obtained high-resolution aerial thermal infrared imagery across the region. The imagery covers the existing and proposed well fields and part of the town of Mammoth Lakes. Imagery results from a predawn flight on Oct. 9, 2014 readily identified the Shady Rest thermal area (SRST), one of two large areas of ground heating west of Casa Diablo, as well as other known thermal areas smaller in size. Maximum surface temperatures at 3 thermal areas were 26–28 °C. Numerous small areas with ground temperatures >16 °C were also identified and slated for field investigations in summer 2015. Some thermal anomalies in the town of Mammoth Lakes clearly reflect human activity.Previously established projects to monitor impacts from geothermal power production include yearly surveys of soil temperatures and diffuse CO2 emissions at SRST, and less regular surveys to collect samples from fumaroles and gas vents across the region. Soil temperatures at 20 cm depth at SRST are well correlated with diffuse CO2 flux, and both parameters show little variation during the 2011–14 field surveys. Maximum temperatures were between 55–67 °C and associated CO2 discharge was around 12–18 tonnes per day. The carbon isotope composition of CO2 is fairly uniform across the area ranging between –3.7 to –4.4 ‰. The gas composition of the Shady Rest fumarole however has varied with time, and H2S concentrations in the gas have been increasing since 2009.

Copahue Volcano: A Modern Terrestrial Analog for the Opportunity Landing Site?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varekamp, Johan C.

2004-10-01

The Opportunity Rover on Mars encountered an environment that contained grey hematite (specularite) and jarosite, with structures indicative of flowing water. Less firm evidence suggests the presence of gypsum as well, and the environment is overall rich in S, Cl, and Br (NASA news releases, 2004). Such a suite of minerals may form from an iron- and sulfate-rich brine, either through evaporation, cooling or changes in redox conditions (see Hynek et al. [2002] and Christensen et al. [2001], for a discussion of the extent and possible origins of the Mars hematite deposits). On Earth, such an association of minerals is not very common, but is found in alteration zones with fumarolic activity in some volcanic craters. The condensation or dissolution in meteoric waters of S-rich volcanic gases creates acid fluids in the surficial environment that leach rock-forming elements (RFEs) from the surrounding rocks, forming large, bleached areas of mineralizations of hematite, cristobalite, and gypsum, occasionally with zones rich in alunite or jarosite.

Analyses of unusual long-period earthquakes with extended coda recorded at Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

De Angelis, Silvio

2006-01-01

A swarm of six long-period (LP) events with slowly decaying coda wave amplitudes and durations up to 120 s, was recorded by seismic stations located in the proximity of Mt. Griggs, a fumarolically active volcano in the Katmai National Park, Alaska, during December 8–21, 2004. Spectral analyses reveal the quasi-monochromatic character of the waveforms, dominated by a 2.5 Hz mode frequently accompanied by a weaker high-frequency onset (6.0–9.0 Hz). Particle motion azimuths and inclination angles show a dominant WNW-ESE direction of polarization for all the signals, and suggest that seismic energy is radiated by a stable source at shallow depth. Damping coefficients between 0.0014 and 0.0063 are estimated by fitting an exponential decay model to the signal's coda; corresponding quality factors range from 78 to 351. The source of the waveforms is modelled as a resonant cavity filled with a fluid/gas mixture.

Silica deposits on Mars with features resembling hot spring biosignatures at El Tatio in Chile

PubMed Central

Ruff, Steven W.; Farmer, Jack D.

2016-01-01

The Mars rover Spirit encountered outcrops and regolith composed of opaline silica (amorphous SiO2·nH2O) in an ancient volcanic hydrothermal setting in Gusev crater. An origin via either fumarole-related acid-sulfate leaching or precipitation from hot spring fluids was suggested previously. However, the potential significance of the characteristic nodular and mm-scale digitate opaline silica structures was not recognized. Here we report remarkably similar features within active hot spring/geyser discharge channels at El Tatio in northern Chile, where halite-encrusted silica yields infrared spectra that are the best match yet to spectra from Spirit. Furthermore, we show that the nodular and digitate silica structures at El Tatio that most closely resemble those on Mars include complex sedimentary structures produced by a combination of biotic and abiotic processes. Although fully abiotic processes are not ruled out for the Martian silica structures, they satisfy an a priori definition of potential biosignatures. PMID:27853166

Monitoring gas and heat emissions at Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, USA based on a combined eddy covariance and Multi-GAS approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lewicki, Jennifer L.; Kelly, Peter; Bergfeld, Deborah; Vaughan, R. Greg; Lowenstern, Jacob B.

2017-01-01

We quantified gas and heat emissions in an acid-sulfate, vapor-dominated area (0.04-km2) of Norris Geyser Basin, located just north of the 0.63 Ma Yellowstone Caldera and near an area of anomalous uplift. From 14 May to 3 October 2016, an eddy covariance system measured half-hourly CO2, H2O and sensible (H) and latent (LE) heat fluxes and a Multi-GAS instrument measured (1 Hz frequency) atmospheric H2O, CO2 and H2S volumetric mixing ratios. We also measured soil CO2 fluxes using the accumulation chamber method and temperature profiles on a grid and collected fumarole gas samples for geochemical analysis. Eddy covariance CO2 fluxes ranged from − 56 to 885 g m− 2 d− 1. Using wavelet analysis, average daily eddy covariance CO2 fluxes were locally correlated with average daily environmental parameters on several-day to monthly time scales. Estimates of CO2emission rate from the study area ranged from 8.6 t d− 1 based on eddy covariance measurements to 9.8 t d− 1 based on accumulation chamber measurements. Eddy covariance water vapor fluxes ranged from 1178 to 24,600 g m− 2 d− 1. Nighttime H and LEwere considered representative of hydrothermal heat fluxes and ranged from 4 to 183 and 38 to 504 W m− 2, respectively. The total hydrothermal heat emission rate (H + LE + radiant) estimated for the study area was 11.6 MW and LE contributed 69% of the output. The mean ± standard deviation of H2O, CO2 and H2S mixing ratios measured by the Multi-GAS system were 9.3 ± 3.1 parts per thousand, 467 ± 61 ppmv, and 0.5 ± 0.6 ppmv, respectively, and variations in the gas compositions were strongly correlated with diurnal variations in environmental parameters (wind speed and direction, atmospheric temperature). After removing ambient H2O and CO2, the observed variations in the Multi-GAS data could be explained by the mixing of relatively H2O-CO2-H2S-rich fumarole gases with CO2-rich and H2O-H2S-poor soil gases. The fumarole H2O/CO2 and CO2/H2S end member ratios (101.7 and 27.1, respectively, on average) were invariant during the measurement period and fell within the range of values measured in direct fumarole gas samples. The soil gas H2O/CO2end member ratios (~ 15–30) were variable and low relative to the fumarole end member, likely resulting from water vapor loss during cooling and condensation in the shallow subsurface, whereas the CO2/H2S end member ratio was high (~ 160), presumably related to transport of CO2-dominated soil gas emissions mixed with trace fumarolic emissions to the Multi-GAS station. Nighttime eddy covariance ratios of H2O to CO2 flux were typically between the soil gas and fumarole end member H2O/CO2 ratios defined by Multi-GAS measurements. Overall, the combined eddy covariance and Multi-GAS approach provides a powerful tool for quasi-continuous measurements of gas and heat emissions for improved volcano-hydrothermal monitoring.

3D ultra-high resolution seismic imaging of shallow Solfatara crater in Campi Flegrei (Italy): New insights on deep hydrothermal fluid circulation processes.

PubMed

De Landro, Grazia; Serlenga, Vincenzo; Russo, Guido; Amoroso, Ortensia; Festa, Gaetano; Bruno, Pier Paolo; Gresse, Marceau; Vandemeulebrouck, Jean; Zollo, Aldo

2017-06-13

Seismic tomography can be used to image the spatial variation of rock properties within complex geological media such as volcanoes. Solfatara is a volcano located within the Campi Flegrei, a still active caldera, so it is of major importance to characterize its level of activity and potential danger. In this light, a 3D tomographic high-resolution P-wave velocity image of the shallow central part of Solfatara crater is obtained using first arrival times and a multiscale approach. The retrieved images, integrated with the resistivity section and temperature and the CO 2 flux measurements, define the following characteristics: 1. A depth-dependent P-wave velocity layer down to 14 m, with V p  < 700 m/s typical of poorly-consolidated tephra and affected by CO 2 degassing; 2. An intermediate layer, deepening towards the mineralized liquid-saturated area (Fangaia), interpreted as permeable deposits saturated with condensed water; 3. A deep, confined high velocity anomaly associated with a CO 2 reservoir. These features are expression of an area located between the Fangaia, water saturated and replenished from deep aquifers, and the main fumaroles, superficial relief of the deep rising CO 2 flux. Therefore, the changes in the outgassing rate greatly affect the shallow hydrothermal system, which can be used as a "mirror" of fluid migration processes occurring at depth.

Magmatic unrest beneath Mammoth Mountain, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hill, D.P.; Prejean, S.

2005-01-01

Mammoth Mountain, which stands on the southwest rim of Long Valley caldera in eastern California, last erupted ???57,000 years BP. Episodic volcanic unrest detected beneath the mountain since late 1979, however, emphasizes that the underlying volcanic system is still active and capable of producing future volcanic eruptions. The unrest symptoms include swarms of small (M ??? 3) earthquakes, spasmodic bursts (rapid-fire sequences of brittle-failure earthquakes with overlapping coda), long-period (LP) and very-long-period (VLP) volcanic earthquakes, ground deformation, diffuse emission of magmatic CO2, and fumarole gases with elevated 3He/4He ratios. Spatial-temporal relations defined by the multi-parameter monitoring data together with earthquake source mechanisms suggest that this Mammoth Mountain unrest is driven by the episodic release of a volume of CO2-rich hydrous magmatic fluid derived from the upper reaches of a plexus of basaltic dikes and sills at mid-crustal depths (10-20 km). As the mobilized fluid ascends through the brittle-plastic transition zone and into overlying brittle crust, it triggers earthquake swarm activity and, in the case of the prolonged, 11-month-long earthquake swarm of 1989, crustal deformation and the onset of diffuse CO2 emissions. Future volcanic activity from this system would most likely involve steam explosions or small-volume, basaltic, strombolian or Hawaiaan style eruptions. The impact of such an event would depend critically on vent location and season.

The geothermal system of Caviahue-Copahue Volcanic Complex (Chile-Argentina): New insights from self-potential, soil CO2 degassing, temperature measurements and helium isotopes, with structural and fluid circulation implications.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roulleau, Emilie; Bravo, Francisco; Barde-Cabusson, Stephanie; Pizarro, Marcela; Muños, Carlos; Sanchez, Juan; Tardani, Daniele; Sano, Yuji; Takahata, Naoto; de Cal, Federico; Esteban, Carlos

2016-04-01

Geothermal systems represent natural heat transfer engines in a confined volume of rock which are strongly influenced by the regional volcano-tectonic setting controlling the formation of shallow magmatic reservoirs, and by the local faults/fracture network, that permits the development of hydrothermal circulation cells and promote the vertical migration of fluids and heat. In the Southern Volcanic Zone of Chile-Argentina, geothermal resources occur in close spatial relationship with active volcanism along the Cordillera which is primarily controlled by the 1000 km long, NNE Liquiñe-Ofqui Fault Zone (LOFZ), an intra-arc dextral strike-slip fault system, associated with second-order intra-arc anisotropy of overall NE-SW (extensional) and NW-SE orientation (compressional). However there is still a lack of information on how fault network (NE and WNW strinking faults) and lithology control the fluid circulation. In this study, we propose new data of dense self-potential (SP), soil CO2 emanation and temperature (T) measurements within the geothermal area from Caviahue-Copahue Volcanic Complex (CCVC), coupled with helium isotopes ratios measured in fumaroles and thermal springs. We observe that inside the geothermal system the NE-striking faults, characterized by a combination of SP-CO2 and T maxima with high 3He/4He ratios (7.86Ra), promote the formation of high vertical permeability pathways for fluid circulation. Whereas, the WNW-striking faults represent low permeability pathways for hydrothermal fluids ascent associated with moderate 3He/4He ratios (5.34Ra), promoting the infiltration of meteoric water at shallow depth. These active zones are interspersed by SP-CO2- T minima, which represent self-sealed zones (e.g. impermeable altered rocks) at depth, creating a barrier inhibiting fluids rise. The NE-striking faults seem to be associated with the upflow zones of the geothermal system, where the boiling process produces a high vapor-dominated zone close to the surface. The WNW-striking faults seems to limit to the south the Copahue geothermal area.

