Diffuse volcanic degassing and thermal energy release from Hengill volcanic system, Iceland

We report the first detailed study of spatial variations on the diffuse emission of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) from Hengill volcanic system, Iceland. Soil CO₂ and H₂S efflux measurements were performed at 752 sampling sites and ranged from nondetectable to 17,666 and 722?g?m^?2?day^?1, respectively. The soil temperature was measured at each sampling site and used to evaluate the heat flow. The chemical composition of soil gases sampled at selected sampling sites during this study shows they result from a mixing process between deep volcanic/hydrothermal component and air. Most of the diffuse CO₂ degassing is observed close to areas where active thermal manifestations occur, northeast flank of the Hengill central volcano close to the Nesjavellir power plant, suggesting a diffuse degassing structure with a SSW?CNNE trend, overlapping main fissure zone and indicating a structural control of the degassing process. On the other hand, H₂S efflux values are in general very low or negligible along the study area, except those observed at the northeast flank of the Hengill central volcano, where anomalously high CO₂ efflux and soil temperatures were also measured. The total diffuse CO₂ emission estimated for this volcanic system was about 1,526?±?160?t?day^?1 of which 453?t?day^?1 (29.7?%) are of volcanic/hydrothermal origin. To calculate the steam discharge associated with the volcanic/hydrothermal CO₂ output, we used the average H₂O/CO₂ mass ratio from 12 fumarole samples equal to 88.6 (range, 9.4?C240.2) as a representative value of the H₂O/CO₂ mass ratios for Hengill fumarole steam. The resulting estimate of the steam flow associated with the gas flux is equal to 40,154?t?day^?1. The condensation of this steam results in thermal energy release for Helgill volcanic system of 1.07?×?10¹⁴?J?day^?1 or to a total heat flow of 1,237?MW_t.     

Diffuse emission of CO2 from the Fossa crater,Vulcano Island (Italy)

 Numerous measurements of CO₂ degassing from the soil, carried out with the accumulation chamber method, indicate that in the period April–July 1995 the upper part of the Fossa cone released a total output of 200 t d^–1 of CO₂, which corresponds to approximately 1000 t d^–1 of steam. These large amounts of fluids are of the same order of magnitude as those released by the high temperature fumarolic field located inside the crater. The spatial distribution of soil gas fluxes shows that the main structures releasing CO₂ are the inner slopes of the crater and a NW–SE line, located NE of the crater rim, which correspond to the main direction of Vulcano Island active faults. The comparison of the φCO₂ maps with the soil temperature distribution, derived from both direct measurements and airborne infrared images, indicates the occurrence of extensive condensation of fumarolic steam within the upper part of the Fossa cone, whose total amount is comparable to the rainfall budget. Part of the condensate which originates from this process contributes to the recharge of the phreatic aquifer of Porto Plain, modifying the chemical and isotopic composition of the groundwater. Received: 1 September 1995 / Accepted: 8 January 1996     

Heat discharge from summit crater of Mihara volcano, Ooshima, Japan

Using an infrared radiation thermometer, measurements by remote sensing were carried out for surface temperatures of the bottom-floor and wall of the central pit and its surrounding crater bottom of Mihara volcano, Ooshima, Japan. Isotherms for the wall of the central pit are compared with the thermal and other surface manifestations. Heat discharge from the summit crater of Mihara volcano is estimated on the basis of various meteorological and other techniques, and for convenience of computation it is divided into the following three categories; latent and sensible heat transferred by ascending volcanic gas; heat emitted from the bottom-floor and wall of the central pit; and heat transported conductively and convectively from the underground heat source through the western, southern and eastern parts of the crater bottom. The computed heat discharge is estimated to be 1.4 x 10⁷ cal s⁻¹, which is about one order of magnitude less than that of the minor eruption on 28 February 1974. The methodology developed here for estimation of the heat discharge from a volcano can also be applied to other volcanoes.     