Transfer of volatiles and metals from mafic to felsic magmas in composite magma chambers: An experimental study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Haihao; Audétat, Andreas

2017-02-01

In order to determine the behavior of metals and volatiles during intrusion of mafic magma into the base of silicic, upper crustal magma chambers, fluid-rock partition coefficients (Dfluid/rock) of Li, B, Na, S, Cl, K, Mn, Fe, Rb, Sr, Ba, Ce, Cu, Zn, Ag, Cd, Mo, As, Se, Sb, Te, W, Tl, Pb and Bi were determined experimentally at 2 kbar and 850 °C close to the solidus of mafic magma. In a first step, volatile-bearing mafic glasses were prepared by melting a natural basaltic trachyandesite in the presence of volatile-bearing fluids at 1200 °C/10 kbar in piston cylinder presses. The hydrous glasses were then equilibrated in subsequent experiments at 850 °C/2 kbar in cold-seal pressure vessels, which caused 80-90% of the melt to crystallize. After 0.5-2.0 days of equilibration, the exsolved fluid was trapped by means of in-situ fracturing in the form of synthetic fluid inclusions in quartz. Both the mafic rock residue and the fluid inclusions were subsequently analyzed by laser-ablation ICP-MS for major and trace elements. Reverse experiments were conducted by equilibrating metal-bearing aqueous solutions with rock powder and then trapping the fluid. In two additional experiments, information on relative element mobilities were obtained by reacting fluids that exsolved from crystallizing mafic magma with overlying silicic melts. The combined results suggest that under the studied conditions S, Cl, Cu, Se, Br, Cd and Te are most volatile (Dfluid/rock >10), followed by Li, B, Zn, As, Ag, Sb, Cs, W, Tl, Pb and Bi (Dfluid/rock = 1-10). Less volatile are Na, Mg, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Rb, Sr, Mo and Rb (Dfluid/rock 0.1-1), and the least fluid-mobile elements are Al, Si, Ti, Zr, Ba and Ce (Dfluid/rock <0.1). This trend is broadly consistent with relative element volatilities determined on natural high-temperature fumarole gases, although some differences exist. Based on the volatility data and measured mineral-melt and sulfide-melt partition coefficients, volatile fluxing in felsic natural samples may be identified by Cu, Se, Te and Cd-enrichment in magmatic sulfides, and by As, Se, Cd and Bi-enrichment in magmatic apatite.

Volcano monitoring using short wavelength infrared data from satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rothery, D. A.; Francis, P. W.; Wood, C. A.

1988-01-01

It is shown that Landsat TM and MSS data provide useful and sometimes unique information on magmatic and fumarolic events at poorly monitored active volcanoes. The digital number data recorded in each spectral band by TM and MSS can be converted into spectral radiance, measured in W/sq m per micron per sr, using calibration data such as those provided by Markham and Barker (1986) and can provide temperature information on the lava fountain, lava lakes, pahoehoe flows, blocky lava, pyroclastic flow, and fumarole. The examples of Landsat data documenting otherwise unobserved precursors and/or activity include the September 1986 eruption of Lascar volcano, Chile; the continued presence of lava lakes at Erta 'Ale, Ethiopia (in the absence of any ground-based observations); and minor eruptions at Mount Erebus, Antarctica.

Evaluation of gases, condensates, and SO2 emissions from Augustine volcano, Alaska: the degassing of a Cl-rich volcanic system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Symonds, R.B.; Rose, William I.; Gerlach, T.M.; Briggs, P.H.; Harmon, R.S.

1990-01-01

After the March-April 1986 explosive eruption a comprehensive gas study at Augustine was undertaken in the summers of 1986 and 1987. Airborne COSPEC measurements indicate that passive SO2 emission rates declined exponentially during this period from 380??45 metric tons/day (T/D) on 7/24/86 to 27??6 T/D on 8/24/87. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that the Augustine magma reservoir has become more degassed as volcanic activity decreased after the spring 1986 eruption. Gas samples collected in 1987 from an 870??C fumarole on the andesitic lava dome show various degrees of disequilibrium due to oxidation of reduced gas species and condensation (and loss) of H2O in the intake tube of the sampling apparatus. Thermochemical restoration of the data permits removal of these effects to infer an equilibrium composition of the gases. Although not conclusive, this restoration is consistent with the idea that the gases were in equilibrium at 870??C with an oxygen fugacity near the Ni-NiO buffer. These restored gas compositions show that, relative to other convergent plate volcanoes, the Augustine gases are very HCl rich (5.3-6.0 mol% HCl), S rich (7.1 mol% total S), and H2O poor (83.9-84.8 mol% H2O). Values of ??D and ??18O suggest that the H2O in the dome gases is a mixture of primary magmatic water (PMW) and local seawater. Part of the Cl in the Augustine volcanic gases probably comes from this shallow seawater source. Additional Cl may come from subducted oceanic crust because data by Johnston (1978) show that Cl-rich glass inclusions in olivine crystals contain hornblende, which is evidence for a deep source (>25km) for part of the Cl. Gas samples collected in 1986 from 390??-642??C fumaroles on a ramp surrounding the inner summit crater have been oxidized so severely that restoration to an equilibrium composition is not possible. H and O isotope data suggest that these gases are variable mixtures of seawater, FMW, and meteoric steam. These samples are much more H2O-rich (92%-97% H2O) than the dome gases, possibly due to a larger meteoric steam component. The 1986 samples also have higher Cl/S, S/C, and F/Cl ratios, which imply that the magmatic component in these gases is from the more degassed 1976 magma. Thus, the 1987 samples from the lava dome are better indicators than the 1986 samples of degassing within the Augustine magma reservoir, even though they were collected a year later and contain a significant seawater component. Future gas studies at Augustine should emphasize fumaroles on active lava domes. Condensates collected from the same lava-dome fumarole have enrichments ot 107-102 in Cl, Br, F, B, Cd, As, S, Bi, Pb, Sb, Mo, Zn, Cu, K, Li, Na, Si, and Ni. Lower-temperature (200??-650??C) fumaroles around the volcano are generally less enriched in highly volatile elements. However, these lower-termperature fumaroles have higher concentration of rock-forming elements, probably derived from the wall rock. ?? 1990 Springer-Verlag.

Evaluation of gases, condensates, and SO2 emissions from Augustine volcano, Alaska: the degassing of a Cl-rich volcanic system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Symonds, Robert B.; Rose, William I.; Gerlach, Terrence M.; Briggs, Paul H.; Harmon, Russell S.

1990-05-01

After the March April 1986 explosive eruption a comprehensive gas study at Augustine was undertaken in the summers of 1986 and 1987. Airborne COSPEC measurements indicate that passive SO2 emission rates declined exponentially during this period from 380±45 metric tons/day (T/D) on 7/24/86 to 27±6 T/D on 8/24/87. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that the Augustine magma reservoir has become more degassed as volcanic activity decreased after the spring 1986 eruption. Gas samples collected in 1987 from an 870°C fumarole on the andesitic lava dome show various degrees of disequilibrium due to oxidation of reduced gas species and condensation (and loss) of H2O in the intake tube of the sampling apparatus. Thermochemical restoration of the data permits removal of these effects to infer an equilibrium composition of the gases. Although not conclusive, this restoration is consistent with the idea that the gases were in equilibrium at 870°C with an oxygen fugacity near the Ni-NiO buffer. These restored gas compositions show that, relative to other convergent plate volcanoes, the Augustine gases are very HCl rich (5.3 6.0 mol% HCl), S rich (7.1 mol% total S), and H2O poor (83.9 84.8 mol% H2O). Values of δD and δ18O suggest that the H2O in the dome gases is a mixture of primary magmatic water (PMW) and local seawater. Part of the Cl in the Augustine volcanic gases probably comes from this shallow seawater source. Additional Cl may come from subducted oceanic crust because data by Johnston (1978) show that Cl-rich glass inclusions in olivine crystals contain hornblende, which is evidence for a deep source (>25km) for part of the Cl. Gas samples collected in 1986 from 390° 642°C fumaroles on a ramp surrounding the inner summit crater have been oxidized so severely that restoration to an equilibrium composition is not possible. H and O isotope data suggest that these gases are variable mixtures of seawater, FMW, and meteoric steam. These samples are much more H2O-rich (92% 97% H2O) than the dome gases, possibly due to a larger meteoric steam component. The 1986 samples also have higher Cl/S, S/C, and F/Cl ratios, which imply that the magmatic component in these gases is from the more degassed 1976 magma. Thus, the 1987 samples from the lava dome are better indicators than the 1986 samples of degassing within the Augustine magma reservoir, even though they were collected a year later and contain a significant seawater component. Future gas studies at Augustine should emphasize fumaroles on active lava domes. Condensates collected from the same lava-dome fumarole have enrichments ot 107 102 in Cl, Br, F, B, Cd, As, S, Bi, Pb, Sb, Mo, Zn, Cu, K, Li, Na, Si, and Ni. Lower-temperature (200° 650°C) fumaroles around the volcano are generally less enriched in highly volatile elements. However, these lower-termperature fumaroles have higher concentration of rock-forming elements, probably derived from the wall rock.

Chemical and isotopic compositions of thermal springs, fumaroles and bubbling gases at Tacaná Volcano (Mexico-Guatemala): implications for volcanic surveillance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouwet, Dmitri; Inguaggiato, Salvatore; Taran, Yuri; Varley, Nicholas; Santiago S., José A.

2009-04-01

This study presents baseline data for future geochemical monitoring of the active Tacaná volcano-hydrothermal system (Mexico-Guatemala). Seven groups of thermal springs, related to a NW/SE-oriented fault scarp cutting the summit area (4,100m a.s.l.), discharge at the northwest foot of the volcano (1,500-2,000m a.s.l.); another one on the southern ends of Tacaná (La Calera). The near-neutral (pH from 5.8 to 6.9) thermal ( T from 25.7°C to 63.0°C) HCO3-SO4 waters are thought to have formed by the absorption of a H2S/SO2-CO2-enriched steam into a Cl-rich geothermal aquifer, afterwards mixed by Na/HCO3-enriched meteoric waters originating from the higher elevations of the volcano as stated by the isotopic composition (δD and δ18O) of meteoric and spring waters. Boiling temperature fumaroles (89°C at ~3,600m a.s.l. NW of the summit), formed after the May 1986 phreatic explosion, emit isotopically light vapour (δD and δ18O as low as -128 and -19.9‰, respectively) resulting from steam separation from the summit aquifer. Fumarolic as well as bubbling gases at five springs are CO2-dominated. The δ13CCO2 for all gases show typical magmatic values of -3.6 ± 1.3‰ vs V-PDB. The large range in 3He/4He ratios for bubbling, dissolved and fumarolic gases [from 1.3 to 6.9 atmospheric 3He/4He ratio ( R A)] is ascribed to a different degree of near-surface boiling processes inside a heterogeneous aquifer at the contact between the volcanic edifice and the crystalline basement (4He source). Tacaná volcano offers a unique opportunity to give insight into shallow hydrothermal and deep magmatic processes affecting the CO2/3He ratio of gases: bubbling springs with lower gas/water ratios show higher 3He/4He ratios and consequently lower CO2/3He ratios (e.g. Zarco spring). Typical Central American CO2/3He and 3He/4He ratios are found for the fumarolic Agua Caliente and Zarco gases (3.1 ± 1.6 × 1010 and 6.0 ± 0.9 R A, respectively). The L/ S (5.9 ± 0.5) and ( L + S)/ M ratios (9.2 ± 0.7) for the same gases are almost identical to the ones calculated for gases in El Salvador, suggesting an enhanced slab contribution as far as the northern extreme of the Central American Volcanic Arc, Tacaná.

Origin, distribution, and rapid removal of hydrothermally formed clay at Mount Baker, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frank, David

1983-01-01

Clay minerals are locally abundant in two hydrothermal areas at Mount Baker-Sherman Crater and the Dorr Fumarole Field. The silt- and clay-size fractions of volcanic debris that is undergoing alteration at and near the ground surface around areas of current fumarolic activity in Sherman Crater are largely dominated by alunite and a silica phase, either opal or cristobalite, but contain some kaolinite and smectite. Correspondingly, the chemistry of solutions at the surface of the crater, as represented by the crater lake, favors the formation of alunite over kaolinite. In contrast, vent-filling debris that was ejected to the surface from fumaroles in 1975 contains more than 20 percent clay-size material in which kaolinite and smectite are dominant. The youngest eruptive deposit (probably 19th century) on the crater rim was also altered prior to ejection and contains as much as 27 percent clay-size material in which kaolinite, smectite, pyrophyllite, and mixed-layer illitesmectite are abundant. The hydrothermal products, kaolinite and alunite, are present in significant amounts in five large Holocene mudflows that originated at the upper cone of Mount Baker. The distribution of kaolinite in crater and valley deposits indicates that, with the passage of time, increasingly greater amounts of this clay mineral have been incorporated into large mass movements from the upper cone. Either erosion has cut into more kaolinitic parts of the core of Sherman Crater, or the amount of kaolinite has increased through time in Sherman Crater.

Rapid response of a hydrologic system to volcanic activity: Masaya volcano, Nicaragua

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pearson, S.C.P.; Connor, C.B.; Sanford, W.E.

2008-01-01

Hydrologic systems change in response to volcanic activity, and in turn may be sensitive indicators of volcanic activity. Here we investigate the coupled nature of magmatic and hydrologic systems using continuous multichannel time series of soil temperature collected on the flanks of Masaya volcano, Nicaragua, one of the most active volcanoes in Central America. The soil temperatures were measured in a low-temperature fumarole field located 3.5 km down the flanks of the volcano. Analysis of these time series reveals that they respond extremely rapidly, on a time scale of minutes, to changes in volcanic activity also manifested at the summit vent. These rapid temperature changes are caused by increased flow of water vapor through flank fumaroles during volcanism. The soil temperature response, ~5 °C, is repetitive and complex, with as many as 13 pulses during a single volcanic episode. Analysis of the frequency spectrum of these temperature time series shows that these anomalies are characterized by broad frequency content during volcanic activity. They are thus easily distinguished from seasonal trends, diurnal variations, or individual rainfall events, which triggered rapid transient increases in temperature during 5% of events. We suggest that the mechanism responsible for the distinctive temperature signals is rapid change in pore pressure in response to magmatism, a response that can be enhanced by meteoric water infiltration. Monitoring of distal fumaroles can therefore provide insight into coupled volcanic-hydrologic-meteorologic systems, and has potential as an inexpensive monitoring tool.

Continuous in situ measurements of volcanic gases with a diode-laser-based spectrometer: CO2 and H2O concentration and soil degassing at Vulcano (Aeolian islands: Italy).

PubMed

De Rosa, Maurizio; Gagliardi, Gianluca; Rocco, Alessandra; Somma, Renato; De Natale, Paolo; De Natale, Giuseppe

2007-04-20

We report on a continuous-measurement campaign carried out in Vulcano (Aeolian islands, Sicily), devoted to the simultaneous monitoring of CO2 and H2O concentrations. The measurements were performed with an absorption spectrometer based on a semiconductor laser source emitting around a 2-microm wavelength. The emitted radiation was selectively absorbed by two molecular ro-vibrational transitions specific of the investigated species. Data for CO2 and H2O concentrations, and CO2 soil diffusive flux using an accumulation chamber configuration, were collected at several interesting sampling points on the island (Porto Levante beach- PLB, Fossa Grande Crater - FOG- and Valley of Palizzi, PAL). CO2/H2O values, measured on the ground, are very similar (around 0.019 (+/- 0.006)) and comparable to the previous discrete detected values of 0.213 (Fumarole F5-La Fossa crater rim) and 0.012 (Fumarole VFS - Baia Levante beach) obtaid during the 1977-1993 heating phase of the crater fumaroles. In this work much more homogeneous values are found in different points of the three sites investigated. The field work, although carried out in a limited time window (25th-28th August 2004), pointed out the new apparatus is suitable for continuous gas monitoring of the two species and their ratios, which are important geochemical indicators of volcanic activity, for which other reliable continuous monitoring systems are not yet available.

Structural and heat-flow implications of infrared anomalies at Mt. Hood, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Friedman, Jules D.; Frank, David

1977-01-01

Surface thermal features occur in an area of 9700 m2 at Mt. Hood, on the basis of an aerial line-scan survey made April 26, 1973. The distribution of the thermal areas below the summit of Mt. Hood, shown on planimetrically corrected maps at 1:12,000, suggests structural control by a fracture system and brecciated zone peripheral to a hornblende-dacite plug dome (Crater Rock), and by a concentric fracture system that may have been associated with development of the present crater. The extent and inferred temperature of the thermal areas permits a preliminary estimate of a heat discharge of 10 megawatts, by analogy with similar fumarole and thermal fields of Mt. Baker, Washington. This figure includes a heat loss of 4 megawatts (MW) via conduction, diffusion, evaporation, and radiation to the atmosphere, and a somewhat less certain loss of 6MW via fumarolic mass transfer of vapor and advective heat loss from runoff and ice melt. The first part of the estimate is based on two-point models for differential radiant exitance and differential flux via conduction, diffusion, evaporation, and radiation from heat balance of the ground surface. Alternate methods for estimating volcanogenic geothermal flux that assume a quasi-steady state heat flow also yield estimates in the 5-11 MW range. Heat loss equivalent to cooling of the dacite plug dome is judged to be insufficient to account for the heat flux at the fumarole fields.

As-bearing potassium feldspar - a product of fumarole exhalations and gas-rock interactions at the Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koshlyakova, Natalia; Pekov, Igor; Yapaskurt, Vasily; Shchipalkina, Nadezhda; Sidorov, Evgeny

2017-04-01

Potassium feldspar is abundant in products of active fumaroles at the Second scoria cone of the Northern Breakthrough of the Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption (1975-1976), Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia. The most intriguing fact is that the mineral here strongly differs chemically from potassium feldspar of all other geological formations. It demonstrates wide compositional variations and is typically enriched with As5+ and sometimes contains significant amounts of P, Zn, Cu, Fe and S. Filatovite K[(Al,Zn)_2(As,Si)_2O_8], the arsenate analogue of orthoclase, was discovered here (Vergasova et al., 2004). Samples from the Arsenatnaya fumarole located at the summit of the Second scoria cone (Pekov et al., 2014) contain, as our data show, complete solid-solution series between As-free potassium feldspar and filatovite. Potassium feldspar crystallizes in the Tolbachik fumaroles as a result of two processes: direct deposition from fumarolic gas and interaction of this gas with basalt scoria at temperatures not lower than 500°C. Exhalation feldspar occurs as incrustations sometimes consisting of well-formed prismatic crystals up to 1 mm long. Potassium feldspar produced by gas-rock interaction process replaces basalt and volcanic scoria. Cases of selective replacement of plagioclase in basalt for As-bearing potassium feldspar were observed. Potassium feldspar from the Arsenatnaya fumarole contains (our electron microprobe data, wt.{%}): SiO2 19.4-65.2 (corresponds to 1.05-3.01 atoms per formula unit = apfu; formulae are calculated on the basis of 8 O apfu), Al_2O3 14.3-30.6 (0.80 -1.95 apfu), As_2O5 0.00-34.2 (0.00-0.97 apfu), P_2O5 0.00-2.5 (0.00-0.10 apfu), SO3 0.00-3.2 (0.00-0.11 apfu), Fe_2O3 0.00-3.1 (0.00-0.11 apfu), ZnO 0.00-0.81 (0.00-0.03 apfu), CuO 0.00-2.1 (0.00-0.08 apfu). In feldspar structure all these constituents occupy tetrahedrally coordinated sites in the AlSi-framework (Filatov et al., 2004). Chemical variations of extra-framework cations in potassium feldspar from Arsenatnaya are significantly less (wt.{%}): Na_2O 0.03-1.18 (0.00-0.11 apfu), CaO 0.00-1.79 (0.00-0.09 apfu). A continuous solid-solution series belonging to potassic feldspar itself (i.e. with Si>As in atom proportions) demonstrates the following compositional range (our data for samples from Arsenatnaya): (K0.95Na0.02)Σ{0.97[Si2.94Al1.01Cu0.06P0.01]Σ{4.03O8 - K1.02[Al1.95Si1.05As0.97P0.01S0.01Zn0.01]Σ 3.99O_8. All intermediate members of this series show stable feldspar-type stoichiometry caused by major substitution scheme 2Si4+ \\leftrightarrow Al3+ + As5+. In its generalized form, this scheme can be written as 2Si4+ \\leftrightarrow (Al,Fe)3+ + (As,P)5+. This study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, grant 14-17-00048. References: Filatov S.K., Krivovichev S.V., Burns P.C., Vergasova L.P. (2004): Crystal structure of filatovite, K[(Al,Zn)_2(As,Si)_2O_8], the first arsenate of the feldspar group. Eur. J. Mineral., 16, 537-543. Pekov I.V., Zubkova N.V., Yapaskurt V.O., Belakovskiy D.I., Lykova I.S., Vigasina M.F., Sidorov E.G., Pushcharovsky D.Yu. (2014): New arsenate minerals from the Arsenatnaya fumarole, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia. I. Yurmarinite, Na_7(Fe3+,Mg,Cu)_4(AsO_4)_6. Mineral. Mag., 78(4), 905-918. Vergasova L.P., Krivovichev S.K., Britvin S.N., Burns P.C., Ananiev V.V. (2004): Filatovite, K[(Al,Zn)_2(As,Si)_2O_8], a new mineral species from the Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka peninsula, Russia. Eur. J. Mineral. 16, 533-536.