Stratigraphy, structure, and volcanic evolution of the Pico Teide–Pico Viejo formation, Tenerife, Canary Islands

The structure and volcanic stratigraphy of the Pico Teide–Pico Viejo (PT–PV) formation, deriving from the basanite–phonolite stratovolcanoes PT and PV, and numerous flank vent systems, are documented in detail based on new field and photogeologic mapping, geomorphologic analysis, borehole data, and petrological and geochemical findings. Results provide insight into the structure and evolution of the PT–PV magma system, and the long-term, cyclic evolution of Tenerife's post-shield volcanic complex. The PT–PV formation comprises products of central volcanism, mainly emplaced into the Las Cañadas caldera (LCC), and contemporaneous products from adjacent rifts. PT–PV central volcanic products become more differentiated up-section with felsic lavas dominating the recent output of the system. This is attributed to the evolution of a shallow magma reservoir beneath PT that was emplaced early in the PT–PV cycle on the intra-caldera segment of Tenerife's post-shield rift system. The rift axis has been the focus of PT–PV intrusive and eruptive activity, and has controlled the location of the stratocones. The current geometry of the rifts reflects a major structural reorganisation defining the start of the PT–PV cycle at 0.18 Ma, namely the truncation of the north side of the LCC/LCE by the giant Icod landslide. The internal stratigraphy of the PT–PV formation suggests that PT developed early, with PV developing as a satellite vent. Activity has since alternated between PT and PV due to episodes of vent blockage or chamber sealing. These processes have allowed significant volumes of phonolitic magmas to develop and accumulate within the PT chamber, which have vented through radial dike systems during tumescence episodes and from the rift system, which has permitted lateral magma transport. The PT–PV magma system is a potentially hazardous source of future, felsic eruptive activity on Tenerife.     

Crustal structure and origin of the Cape Verde Rise

The Cape Verde Islands are located on a mid-plate topographic swell and are thought to have formed above a deep mantle plume. Wide-angle seismic data have been used to determine the crustal and uppermost mantle structure along a ~ 440 km long transect of the archipelago. Modelling shows that ‘normal’ oceanic crust, ~ 7 km in thickness, exists between the islands and is gently flexed due to volcano loading. There is no direct evidence for high density bodies in the lower crust or for an anomalously low density upper mantle. The observed flexure and free-air gravity anomaly can be explained by volcano loading of a plate with an effective elastic thickness of 30 km and a load and infill density of 2600 kg m^− 3. The origin of the Cape Verde swell is poorly understood. An elastic thickness of 30 km is expected for the ~ 125 Ma old oceanic lithosphere beneath the islands, suggesting that the observed height of the swell and the elevated heat flow cannot be attributed to thermal reheating of the lithosphere. The lack of evidence for high densities and velocities in the lower crust and low densities and velocities in the upper mantle, suggests that neither a crustal underplate or a depleted swell root are the cause of the shallower than expected bathymetry and that, instead, the swell is supported by dynamic uplift associated with the underlying plume.     

Detection of a new summit crater on Bezymianny Volcano lava dome: satellite and field-based thermal data

An explosive eruption occurred at the summit of Bezymianny volcano (Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia) on 11 January 2005 which was initially detected from seismic observations by the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT). This prompted the acquisition of 17 Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) satellite images of the volcano over the following 10 months. Visible and infrared data from ASTER revealed significant changes to the morphology of the summit lava dome, later seen with field based thermal infrared (TIR) camera surveys in August 2005. The morphology of the summit lava dome was observed to have changed from previous year’s observations and historical accounts. In August 2005 the dome contained a new crater and two small lava lobes. Stepped scarps within the new summit crater suggest a partial collapse mechanism of formation, rather than a purely explosive origin. Hot pyroclastic deposits were also observed to have pooled in the moat between the current lava dome and the 1956 crater wall. The visual and thermal data revealed a complex eruption sequence of explosion(s), viscous lava extrusion, and finally the formation of the collapse crater. Based on this sequence, the conduit could have become blocked/pressurized, which could signify the start of a new behavioural phase for the volcano and lead to the potential of larger eruptions in the future.     

Cosmogenic 3He exposure dating of the Quaternary basalts from Fogo,Cape Verdes: Implications for rift zone and magmatic reorganisation

We have used cosmogenic ³He to date pre- and post-collapse lava flows from southwestern Fogo, Cape Verdes, in order to date rift zone magmatic reorganisation following the lateral collapse of the flank of the Monte Amarelo volcano. The post-collapse flows have exposure ages ranging from 62 to 11 ka. The analysis of multiple flow tops on each lava flows, often at different elevations, provides an internal check for age consistency and the exposures ages conform with stratigraphic level. The exposure ages suggest that volcanic activity along the western branch of the triple-armed rift zone was more or less continuous from before 62 ka to approximately 11 ka. The absence of magmatic activity for the last 11 kyr reflects a structural reconfiguration of the volcano and may be related to renewed flank instability. This volcanic hiatus is similar in duration to that observed in the Canary Islands. Replicate ³He exposure ages of a pre-collapse flow (123.0 ± 5.2 ka) brackets the time of the Monte Amarelo collapse between 62 ka and 123 ka. Reproducible cosmogenic ³He exposure ages of less than 123 ka from flows away from major erosion features demonstrates that the technique is a viable alternative to the radiocarbon, K/Ar and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar chronometers for dating recent volcanism in arid climate zones.     