Mass transfer processes in a post eruption hydrothermal system: Parameterisation of microgravity changes at Te Maari craters, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Craig A.; Currenti, Gilda; Hamling, Ian; Williams-Jones, Glyn

2018-05-01

Fluid transfer and ground deformation at hydrothermal systems occur both as a precursor to, or as a result of, an eruption. Typically studies focus on pre-eruption changes to understand the likelihood of unrest leading to eruption; however, monitoring post-eruption changes is important for tracking the return of the system towards background activity. Here we describe processes occurring in a hydrothermal system following the 2012 eruption of Upper Te Maari crater on Mt Tongariro, New Zealand, from observations of microgravity change and deformation. Our aim is to assess the post-eruption recovery of the system, to provide a baseline for long-term monitoring. Residual microgravity anomalies of up to 92 ± 11 μGal per year are accompanied by up to 0.037 ± 0.01 m subsidence. We model microgravity changes using analytic solutions to determine the most likely geometry and source location. A multiobjective inversion tests whether the gravity change models are consistent with the observed deformation. We conclude that the source of subsidence is separate from the location of mass addition. From this unusual combination of observations, we develop a conceptual model of fluid transfer within a condensate layer, occurring in response to eruption-driven pressure changes. We find that depressurisation drives the evacuation of pore fluid, either exiting the system completely as vapour through newly created vents and fumaroles, or migrating to shallower levels where it accumulates in empty pore space, resulting in positive gravity changes. Evacuated pores then collapse, causing subsidence. In addition we find that significant mass addition occurs from influx of meteoric fluids through the fractured hydrothermal seal. Long-term combined microgravity and deformation monitoring will allow us to track the resealing and re-pressurisation of the hydrothermal system and assess what hazard it presents to thousands of hikers who annually traverse the volcano, within 2 km of the eruption site.

Preliminary Results from an Integrated Airborne EM and Aeromagnetic Survey in Yellowstone National Park

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickey, K.; Holbrook, W. S.; Finn, C.; Auken, E.; Carr, B.; Sims, K. W. W.; Bedrosian, P.; Lowenstern, J. B.; Hurwitz, S.; Pedersen, J. B. B.

2017-12-01

Yellowstone National Park hosts over 10,000 thermal features (e.g. geysers, fumaroles, mud pots, and hot springs), yet little is known about the circulation depth of meteoric water feeding these features, nor the lithological and structural bounds on the pathways that guide deep, hot fluids to the surface. Previous near-surface geophysical studies have been effective in imaging shallow hydrothermal pathways in some areas of the park, but these methods are difficult to conduct over the large areas needed to characterize entire hydrothermal systems. Transient electromagnetic (TEM) soundings and 2D direct current (DC) resistivity profiles show that hydrothermal fluids at active sites have a higher electrical conductivity than the surrounding hydrothermally inactive areas. For that reason, airborne TEM is an effective method to characterize large areas and identify hydrothermally active and inactive zones using electrical conductivity. Aeromagnetic data have been useful in mapping faults that localize hot springs, making the integration of aeromagnetic and EM data effective for structurally characterizing fluid pathways. Here we present the preliminary results from an airborne transient electromagnetic (TEM) and magnetic survey acquired jointly by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the University of Wyoming (UW) in November 2016. We integrate the EM and magnetic data for the purpose of edge detection of rhyolite flow boundaries as well as source depth of hydrothermal features. The maximum horizontal gradient technique applied on magnetic data is a useful tool that used to estimate source depth as well as indicate faults and fractures. The integration of EM with magnetics allows us to distinguish hydrothermally altered fault systems that guide fluids in the subsurface. We have used preliminary 2D inversions of EM from Aarhus Workbench to delineate rhyolite flow edges in the upper 300-600 meters and cross-checked those boundaries with the aeromagnetic map.

Structural controls on fluid circulation at the Caviahue-Copahue Volcanic Complex (CCVC) geothermal area (Chile-Argentina), revealed by soil CO2 and temperature, self-potential, and helium isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roulleau, Emilie; Bravo, Francisco; Pinti, Daniele L.; Barde-Cabusson, Stéphanie; Pizarro, Marcela; Tardani, Daniele; Muñoz, Carlos; Sanchez, Juan; Sano, Yuji; Takahata, Naoto; de la Cal, Federico; Esteban, Carlos; Morata, Diego

2017-07-01

Natural geothermal systems are limited areas characterized by anomalously high heat flow caused by recent tectonic or magmatic activity. The heat source at depth is the result of the emplacement of magma bodies, controlled by the regional volcano-tectonic setting. In contrast, at a local scale a well-developed fault-fracture network favors the development of hydrothermal cells, and promotes the vertical advection of fluids and heat. The Southern Volcanic Zone (SVZ), straddling Chile and Argentina, has an important, yet unexplored and undeveloped geothermal potential. Studies on the lithological and tectonic controls of the hydrothermal circulation are therefore important for a correct assessment of the geothermal potential of the region. Here, new and dense self-potential (SP), soil CO2 and temperature (T) measurements, and helium isotope data measured in fumaroles and thermal springs from the geothermal area located in the north-eastern flank of the Copahue volcanic edifice, within the Caviahue Caldera (the Caviahue-Copahue Volcanic Complex - CCVC) are presented. Our results allowed to the constraint of the structural origin of the active thermal areas and the understanding of the evolution of the geothermal system. NE-striking faults in the area, characterized by a combination of SP, CO2, and T maxima and high 3He/4He ratios (up to 8.16 ± 0.21Ra, whereas atmospheric Ra is 1.382 × 10- 6), promote the formation of vertical permeability preferential pathways for fluid circulation. WNW-striking faults represent low-permeability pathways for hydrothermal fluid ascent, but promote infiltration of meteoric water at shallow depths, which dilute the hydrothermal input. The region is scattered with SP, CO2, and T minima, representing self-sealed zones characterized by impermeable altered rocks at depth, which create local barriers for fluid ascent. The NE-striking faults seem to be associated with the upflowing zones of the geothermal system, where the boiling process produces a high vapor-dominated zone close to the surface, whereas the WNW-striking faults could act as a boundary of the Copahue geothermal area to the south.

Origin, speciation, and fluxes of trace-element gases at Augustine volcano, Alaska: Insights into magma degassing and fumarolic processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Symonds, Robert B.; Reed, Mark H.; Rose, William I.

1992-02-01

Thermochemical modeling predicts that trace elements in the Augustine gas are transported from near-surface magma as simple chloride (NaCl, KCl, FeCl 2, ZnCl 2, PbCl 2, CuCl, SbCl 3, LiCl, MnCl 2, NiCl 2, BiCl, SrCl 2), oxychloride (MoO 2Cl 2), sulfide (AsS), and elemental (Cd) gas species. However, Si, Ca, Al, Mg, Ti, V, and Cr are actually more concentrated in solids, beta-quartz (SiO 2), wollastonite (CaSiO 3), anorthite (CaAl 2Si 2O 8), diopside (CaMgSi 2O 6), sphene (CaTiSiO 5), V 2O 3(c), and Cr 2O 3(c), respectively, than in their most abundant gaseous species, SiF 4, CaCl 2, AlF 2O, MgCl 2 TiCl 4, VOCl 3, and CrO 2Cl 2. These computed solids are not degassing products, but reflect contaminants in our gas condensates or possible problems with our modeling due to "missing" gas species in the thermochemical data base. Using the calculated distribution of gas species and the COSPEC SO 2 fluxes, we have estimated the emission rates for many species (e.g., COS, NaCl, KCl, HBr, AsS, CuCl). Such forecasts could be useful to evaluate the effects of these trace species on atmospheric chemistry. Because of the high volatility of metal chlorides (e.g., FeCl 2, NaCl, KCl, MnCl 2, CuCl), the extremely HCl-rich Augustine volcanic gases are favorable for transporting metals from magma. Thermochemical modeling shows that equilibrium degassing of magma near 870°C can account for the concentrations of Fe, Na, K, Mn, Cu, Ni and part of the Mg in the gases escaping from the dome fumaroles on the 1986 lava dome. These calculations also explain why gases escaping from the lower temperature but highly oxidized moat vents on the 1976 lava dome should transport less Fe, Na, K, Mn and Ni, but more Cu; oxidation may also account for the larger concentrations of Zn and Mo in the moat gases. Nonvolatile elements (e.g., Al, Ca, Ti, Si) in the gas condensates came from eroded rock particles that dissolved in our samples or, for Si, from contamination from the silica sampling tube. Only a very small amount of rock contamination occurred (water/rock ratios between 10 4 and 10 6). Erosion is more prevalent in the pyroclastic flow fumaroles than in the summit vents, reflecting physical differences in the fumarole walls: ash vs. lava. Trace element contents of volcanic gases show enormous variability because of differences in the intensive parameters of degassing magma and variable amounts of wall rock erosion in volcanic fumaroles.

Characteristics, extent and origin of hydrothermal alteration at Mount Rainier Volcano, Cascades Arc, USA: Implications for debris-flow hazards and mineral deposits

USGS Publications Warehouse

John, D.A.; Sisson, T.W.; Breit, G.N.; Rye, R.O.; Vallance, J.W.

2008-01-01

Hydrothermal alteration at Mount Rainier waxed and waned over the 500,000-year episodic growth of the edifice. Hydrothermal minerals and their stable-isotope compositions in samples collected from outcrop and as clasts from Holocene debris-flow deposits identify three distinct hypogene argillic/advanced argillic hydrothermal environments: magmatic-hydrothermal, steam-heated, and magmatic steam (fumarolic), with minor superimposed supergene alteration. The 3.8??km3 Osceola Mudflow (5600??y BP) and coeval phreatomagmatic F tephra contain the highest temperature and most deeply formed hydrothermal minerals. Relatively deeply formed magmatic-hydrothermal alteration minerals and associations in clasts include quartz (residual silica), quartz-alunite, quartz-topaz, quartz-pyrophyllite, quartz-dickite/kaolinite, and quartz-illite (all with pyrite). Clasts of smectite-pyrite and steam-heated opal-alunite-kaolinite are also common in the Osceola Mudflow. In contrast, the Paradise lahar, formed by collapse of the summit or near-summit of the edifice at about the same time, contains only smectite-pyrite and near-surface steam-heated and fumarolic alteration minerals. Younger debris-flow deposits on the west side of the volcano (Round Pass and distal Electron Mudflows) contain only low-temperature smectite-pyrite assemblages, whereas the proximal Electron Mudflow and a < 100??y BP rock avalanche on Tahoma Glacier also contain magmatic-hydrothermal alteration minerals that are exposed in the avalanche headwall of Sunset Amphitheater, reflecting progressive incision into deeper near-conduit alteration products that formed at higher temperatures. The pre-Osceola Mudflow alteration geometry is inferred to have consisted of a narrow feeder zone of intense magmatic-hydrothermal alteration limited to near the conduit of the volcano, which graded outward to more widely distributed, but weak, smectite-pyrite alteration within 1??km of the edifice axis, developed chiefly in porous breccias. The edifice was capped by a steam-heated alteration zone, most of which resulted from condensation of fumarolic vapor and oxidation of H2S in the unsaturated zone above the water table. Weakly developed smectite-pyrite alteration extended into the west and east flanks of the edifice, spatially associated with dikes that are localized in those sectors; other edifice flanks lack dikes and associated alteration. The Osceola collapse removed most of the altered core and upper east flank of the volcano, but intensely altered rocks remain on the uppermost west flank. Major conclusions of this study are that: (1) Hydrothermal-mineral assemblages and distributions at Mount Rainier can be understood in the framework of hydrothermal processes and environments developed from studies of ore deposits formed in analogous settings. (2) Frequent eruptions supplied sufficient hot magmatic fluid to alter the upper interior of the volcano hydrothermally, despite the consistently deep (??? 8??km) magma reservoir which may have precluded formation of economic mineral deposits within or at shallow depths beneath Mount Rainier. The absence of indicator equilibrium alteration-mineral assemblages in the debris flows that effectively expose the volcano to a depth of 1-1.5??km also suggests a low potential for significant high-sulfidation epithermal or porphyry-type mineral deposits at depth. (3) Despite the long and complex history of the volcano, intensely altered collapse-prone rocks were spatially restricted to near the volcano's conduit system and summit, and short distances onto the upper east and west flanks, due to the necessary supply of reactive components carried by ascending magmatic fluids. (4) Intensely altered rocks were removed from the summit, east flank, and edifice interior by the Osceola collapse, but remain on the upper west flank in the Sunset Amphitheater area and present a continuing collapse hazard. (5) Visually conspicuous rocks on the lower east and mid-to-lower

Structural controls of the Tuscarora geothermal field, Elko County, Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dering, G.; Faulds, J. E.