Thermal structure and heat loss at the summit crater of an active lava dome

Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) nighttime thermal images were used to extract the thermal and morphological properties for the surface of a blocky-to-rubbley lava mass active within the summit crater of the Caliente vent at Santiaguito lava dome (Guatemala). Thermally the crater was characterized by three concentric regions: a hot outer annulus of loose fine material at 150–400°C, an inner cold annulus of blocky lava at 40–80°C, and a warm central core at 100–200°C comprising younger, hotter lava. Intermittent explosions resulted in thermal renewal of some surfaces, mostly across the outer annulus where loose, fine, fill material was ejected to expose hotter, underlying, material. Surface heat flux densities (radiative + free convection) were dominated by losses from the outer annulus (0.3–1.5 × 10⁴  s⁻¹m⁻²), followed by the hot central core (0.1–0.4 × 10⁴ J s⁻¹m⁻²) and cold annulus (0.04–0.1 × 10⁴ J s⁻¹m⁻²). Overall surface power output was also dominated by the outer annulus region (31–176 MJ s⁻¹), but the cold annulus contributed equal power (2.41–7.07 MJ s⁻¹) as the hot central core (2.68–6.92 MJ s⁻¹) due to its greater area. Cooled surfaces (i.e. the upper thermal boundary layer separating surface temperatures from underlying material at magmatic temperatures) across the central core and cold annulus had estimated thicknesses, based on simple conductive model, of 0.3–2.2 and 1.5–4.3 m. The stability of the thermal structure through time and between explosions indicates that it is linked to a deeper structural control likely comprising a central massive plug, feeding lava flow from the SW rim of the crater, surrounded by an arcuate, marginal fracture zone through which heat and mass can preferentially flow.     

Evaluation and restoration of the 1970 volcanic gas analyses from Mount Etna, Sicily

The 1970 Mount Etna volcanic gas analyses (Huntingdon, 1973) are among the most reduced volcanic gas samples ever reported. They contain 20–40% H₂, 2–3.5% CO, and 2–5% H₂S. Calculated oxygen fugacities for most of the analyses are well below quartz-fayalite-magnetite, several are more reduced than magnetite-wustite and all are many orders of magnitude less than those measured by Sato and Moore (1973) in the gas-streams of the collection sites at the time the samples were taken. The analyses show no similarity to calculated equilibrium compositions at any temperature. Deviations between analytical and equilibrium compositions indicate the gases have undergone extensive reduction involving mainly loss of oxygen. There also is limited evidence of sulfur loss. The reduced analyses are not the products of unusually reduced lavas, but originated from reactions of the erupted gases with the metal sampling device used in the collection procedure. The oxygen deficiencies of the analyses have been restored using the atomic hydrogen, carbon and sulfur data of Huntingdon and the oxygen fugacity data of Sato and Moore. The restored analyses are much more representative of the erupted gases which were remarkably rich in CO₂ (15–35%) and SO₂ (15–35%), and they show relatively steady compositions at each collection site over periods of observation ranging from hours to days.     

Color measurements of volcanic ash deposits from three different styles of summit activity at Sakurajima volcano,Japan: Conduit processes recorded in color of volcanic ash