2012-12-01

Tuscarora is an amagmatic geothermal system located ~90 km northwest of Elko, Nevada, in the northern part of the Basin and Range province ~15 km southeast of the Snake River Plain. Detailed geologic mapping, structural analysis, and well data have been integrated to identify the structural controls of the Tuscarora geothermal system. The structural framework of the geothermal field is defined by NNW- to NNE-striking normal faults that are approximately orthogonal to the present extension direction. Boiling springs, fumaroles, and siliceous sinter emanate from a single NNE-striking, west-dipping normal fault. Normal faults west of these hydrothermal features mostly dip steeply east, whereas normal faults east of the springs primarily dip west. Thus, the springs, fumaroles, and sinter straddle a zone of interaction between fault sets that dip toward each other, classified as a strike-parallel anticlinal accommodation zone. Faults within the geothermal area are mostly discontinuous along strike with offsets of tens to hundreds of meters, whereas the adjacent range-bounding fault systems of the Bull Run and Independence Mountains accommodate several kilometers of displacement. The geothermal field lies within a broad step over between the southward terminating west-dipping Bull Run fault zone and the northward terminating west-dipping Independence Mountains fault zone. Neither of these major fault zones is known to host high temperature geothermal systems. The accommodation zone lies within the broad step over and contains both east-dipping antithetic and west-dipping synthetic faults. Accommodation zones are relatively common structural components of extended terranes that transfer strain between oppositely dipping fault sets via a network of subsidiary normal faults. This study has identified the hinge zone of an anticlinal accommodation zone as the site most conducive to fluid up-flow. The recognition of this specific portion of an accommodation zone as a favorable structural setting for geothermal activity may be a useful exploration tool for development of drilling targets in extensional terranes, as well as for developing geologic models of known geothermal fields. This type of information may ultimately help to reduce the risks of targeting successful geothermal wells in such settings.

Gas geochemistry of Sierra Negra volcano, Galapagos hot spot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taran, Y.; Christenson, B.; Sumino, H.; Kennedy, B.

2010-12-01

We report chemical and isotopic compositions of gases from the Mina Azufral fumarolic field of Sierra Negra volcano, Isabela Island, Galápagos, collected in 2004 and compare our data with the data by Giggenbach (unpublished) collected in 1990 and Goff et al. (2000) collected in 1995. New results include the noble gas elemental and isotope abundances and nitrogen isotope ratios for the discharges. Maximum fumarole temperatures and ratios of major components (C/S/Cl/N) changed very little between 1995 and 2004, but the water fraction varied significantly over this period (39 mol% in 1990; 77% in 1995 and 52% in 2004). Carbon and helium isotopic compositions were stable (-3 to -4‰ and 16-18Ra, respectively), and water isotopic composition showed a notable negative oxygen shift from the local meteoric water value depending on the relative water content and thus controlled by the H2O-CO2 oxygen isotope fractionation. In terms of the noble gas abundances and isotopic ratios, heavy noble gases (Kr and Xe) are mainly of the atmospheric origin. Ne isotopic ratios also show strong meteoric signatures, but fall along the 20Ne/22Ne - 21Ne/22Ne air-deep mantle mixing trend for Fernandina glasses (Kurz et al., 2009). 40Ar/36Ar ratios up to 400 show a notable contribution of radiogenic Ar, and 40Ar*/4He ~ 0.3 ratios are consistent with un-degassed upper mantle values. Despite the high He/Ne ratios in gases collected in 2004, and only trace air contamination attributable to sampling, the nitrogen isotope ratios (~ -1 ‰) show a high fraction of the air-saturated water in the volcanic vapor. The chemical composition of the parent magmatic gas is difficult to characterise due to significant interaction between magmatic and hydrothermal system fluids beneath the Sierra Negra caldera. Never-the-less, some important indicators can be estimated: CO2/3He ≈ 3.5x10^9; N2/He <30; CO2/N2 >500. The last value is much higher than the accepted value of ~ 100 for the upper mantle.

Volatile emissions and gas geochemistry of Hot Spring Basin, Yellowstone National Park, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Werner, C.; Hurwitz, S.; Evans, William C.; Lowenstern, J. B.; Bergfeld, D.; Heasler, H.; Jaworowski, C.; Hunt, A.

2008-01-01

We characterize and quantify volatile emissions at Hot Spring Basin (HSB), a large acid-sulfate region that lies just outside the northeastern edge of the 640??ka Yellowstone Caldera. Relative to other thermal areas in Yellowstone, HSB gases are rich in He and H2, and mildly enriched in CH4 and H2S. Gas compositions are consistent with boiling directly off a deep geothermal liquid at depth as it migrates toward the surface. This fluid, and the gases evolved from it, carries geochemical signatures of magmatic volatiles and water-rock reactions with multiple crustal sources, including limestones or quartz-rich sediments with low K/U (or 40*Ar/4*He). Variations in gas chemistry across the region reflect reservoir heterogeneity and variable degrees of boiling. Gas-geothermometer temperatures approach 300????C and suggest that the reservoir feeding HSB is one of the hottest at Yellowstone. Diffuse CO2 flux in the western basin of HSB, as measured by accumulation-chamber methods, is similar in magnitude to other acid-sulfate areas of Yellowstone and is well correlated to shallow soil temperatures. The extrapolation of diffuse CO2 fluxes across all the thermal/altered area suggests that 410 ?? 140??t d- 1 CO2 are emitted at HSB (vent emissions not included). Diffuse fluxes of H2S were measured in Yellowstone for the first time and likely exceed 2.4??t d- 1 at HSB. Comparing estimates of the total estimated diffuse H2S emission to the amount of sulfur as SO42- in streams indicates ~ 50% of the original H2S in the gas emission is lost into shallow groundwater, precipitated as native sulfur, or vented through fumaroles. We estimate the heat output of HSB as ~ 140-370??MW using CO2 as a tracer for steam condensate, but not including the contribution from fumaroles and hydrothermal vents. Overall, the diffuse heat and volatile fluxes of HSB are as great as some active volcanoes, but they are a small fraction (1-3% for CO2, 2-8% for heat) of that estimated for the entire Yellowstone system.

The Lepanto Cu–Au deposit, Philippines: A fossil hyperacidic volcanic lake complex

USGS Publications Warehouse

Berger, Byron R.; Henley, Richard W.; Lowers, Heather; Pribil, Michael

2014-01-01

Hyperacidic lakes and associated solfatara in active volcanoes are the expression of magmatic gas expansion from source to surface. Here we show for the first time, that the vein system that comprises the ~ 2 Ma high-sulfidation, Lepanto copper–gold deposit in the Mankayan district (Philippines) was associated with a contemporary hyperacidic volcanic lake complex—possibly the first such lake recognized in the geological record. A 15–20‰ difference in sulfur isotopic composition between barite and sulfides and sulfosalts in the vent fumarole encrustations supports the interpretation that SO2-rich volcanic gas vented into the base of the lake and marginal to it and ties the mineralization directly to magmatic gas expansion, fracture propagation, and mineralization that occurred through a series of decompression steps within the feeder fracture network. These data confirm that crater lake environments such as Kawah Ijen (Java, Indonesia) provide modern day analogs of the Lepanto and other high sulfidation Cu–Au depositing environments.We also provide extensive analysis of sulfosalt–sulfide reactions during vein formation within the hyperacidic lake complex. Pyrite ±  silica deposited first at high temperature followed by enargite that preserves the vapor–solid diffusion of, for example, antimony, tin, and tellurium into the vapor from the crystallizing solid. Subsolidus, intra-crystalline diffusion continued as temperature declined. Pyrite and enargite are replaced by Fe-tennantite in the lodes which initially has low Sb/(Sb + As) atomic ratios around 13.5% close to the ideal tennantite formula, but evolves to higher ratios as crystallization proceeds. Fumarole encrustation clasts and sulfosalts in the lake sediment are more highly evolved with a larger range of trace element substitutions, including antimony. Substitution of especially Zn, Te, Ag, and Sn into tennantite records metal and semi-metal fractionation between the expanding magmatic gas and deposited sulfide sublimates provides a rare insight into the fate of metals and semi-metals in the shallower parts of fracture arrays that feed modern hyperacidic lakes.These data support a growing understanding of the formation of high-sulfidation gold deposits as the consequence of single-phase expansion of gas from magmatic-gas reservoirs beneath the surface of active volcanoes without the intervention of a later aqueous fluid including groundwater. Aggressive sulfide–sulfosalt reactions, including pitting and the almost complete dissolution of earlier minerals, are persistent characteristics of the vein assemblages and precious metals typically occur late in pits or along brittle fractures. These characteristics support a hypothesis of mineral deposition at temperatures of the order of 600 °C in contrast to available fluid inclusion data from enargite that record temperatures following phase transitions in the sulfosalt during the retrograde devolution of the deposit in the presence of groundwater.

Continuous in situ measurements of volcanic gases with a diode-laser-based spectrometer: CO2 and H2O concentration and soil degassing at Vulcano (Aeolian islands: Italy)

PubMed Central

De Rosa, Maurizio; Gagliardi, Gianluca; Rocco, Alessandra; Somma, Renato; De Natale, Paolo; De Natale, Giuseppe

2007-01-01

We report on a continuous-measurement campaign carried out in Vulcano (Aeolian islands, Sicily), devoted to the simultaneous monitoring of CO2 and H2O concentrations. The measurements were performed with an absorption spectrometer based on a semiconductor laser source emitting around a 2-μm wavelength. The emitted radiation was selectively absorbed by two molecular ro-vibrational transitions specific of the investigated species. Data for CO2 and H2O concentrations, and CO2 soil diffusive flux using an accumulation chamber configuration, were collected at several interesting sampling points on the island (Porto Levante beach- PLB, Fossa Grande Crater – FOG- and Valley of Palizzi, PAL). CO2/H2O values, measured on the ground, are very similar (around 0.019 (± 0.006)) and comparable to the previous discrete detected values of 0.213 (Fumarole F5-La Fossa crater rim) and 0.012 (Fumarole VFS – Baia Levante beach) obtaid during the 1977–1993 heating phase of the crater fumaroles. In this work much more homogeneous values are found in different points of the three sites investigated. The field work, although carried out in a limited time window (25th–28th August 2004), pointed out the new apparatus is suitable for continuous gas monitoring of the two species and their ratios, which are important geochemical indicators of volcanic activity, for which other reliable continuous monitoring systems are not yet available. PMID:17448243

Geochemistry and solute fluxes of volcano-hydrothermal systems of Shiashkotan, Kuril Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalacheva, Elena; Taran, Yuri; Kotenko, Tatiana

2015-04-01

Shiashkotan Island belongs to the Northern Kuril island arc and consists of two joined volcanoes, Sinarka and Kuntomintar, with about 18 km of distance between the summits. Both volcanoes are active, with historic eruptions, and both emit fumarolic gases. Sinarka volcano is degassing through the extrusive dome with inaccessible strong and hot (> 400 °C) fumaroles. A large fumarolic field of the Kuntomintar volcano situated in a wide eroded caldera-like crater hosts many fumarolic vents with temperatures from boiling point to 480 °C. Both volcanoes are characterized by intense hydrothermal activity discharging acid SO4-Cl waters, which are drained to the Sea of Okhotsk by streams. At least 4 groups of near-neutral Na-Mg-Ca-Cl-SO4 springs with temperatures in the range of 50-80 °C are located at the sea level, within tide zones and discharge slightly altered diluted seawater. Volcanic gas of Kuntomintar as well as all types of hydrothermal manifestations of both volcanoes were collected and analyzed for major and trace elements and water isotopes. Volcanic gases are typical for arc volcanoes with 3He/4He corrected for air contamination up to 6.4 Ra (Ra = 1.4 × 10- 6, the air ratio) and δ13C (CO2) within - 10‰ to - 8 ‰ VPDB. Using a saturation indices approach it is shown that acid volcanic waters are formed at a shallow level, whereas waters of the coastal springs are partially equilibrated with rocks at ~ 180 °C. Trace element distribution and concentrations and the total REE depend on the water type, acidity and Al + Fe concentration. The REE pattern for acidic waters is unusual but similar to that found in some acidic crater lake waters. The total hydrothermal discharge of Cl and S from the island associated with volcanic activity is estimated at ca. 20 t/d and 40 t/d, respectively, based on the measurements of flow rates of the draining streams and their chemistry. The chemical erosion of the island by surface and thermal waters is estimated at 27 and 140 ton/km2/year, respectively, which is 2-3 times lower than chemical erosion of tropical volcanic islands.

Measuring volcanic gases at Taal Volcano Main Crater for monitoring volcanic activity and possible gas hazard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arpa, M.; Hernandez Perez, P. A.; Reniva, P.; Bariso, E.; Padilla, G.; Melian Rodriguez, G.; Barrancos, J.; Calvo, D.; Nolasco, D.; Padron, E.; Garduque, R.; Villacorte, E.; Fajiculay, E.; Perez, N.; Solidum, R.

2012-12-01

Taal is an active volcano located in southwest Luzon, Philippines. It consists of mainly tuff cones which have formed an island at the center of a 30 km wide Taal Caldera. Most historical eruptions, since 1572 on Taal Volcano Island, have been characterized as hydromagmatic eruptions. Taal Main Crater, produced during the 1911 eruption, is the largest crater in the island currently filled by a 1.2 km wide, 85 m deep acidic lake. The latest historical eruption occurred in 1965-1977. Monitoring of CO2 emissions from the Main Crater Lake (MCL) and fumarolic areas within the Main Crater started in 2008 with a collaborative project between ITER and PHIVOLCS. Measurements were done by accumulation chamber method using a Westsystem portable diffuse fluxmeter. Baseline total diffuse CO2 emissions of less than 1000 t/d were established for the MCL from 3 campaign-type surveys between April, 2008 to March, 2010 when seismicity was within background levels. In May, 2010, anomalous seismic activity from the volcano started and the total CO2 emission from the MCL increased to 2716±54 t/d as measured in August, 2010. The CO2 emission from the lake was highest last March, 2011 at 4670±159 t/d when the volcano was still showing signs of unrest. Because CO2 emissions increased significantly (more than 3 times the baseline value) at this time, this activity may be interpreted as magmatic and not purely hydrothermal. Most likely deep magma intrusions occurred but did not progress further to shallower depths and no eruption occurred. No large increase in lake water temperature near the surface (average for the whole lake area) during the period when CO2 was above background, it remained at 30-34°C and a few degrees lower than average ambient temperature. Total CO2 emissions from the MCL have decreased to within baseline values since October, 2011. Concentrations of CO2, SO2 and H2S in air in the fumarolic area within the Main Crater also increased in March, 2011. The measurements were made using a multigas sensor. In terms of volcanic gas hazard, CO2 in air near a fumarole vent can be as high as 25,000 ppm, while the highest H2S recorded was at 14 ppm (March, 2011). Without a multigas sensor, we measured the concentrations of only CO2 and H2S in air near the fumaroles using the Westsystem fluxmeter. During the latest survey last July 2012, the highest measured CO2 in air was 13,000 ppm and for H2S it was 28 ppm to above detection limit. The campaign-type CO2 efflux surveys in the MCL and measurements of the fumaroles are done at least once or twice a year with increased frequency of surveys when signs of unrest are detected. These measurements are important because Taal Volcano Island, although designated as a permanent danger zone, is permanently inhabited.

Identifying the Linkages Between Microbial Activity and Gas Flux of Subaerial Volcanic Environments: A Guide to Exploring Magmatic Planets and Moons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, H. A.; Lopez, T. M.; Fischer, T. P.; Schrenk, M. O.

2017-11-01

Promising contemporary analogs of habitable environments are fumaroles associated with active volcanism. Experimental studies linking sediments, microbes, and volatile outgassing may lead to new bio- or geosignatures of habitability.

Chemical and isotopic equilibrium between CO 2 and CH 4 in fumarolic gas discharges: Generation of CH 4 in arc magmatic-hydrothermal systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiebig, Jens; Chiodini, Giovanni; Caliro, Stefano; Rizzo, Andrea; Spangenberg, Jorge; Hunziker, Johannes C.

2004-05-01

The chemical and isotopic composition of fumarolic gases emitted from Nisyros Volcano, Greece, and of a single gas sample from Vesuvio, Italy, was investigated in order to determine the origin of methane (CH 4) within two subduction-related magmatic-hydrothermal environments. Apparent temperatures derived from carbon isotope partitioning between CH 4 and CO 2 of around 340°C for Nisyros and 470°C for Vesuvio correlate well with aquifer temperatures as measured directly and/or inferred from compositional data using the H 2O-H 2-CO 2-CO-CH 4 geothermometer. Thermodynamic modeling reveals chemical equilibrium between CH 4, CO 2 and H 2O implying that carbon isotope partitioning between CO 2 and CH 4 in both systems is controlled by aquifer temperature. N 2/ 3He and CH 4/ 3He ratios of Nisyros fumarolic gases are unusually low for subduction zone gases and correspond to those of midoceanic ridge environments. Accordingly, CH 4 may have been primarily generated through the reduction of CO 2 by H 2 in the absence of any organic matter following a Fischer-Tropsch-type reaction. However, primary occurrence of minor amounts of thermogenic CH 4 and subsequent re-equilibration with co-existing CO 2 cannot be ruled out entirely. CO 2/ 3He ratios and δ 13C CO 2 values imply that the evolved CO 2 either derives from a metasomatized mantle or is a mixture between two components, one outgassing from an unaltered mantle and the other released by thermal breakdown of marine carbonates. The latter may contain traces of organic matter possibly decomposing to CH 4 during thermometamorphism.

Atmospheric dispersion of natural carbon dioxide emissions on Vulcano Island, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Granieri, D.; Carapezza, M. L.; Barberi, F.; Ranaldi, M.; Ricci, T.; Tarchini, L.

2014-07-01

La Fossa quiescent volcano and its surrounding area on the Island of Vulcano (Italy) are characterized by intensive, persistent degassing through both fumaroles and diffuse soil emissions. Periodic degassing crises occur, with marked increase in temperature and steam and gas output (mostly CO2) from crater fumaroles and in CO2 soil diffuse emission from the crater area as well as from the volcano flanks and base. The gas hazard of the most inhabited part of the island, Vulcano Porto, was investigated by simulating the CO2 dispersion in the atmosphere under different wind conditions. The DISGAS (DISpersion of GAS) code, an Eulerian model based on advection-diffusion equations, was used together with the mass-consistent Diagnostic Wind Model. Numerical simulations were validated by measurements of air CO2 concentration inside the village and along the crater's rim by means of a Soil CO2 Automatic Station and a Tunable Diode Laser device. The results show that in the village of Vulcano Porto, the CO2 air concentration is mostly due to local soil degassing, while the contribution from the crater gas emission is negligible at the breathing height for humans and always remains well below the lowest indoor CO2 concentration threshold recommended by the health authorities (1000 ppm). Outdoor excess CO2 maxima up to 200 ppm above local background CO2 air concentration are estimated in the center of the village and up to 100 ppm in other zones. However, in some ground excavations or in basements the health code threshold can be exceeded. In the crater area, because of the combined effect of fumaroles and diffuse soil emissions, CO2 air concentrations can reach 5000-7000 ppm in low-wind conditions and pose a health hazard for visitors.

An aeromagnetic survey in the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, Alaska. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anma, K.

1971-01-01

Geologic and magnetic studies of the Katmai area have further demonstrated the close relationship between the Katmai Caldera, Novarupta plug, and the pyroclastic flows in the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. The magnetic fields observed appear to be associated with the thickness of the pyroclastic flow and the different rock units within it for lower flight levels, and also the contrast between the valley fill and the rock units at the Valley margins. Consistent magnetic anomalies are associated with the larger fumarole lines, which were presumably sites of large scale activity, while the smaller fumaroles are not usually seen in the aeromagnetic map. A possible correlation between low positive anomalies and nuee ardente deposits was revealed by the aeromagnetic survey, but was not strong. A ground survey was also carried out in several parts of the Valley with a view to detailed delineation of the magnetic signatures of the pyroclastic flow, as an aid to interpreting the aeromagnetic date.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Dr. Richard Arkin records data as the hazardous gas detection system AVEMS is used to analyze the toxic gases produced by active vents, called fumaroles, in the Turrialba volcano in Costa Rica. He is using the Aircraft-based Volcanic Emission Mass Spectrometer (AVEMS) that determines the presence and concentration of various chemicals. The AVEMS system has been developed for use in the Space Shuttle program, to detect toxic gas leaks and emissions in the Shuttle’s aft compartment and the crew compartment.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-03-31

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Dr. Richard Arkin records data as the hazardous gas detection system AVEMS is used to analyze the toxic gases produced by active vents, called fumaroles, in the Turrialba volcano in Costa Rica. He is using the Aircraft-based Volcanic Emission Mass Spectrometer (AVEMS) that determines the presence and concentration of various chemicals. The AVEMS system has been developed for use in the Space Shuttle program, to detect toxic gas leaks and emissions in the Shuttle’s aft compartment and the crew compartment.

Increasing CO2 flux at Pisciarelli, Campi Flegrei, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Queißer, Manuel; Granieri, Domenico; Burton, Mike; Arzilli, Fabio; Avino, Rosario; Carandente, Antonio

2017-09-01

The Campi Flegrei caldera is located in the metropolitan area of Naples (Italy) and has been undergoing different stages of unrest since 1950, evidenced by episodes of significant ground uplift followed by minor subsidence, increasing and fluctuating emission strengths of water vapor and CO2 from fumaroles, and periodic seismic crises. We deployed a scanning laser remote-sensing spectrometer (LARSS) that measured path-integrated CO2 concentrations in the Pisciarelli area in May 2017. The resulting mean CO2 flux is 578 ± 246 t d-1. Our data suggest a significant increase in CO2 flux at this site since 2015. Together with recent geophysical observations, this suggests a greater contribution of the magmatic source to the degassing and/or an increase in permeability at shallow levels. Thanks to the integrated path soundings, LARSS may help to give representative measurements from large regions containing different CO2 sources, including fumaroles, low-temperature vents, and degassing soils, helping to constrain the contribution of deep gases and their migration mechanisms towards the surface.