We measured quantitatively colors of volcanic ash deposits erupted from three different styles of summit activity (Strombolian activity, Vulcanian explosions and continuous ash venting activity) at Sakurajima volcano from 1974 to 1985. Colors of Strombolian ash samples have larger yellow components of their visible spectra (b^? values) than those of explosion and continuous venting ash samples. Colors of explosion ash samples show larger variation in both red and yellow components of their visible spectra (a^? and b^? values, respectively), while colors of continuous venting ash samples are in the narrow ranges within colors of explosion ash samples. Colors of components with lower densities than 3.1 g/cm³ (groundmass and phenocrystic plagioclase) obtained by magnetic and heavy liquid separation methods are similar to the unseparated bulk ash samples. This result suggests that the color variations of ash deposits are mainly originated from the particles composed of groundmass. The particles can be classified into three different types of particles with different vesicularity and crystallinity (vesicular particle [VP], dense particle with vesicles [DPV] and dense particle without vesicles [DP]). Analytical results of component proportions, chemical compositions of groundmass glasses, ferrous iron contents and surface ferric materials show that (1) VP has larger yellow components of the visible spectrum (b^? values) and high ferrous iron content, and is less crystallized than the DP and DPV, (2) DP has larger red and yellow components of its visible spectrum (a^? and b^? values, respectively) and involves ferric materials on the surfaces produced by oxidation process, and (3) DPV has smaller red and yellow components of its visible spectrum (a^? and b^? values, respectively) and involves less ferric materials on the ash surfaces. Color differences of ash deposits from three different activity styles can be explained by the different mixing ratios of VP, DPV and DP. During the Strombolian activity, the VP is a main component in the ash, which is formed from relatively less degassed and crystallized magma. In the Vulcanian explosion and continuous ash venting activity, the proportions of DPV and DP in ash are larger than that in the Strombolian activity. The highly crystallized DP may correspond to a vent cap, and DPV to a magma below the cap. The color measurements of ash deposits provide information on the pre-eruptive processes at the shallower levels of a conduit.     

Salt-bearing fumarole deposits in the summit crater of Oldoinyo Lengai, Northern Tanzania: interactions between natrocarbonatite lava and meteoric water

Oldoinyo Lengai in the Northern Tanzania rift is the only active nephelinite–carbonatite stratovolcano. We report the discovery of thermonatrite, aphthitalite, halite and sylvite fumarole deposits on recent natrocarbonatite lava flows erupted in the summit crater during the wet season. These salt deposits occur as delicate, concave fringes or tubes that line the cooling cracks in the lava flows and consist of intergrowths of euhedral crystals. The presence of a dark altered zone, depleted in halides and alkalies, adjacent to cooling cracks and observations of steam fumaroles emanating from the fractures suggest that the salts are formed by sublimation from saturated vapours generated by the extrusion of lavas over meteoric water. The crystallisation sequence recorded in the salts suggests that mixing between meteoric steam and magmatic CO₂ and H₂S occurs at high temperatures resulting in the sublimation of carbonates and sulphates. At lower temperatures the vapours are dominated by meteoric steam and sublimate halides. The high solubility of the fumarole salts within meteoric water and their formation only during the wet season implies that these are ephemeral deposits that are unlikely to be preserved in the geological record.     

Diffuse CO2 emission rate from Pululahua and the lake-filled Cuicocha calderas,Ecuador

We report herein the first results of two soil CO₂ efflux surveys carried out at Cuicocha lake-filled and Pululahua caldera volcanic systems, Ecuador. A total of 172 and 217 soil CO₂ efflux measurements were taken at the surface environment of Pululahua and Cuicocha calderas respectively, by means of the “accumulation chamber” method during the summer of 2006 to constrain the total CO₂ output from the studied area. Soil CO₂ efflux values ranged from non-detectable up to 48.5 and 141.7 g m^{− 2} d^{− 1} for Cuicocha and Pululahua calderas respectively. In addition, probability graphs were used to distinguish the existence of different geochemical populations. Sequential Gaussian Simulation was used to construct an average map for 100 simulations and to compute the total CO₂ emission at each studied area: 106 and 270 t d^{− 1} (metric tons per day) for Cuicocha (13.3 km²) and Pululahua (27.6 km²) volcanoes respectively.     