Diffuse CO2 degassing at Vesuvio, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frondini, Francesco; Chiodini, Giovanni; Caliro, Stefano; Cardellini, Carlo; Granieri, Domenico; Ventura, Guido

2004-10-01

At Vesuvio, a significant fraction of the rising hydrothermal-volcanic fluids is subjected to a condensation and separation process producing a CO2-rich gas phase, mainly expulsed through soil diffuse degassing from well defined areas called diffuse degassing structures (DDS), and a liquid phase that flows towards the outer part of the volcanic cone. A large amount of thermal energy is associated with the steam condensation process and subsequent cooling of the liquid phase. The total amount of volcanic-hydrothermal CO2 discharged through diffuse degassing has been computed through a sequential Gaussian simulation (sGs) approach based on several hundred accumulation chamber measurements and, at the time of the survey, amounted to 151 t d-1. The steam associated with the CO2 output, computed assuming that the original H2O/CO2 ratio of hydrothermal fluids is preserved in fumarolic effluents, is 553 t d-1, and the energy produced by the steam condensation and cooling of the liquid phase is 1.47×1012 J d-1 (17 MW). The location of the CO2 and temperature anomalies show that most of the gas is discharged from the inner part of the crater and suggests that crater morphology and local stratigraphy exert strong control on CO2 degassing and subsurface steam condensation. The amounts of gas and energy released by Vesuvio are comparable to those released by other volcanic degassing areas of the world and their estimates, through periodic surveys of soil CO2 flux, can constitute a useful tool to monitor volcanic activity.

New ground-based lidar enables volcanic CO2 flux measurements.

PubMed

Aiuppa, Alessandro; Fiorani, Luca; Santoro, Simone; Parracino, Stefano; Nuvoli, Marcello; Chiodini, Giovanni; Minopoli, Carmine; Tamburello, Giancarlo

2015-09-01

There have been substantial advances in the ability to monitor the activity of hazardous volcanoes in recent decades. However, obtaining early warning of eruptions remains challenging, because the patterns and consequences of volcanic unrests are both complex and nonlinear. Measuring volcanic gases has long been a key aspect of volcano monitoring since these mobile fluids should reach the surface long before the magma. There has been considerable progress in methods for remote and in-situ gas sensing, but measuring the flux of volcanic CO2-the most reliable gas precursor to an eruption-has remained a challenge. Here we report on the first direct quantitative measurements of the volcanic CO2 flux using a newly designed differential absorption lidar (DIAL), which were performed at the restless Campi Flegrei volcano. We show that DIAL makes it possible to remotely obtain volcanic CO2 flux time series with a high temporal resolution (tens of minutes) and accuracy (<30%). The ability of this lidar to remotely sense volcanic CO2 represents a major step forward in volcano monitoring, and will contribute improved volcanic CO2 flux inventories. Our results also demonstrate the unusually strong degassing behavior of Campi Flegrei fumaroles in the current ongoing state of unrest.

Deformation of the Aniakchak Caldera, Alaska, mapped by InSAR

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kwoun, Oh-Ig; Lu, Z.

2004-01-01

The deformation of Aniakchak volcano is investigated using 19 ERS-1 / 2 interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data from 1992 through 2002. InSAR images from the different time intervals reveal that the10-km-wide caldera has been subsiding during the time of investigation. The pattern of subsidence does not following the pyroclastic flows from the last eruption of the caldera in 1931. The maximum subsidence is near the center of the caldera, with a rate of up to 13 mm/yr. Deformation outside the caldera is insignificant. Least squares inversion of the multi-temporal deformation maps indicates that the subsidence rate has been relatively constant. Field observations have identified numerous fumaroles inside the caldera. In 1973, temperatures of 80??C were measured at a depth of 15 cm in loose volcanic rubble adjacent to the small cinder cone (about 1.5 km northeast of the vent of the 1931 eruption), whereas springs near a caldera lake had a temperature of 25??C in July 1993. Therefore, we suggest the observed subsidence at Aniakchak caldera is most likely caused by the reduction of pore fluid pressure of a hydrothermal system located a few kilometers beneath the caldera.

Hydrological evolution and chemical structure of a hyper-acidic spring-lake system on Whakaari/White Island, NZ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christenson, B. W.; White, S.; Britten, K.; Scott, B. J.

2017-10-01

White Island has a long and varied history of acid spring discharge and shallow ephemeral lake formation on its main crater floor. In the 12 months prior to the onset of the 1976-2000 eruptive episode, mass discharge from the spring system increased ca. 10-fold, pointing to a strong coupling of the hydrothermal environment to the evolving magmatic system. Between 1976 and 1978, the formation of numerous eruption vents to 200 m depth in the Western Sub-crater abruptly changed the hydraulic gradients in the volcano, resulting in the reversal of groundwater flow in the massif towards the newly-formed crater(s). This affected not only the style of volcanic activity (leading to phreatic-phreatomagmatic-magmatic eruption cycles), but also led to the demise of the spring system, with discharge from the main crater declining by a factor > 100 by 1979. Eruptive activity ended shortly after a moderate Strombolian eruption in mid-2000, after which ephemeral lakes started to form in the eruption crater complex. Between 2003 and 2015 there were three complete lake filling and evaporative cycles, reflecting varying heat flow through the conduit system beneath the lake. Over these cycles, lake water concentrations of Cl and SO4 varied between ca. 35-150 and 5-45 g/L respectively, with pH values temporally ranging from + 1.5 to - 1. Springs appeared on the Main Crater floor in 2004, and their discharges varied with lake level, pointing to the lake level being a primary control over the piezometric surface in the crater area. Springs closest to the crater complex show direct evidence of crater lake water infiltration into the crater floor aquifer, whereas distal spring discharges show compositional variations reflecting vertical displacement of the interface between shallow, dilute condensate and underlying acidic brine fluids. Source components for the spring fluids include magmatic vapour, dissolved andesitic host rocks, seawater and meteoric water. Lake waters, on the other hand, consist predominantly of magmatic vapour, meteoric water and solutes derived from host andesites and their altered derivatives. δ2H and δ18O signatures of the enclosing acid brine fluids, indicate they are predominantly seawater which have been affected by both vapour loss, but also mixing with arc-type vapour. An interesting finding of this study is that crater floor deformation correlates directly to both lake level and volatile emissions, in an apparent poroelastic response to the establishment of a hydrostatic water column in the eruption crater complex, and a net decrease in permeability owing to hydrothermal mineralization in the conduit (predominantly elemental sulfur and sulfate minerals). The hydrostatic pressurization of the vent environment also leads to increased gas pressures and flows through fumarolic channels, and consequent expansion of fumarolic areas on the main crater floor. A period of unrest, which commenced in August 2012 and lasted until October 2013, included the extrusion of a small dome into the eruption crater complex. This activity, and related high heat flow, led once again to evaporation of the lake, and ongoing phreatic eruption activity which has provided interesting insights into the role which elemental sulfur, associated hydrothermal alteration minerals and of course water play in regulating pressures in the magmatic-hydrothermal environment.

Deep fluid transfer evidenced by surface deformation during the 2014-2015 unrest at Piton de la Fournaise volcano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peltier, Aline; Beauducel, François; Villeneuve, Nicolas; Ferrazzini, Valérie; Di Muro, Andrea; Aiuppa, Alessandro; Derrien, Allan; Jourde, Kevin; Taisne, Benoit

2016-07-01

Identifying the onset of volcano unrest and providing an unequivocal identification of volcano reawakening remain challenging problems in volcanology. At Piton de la Fournaise, renewal of eruptive activity in 2014-2015, after 41 months of quiescence and deflation, was associated with long-term continuous edifice inflation measured by GNSS. Inflation started on June 9, 2014, and its rate progressively increased through 2015. Inflation onset was rapidly followed by an eruption on June 20-21, 2014, showing that volcano reactivation can be extremely fast, even after long non-eruptive phases. This short-lived eruption involved a shallow source (1.3-1.9 km depth below the summit). The inflation that followed, and eruptions in 2015, involved a larger depth range of fluid accumulation, constrained by inverse modeling at ca. 3.9 to 1.2-1.7 km depth. This time evolution reveals that volcano reawakening was associated with continuous pressurization of the shallowest parts of its plumbing system, triggered by progressive upwards transfer of magma from greater depth. A deep magma pulse occurred in mid-April 2015 and was associated with deep seismicity (3 to 9.5 km depth) and CO2 enrichment in fluids emitted by summit fumaroles. From this date, ground deformation accelerated and the output rates of eruptions increased, culminating in the long-lasting, large-volume, August-October eruption ( 36 Mm3). This evolution suggests that deep magma/fluid transfer through an open conduit system first provoked the expulsion of the top of the plumbing system in June 2014, and then induced the progressive vertical transfer of the entire plumbing system down to 9 km (four eruptions in 2015). The new sustained feeding of the volcano was also at the origin of the hydrothermal system perturbation and the acceleration of the eastern flank motion, which favor lateral dike propagation and the occurrence of frequent and increasingly large eruptions. Our results highlight the fast and progressive way in which basaltic magmatic systems can wake up.

The thermal signature of Aso Volcano during unrest episodes detected from space and ground-based measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cigolini, Corrado; Coppola, Diego; Yokoo, Akihiko; Laiolo, Marco

2018-04-01

The thermal signature of Aso Volcano (Nakadake) during unrest episodes has been analyzed by combining the MODIS-MIROVA data set (2000-2017) with high-resolution images (LANDSAT 8 OLI and Sentinel 2) and ground-based thermal observations (2013-2017). The site of major activity (crater 1) is located at the summit of the volcano and is composed by a fumarole field (located in the South Area) and an acidic lake (replaced by a Central Pit during Strombolian phases). The volcanic radiative power (VRP) obtained by nighttime satellite data during the reference period was mainly below 3 MW. This thermal threshold marks the transition from high fumarole activity (HFA) to Strombolian eruptions (SE). However, periods characterized by sporadic phreatic eruptions (PE, eventually bearing phreatomagmatic episodes), which is the prevalent phase during unrest episodes, exhibit very low VRP values, being around 0.5 MW, or below. The statistical analysis of satellite data shows that the transition from HFA to Strombolian activity (which started on August 2014 and ceased in May 2015) occurs when VRP values are above the cited 3 MW threshold. In particular during marked Strombolian phases (November-December 2014), the radiative power was higher than 4 MW, reaching peak values up to 15.6 MW (on December 7, 2014, i.e., 10 days after the major Strombolian explosion of November 27). Conversely, ground-based measurements show that heat fluxes recorded by FLIR T440 Thermo-camera on the fumarole field of the South Area has been relatively stable around 2 MW until February 2015. Their apparent temperatures were fluctuating around 490-575 °C before the major Strombolian explosive event, whereas those recorded at the active vent, named Central Pit, reached their maxima slightly above 600 °C; then both exhibited a decreasing trend in the following days. During the Strombolian activity, the crater lake dried out and was then replenished by early July, 2016. Then, volcanic activity shifted back to phreatic-phreatomagmatic and the eruptive cycle was completed. During this period, the MIROVA system detected very few thermal alerts and the ground-based measurements were fluctuating around 1 MW. The most violent explosion occurred on October 8, 2016, and within the following weeks measured VRP were moderately above 2 MW. This is coeval with a thermal increase at the fumarole field of the South Area, with temperatures well above 300 °C. Thermal monitoring at Aso Volcano is an additional tool in volcano surveillance that may contribute to near-real-time hazard assessment.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

Mercury speciation, fluxes, and fate in the volcanically acidified fluids of Copahue volcano, Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kading, T.; Varekamp, J. C.; Andersson, M.; Balcom, P.; Mason, R. P.

2010-12-01

The behavior of mercury in volcanic acid springs and acidified rivers is poorly known, despite the potential impact this vector of contamination has on local surface and ground water quality. Mercury was measured in a volcanically acidified river system (pH<1 - 3), the Rio Agrio in the Neuquen province of Argentina, which discharges into a large glacial lake (Lake Caviahue, pH 2.2-3.0). The Hg concentration ranged from 2 - 600 pM throughout the fluvial system. Mercury in the hot, hyperacidic source fluids was dominated by dissolved ionic species, with only 2% of total mercury as dissolved elemental mercury, and 11% being particulate bound. The Hg flux from the volcano, determined from river water flux measurements and Hg concentrations, was modest and varied between the 3/2008 and 3/2009 sampling campaigns resp. from 0.7 to 1.1 moles/year. The Hg:S ratio of the acid fluids was ~10-8, several orders of magnitude lower than that typically found in volcanic plumes and fumaroles. The small Hg flux and low Hg:S values suggest that the system is either inherently Hg-poor or has lost Hg through vapor loss deeper in the hydrothermal system. Support for the latter comes from high Hg concentrations in geothermal vents and mudpots on the flank of the mountain (24 - 55 ppm Hg). Mercury concentrations decreased conservatively downstream in the river as based on Hg/Cl and Hg/SO4. Non-conservative depletion occurs in the less acidic Lake Caviahue, suggesting that mercury is removed from the water column by sorption to organic matter or other phases. Mercury analyses of a short lake sediment core confirm this (Hg = 0.01 to 0.70 ppm). No evidence was found for preferential uptake of mercury by jarosite, schwertmannite, or goethite, although the latter two phases precipitate in the most distal and Hg-depleted section of the fluvial system.

Dynamic of the volcanic activity of La Soufrière volcano (Guadeloupe, Lesser Antillles): Evidence for shallow fluid seismic sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ucciani, G.; Beauducel, F.; Bouin, M. P.; Nercessian, A.

2015-12-01

La Soufrière is one of the many hazardous volcanoes in the inner arc of Lesser Antilles. Located South of Basse-Terre island, it is the only active volcano of the Guadeloupe archipelago. Since the last significant magmatic eruption in 1535 AD, the activity has been exculsively phreatic. Since 1992 and the abrupt renewal of seismic and fumarollic activities, the Guadeloupe Volcanological and Seismological Observatory (OVSG-IPGP) has recorded a progressive increasing of seismicity and degassing that led scientists and authorities to set the alert level ``Vigilance'' and hold it until today. According to the recent geophysical, geochemical and geological studies, the current volcanic activity of la Soufrière volcano seems to be exclusively associated to the hydrothermal system, while the link with seismic activity is still poorly studied. In this context of possible pre-eruptive unrest, we investigated the spatial and temporal variations of the seismicity recorded between 1981 and 2013. From a consistent seismological framework coupling spectral, statistical, signal processing, clustering, and inverse problems methods, we demonstrate that this seismicity is largely generated by shallow hydrothermal fluid sources located in a complex plumbing system. Spatial variations of Vp/Vs ratio and B-value in seismogenic structures allow us to document three main seismic zones associated to : (1) migration of magmatic gas, (2) the storage and mixing of underground water and gas and (3) the shallow migration of hydrothermal fluids in high fractured and heterogeneous system. Waveform analysis revealed a low number of significant families consistent with fracturing process, and the temporal evolution of multiplet activities highlighted several variations associated with surface manifestations and brutal dynamic changes after major local tectonic earthquakes of Les Saintes (21 November 2004, Mw=6.3), its main aftershock (14 February 2005, Mw=5.7) and the last major earthquake of la Martinique (29 November 2007, Mw=7.4).

Superficial alteration mineralogy in active volcanic systems: An example of Poás volcano, Costa Rica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez, Alejandro; van Bergen, Manfred J.

2017-10-01

The alteration mineralogy in the crater area of Poás volcano (Costa Rica) has been studied to constrain acid fluid-rock interaction processes and conditions relevant for the formation of sulphate-bearing mineral assemblages found on the surface of Mars. Individual sub-environments, which include the hyperacid lake (Laguna Caliente), ephemeral hot springs, fumarole vents and areas affected by acid rain and/or spray from the lake, are marked by distinct secondary mineral associations, with sulphates commonly as prevailing component. The sulphates occur in a wide mineralogical diversity comprising gypsum/anhydrite, various polyhydrated Al-sulphates, alunite-jarosite group minerals, halotrichite-, voltaite- and copiapite-group minerals, epsomite and römerite. Depending on the sub-environment, they are variably associated with clay minerals (kaolinite-group and smectite-group), zeolites, SiO2-polymorphs, Fe-(hydro)oxides, Ti-oxides, native sulphur, sulphides, chlorides, fluorides, phosphates and carbonates. Geochemical modelling was performed to identify mechanisms responsible for the formation of the secondary minerals found in the field, and to predict their possible stability under conditions not seen at the surface. The results indicate that the appearance of amorphous silica, hematite, anhydrite/gypsum, pyrite, anatase and kaolinite is relatively insensitive to the degree of acidity of the local aqueous system. On the other hand, alunite-jarosite group minerals, elemental sulphur and Al(OH)SO4 only form under acidic conditions (pH < 4). The presence of polyhydrated Mg- and Fe2 +-sulphates is restricted to olivine-bearing rocks exposed to acid rain or brine spray. Modelling suggests that their formation required a repetitive sequence of olivine dissolution and evaporation in an open system involving limited amounts of fluid. The mineral variety in the crater of Poás is remarkably similar to sulphate-bearing assemblages considered to be the product of acid-sulphate alteration on Mars. The analogy suggests that comparable fluid-rock interaction controls operated in Martian volcanic environments.

The Lusi eruption site: insights from surface and subsurface investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazzini, A.

2017-12-01

The Indonesian Lusi eruption has been spewing boiling water, gas, and sediments since the 29th of May 2006. Initially, numerous aligned eruptions sites appeared along the Watukosek fault system (WFS) that was reactivated after the Yogyakarta earthquake occurring the 27th of May in the Java Island. Within weeks several villages were submerged by boiling mud. The most prominent eruption site was named Lusi. To date Lusi is still active and an area of 7 km2is covered by mud. Since its birth Lusi erupted with a pulsating behaviour. In the framework of the ERC grant "Lusi Lab" we conducted several years of monitoring and regional investigations coupling surface sampling and subsurface imaging in the region around Lusi. Ambient noise tomography studies, obtained with a local network of 31 stations, revealed for the first time subsurface images of the Lusi region and the adjacent Arjuno-Welirang (AW) volcanic complex. Results show that below the AW volcanic complex are present 5km deep magma chambers that are connected, through a defined corridor, with the roots of the Lusi eruption site. The Lusi subsurface shows the presence of a defined vertical hydrothermal plume that extends to at least 5km. Chemical analyses of the seeping fluids sampled from 1) the Lusi plume (using a specifically designed drone), 2) the region around Lusi, and 3) the fumaroles and the hydro thermal springs of AW, revealed striking similarities. More specifically a mantellic signature of the Lusi fluids confirms the scenario that Lusi represents a magmatic-driven hydrothermal system hosted in sedimentary basin. Seismic profiles interpretation, surface mapping, and fluid sampling show that the WFS, connecting AW and extending towards the NE of Java, acted as a preferential pathway for the igneous intrusion and fluids migration towards the subsurface. Petrography and dating of the clasts erupted at Lusi record high temperatures and indicate that the roots of the active conduit extend to at least 5km at depth, matching the observations and images obtained with geophysical investigations. Converging results support a scenario where igneous intrusions and hydrothermal fluid migrating from the AW complex moved towards the NE of Java. The triggered metamorphic reaction resulted in high overpressures that initiated the Lusi eruption site.

Geo Techno Park potential at Arjuno-Welirang Volcano hosted geothermal area, Batu, East Java, Indonesia (Multi geophysical approach)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maryanto, Sukir

2017-11-01

Arjuno Welirang Volcano Geothermal (AWVG) is located around Arjuno-Welirang Volcano in Malang, East Java, about 100 km southwest of Surabaya, the capital city of East Java province, and is still an undeveloped area of the geothermal field. The occurrence of solfatara and fumaroles with magmatic gasses indicated the existence of a volcanic geothermal system in the subsurface. A few hot springs are found in the Arjuno-Welirang volcanic complex, such as Padusan hot spring, Songgoriti hot spring, Kasinan hot spring, and Cangar hot spring. Multi geophysical observations in AWVG complex was carried out in order to explore the subsurface structure in supporting the plan of Geo Techno Park at the location. Gravity, Magnetic, Microearthquake, and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) methods were used to investigate the major and minor active faulting zones whether hot springs circulation occurs in these zones. The gravity methods allowed us to locate the subsurface structure and to evaluate their geometrical relationship base on density anomaly. Magnetic methods allow us to discriminate conductive areas which could correspond to an increase in thermal fluid circulation in the investigated sites. Micro-earthquakes using particle motion analysis to locate the focal depth related with hydrothermal activity and electrical resistivity tomography survey offers methods to locate more detail subsurface structure and geothermal fluids near the surface by identifying areas affected by the geothermal fluid. The magnetic and gravity anomaly indicates the subsurface structure of AWVG is composed of basalt rock, sulfide minerals, sandstone, and volcanic rock with high minor active fault structure as a medium for fluid circulation. While using micro-earthquake data in AWVG shown shallow focal depth range approximate 60 meters which indicates shallow hydrothermal circulation in AWVG. The geothermal fluid circulation zones along the fault structure resulted in some hot springs in a central and north-western part of AWVG detected by the Electrical Resistivity Tomography, appear to be well correlated with corresponding features derived from the gravity, magnetic, and micro-earthquake survey. We just ongoing process to develop Arjuno Welirang Volcano & Geothermal Research Center (AWVGRC) located at Universitas Brawijaya Agro Techno Park, Cangar in the flank of Arjuno Welirang volcano complex. Due to our initial observations, AWVG has a great potential for a pilot project of an educational geo technopark development area.

A geochemical and geophysical reappraisal to the significance of the recent unrest at Campi Flegrei caldera (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moretti, Roberto; De Natale, Giuseppe; Troise, Claudia

2017-03-01

Volcanic unrest at calderas involves complex interaction between magma, hydrothermal fluids, and crustal stress and strain. Campi Flegrei caldera (CFc), located in the Naples (Italy) area and characterized by the highest volcanic risk on Earth for the extreme urbanization, undergoes unrest phenomena involving several meters of uplift and intense shallow microseismicity since several decades. Despite unrest episodes display in the last decade only moderate ground deformation and seismicity, current interpretations of geochemical data point to a highly pressurized hydrothermal system. We show that at CFc, the usual assumption of vapor-liquid coexistence in the fumarole plumes leads to largely overestimated hydrothermal pressures and, accordingly, interpretations of elevated unrest. By relaxing unconstrained geochemical assumptions, we infer an alternative model yielding better agreement between geophysical and geochemical observations. The model reconciles discrepancies between what observed (1) for two decades since the 1982-1984 large unrest, when shallow magma was supplying heat and fluids to the hydrothermal system, and (2) in the last decade. Compared to the 1980's unrest, the post-2005 phenomena are characterized by much lower aquifers overpressure and magmatic involvement, as indicated by geophysical data and despite large changes in geochemical indicators. Our interpretation points out a model in which shallow sills, intruded during 1969-1984, have completely cooled, so that fumarole emissions are affected now by deeper, CO2-richer, magmatic gases producing the modest heating and overpressure of the hydrothermal system. Our results have important implications on the short-term eruption hazard assessment and on the best strategies for monitoring and interpreting geochemical data.