Geochemistry of the Albano and Nemi crater lakes in the volcanic district of Alban Hills (Rome,Italy)

Lake Albano, located 20 km to the SE of Rome, is hosted within the most recent crater of the quiescent Alban Hills volcanic complex that produced hydromagmatic eruptions in Holocene times. Stratigraphic, archaeological and historical evidence indicates that the lake level underwent important variations in the Bronze Age. Before the IV century B.C. several lahars were generated by water overflows from the lake and in the IV century B.C. Romans excavated a drainage tunnel. The lake is located above a buried carbonate horst that contains a pressurized medium-enthalpy geothermal reservoir from which fluids escape to the surface to produce many important gas manifestations of mostly CO₂. Previous studies recognized the presence of gas emissions also from the crater bottom. In 1997 the possibility of a Nyos-type event triggered by a lake rollover was considered very low, because the CO₂ water concentration at depth was found to be far from saturation. However, considering the high population density nearby, the Italian Civil Protection Department recommended that periodical monitoring be carried out. To this scope we initiated in 2001 a systematic geochemical study of the lake. Thirteen vertical profiles have been repeatedly carried out in 2001–2006, especially in the deepest part of the lake (167 m in 2006), measuring T, pH, dissolved O₂ and electrical conductivity. Water samples were collected from various depths and chemically and isotopically analysed. Two similar profiles have been measured also in the nearby Nemi crater lake. Results indicate that in the 4.5 years of monitoring the pressure of gas dissolved in the Lake Albano deep waters remained much lower than the hydrostatic pressure. A CO₂ soil survey carried out on the borders of the two lakes, indicates the presence of some zones of anomalous degassing of likely magmatic origin. A water overturn or a heavy mixing of deep and shallow waters likely occurred in winter 2003–2004, when cold rainfall cooled the surface water below 8.5 °C. Such overturns cause only a limited gas exsolution from the lake when the deep water is brought to a few meters depth but can explain the observed decrease with time of dissolved CO₂ at depth and related water pH increase. A gas hazard could occur in the case of a sudden injection through the lake bottom of a huge quantity of CO₂-rich fluids, which might be caused by earthquake induced fracturing of the rock pile beneath the lake. A limnic gas eruption might also occur should CO₂ concentration build up within the lake for a long time.     

Interpretation of volcanic gas data from tholeiitic and Alkaline Mafic Lavas

The analyses of approximately 100 high temperature gas samples from erupting lavas of Surtsey, Erta Ale, Ardoukoba, Kilauea, Mount Etna and Nyiragongo exhibit erratic compositions resulting from analytical errors, condensation effects, reactions with sampling devices, and contamination by atmospheric gases, meteoric water and organic material. Computational techniques have been devised to restore reported analyses to compositions representative of the erupted gases. The restored analyses show little evidence of short-term variations. The principal species are H₂O, CO₂, SO₂, H₂, CO, H₂S, S₂, and HCl. The O₂ fugacities range from nickel-nickel oxide to a half order of magnitude below quartz-magnetite-fayalite. There is no evidence for a unique magmatic gas composition; instead, the erupted gases show regular compositional trends characterized by decreasing CO₂ with progressive outgassing. The gases from more alkaline lavas (Etna, Nyiragongo) are distinctly richer in CO₂, while those from less alkaline (Surtsey) or tholeiitic lavas (Erta Ale, Ardoukoba) tend to be richer in H₂O. Kilauean gases range from CO₂-rich to H₂O-rich. The total sulfur contents of the erupted gases show an excellent positive correlation with lava O₂ fugacity. All restored analyses are significantly lower in H₂O and enriched in sulfur and CO₂ compared to the «excess volatiles».     

New evidence for the composition and structure of volcanic complexes on Cape Nalycheva and the Shipunskii Peninsula, Kamchatka

Studies carried out on Cape Nalycheva provided new data on the composition of the volcanic complexes that compose it. The volcanic rocks are of island arc origin and belong to the moderate-potassium calcalkali series. Comparing the character of volcanism on Cape Nalycheva and on the Shipunskii Peninsula with the well-known complexes on the Kamchatskii Mys and Kronotskii peninsulas (which are northern fragments of the Kronotskii paleoarc), we find considerable differences, which probably reflect the heterogeneity of the base on which the Kronotskii arc originated.     

Variations in the carbon,sulfur and chlorine contents of volcanic gas discharges from White Island,New Zealand

On six occasions, Irom July 1971 to June 1973, discharge samples from twelve selected fumaroles on White Island in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, were collected and analysed. The large variations in the absolute and relative proportions of carbon, sulfur, and chlorine containing species, occurring simultaneously over the entire active area of the volcano, suggest that all fumaroles are essentially supplied with one common type of gas made up of at least three components. During quiet periods, with low fumarolic outlet temperatures (≤300), the component with ratios C:S:Cl of 92:3:5 predominates; during heating up periods the relative carbon contents decrease, considered to be due to admixture of a component with C:S:Cl ratios of 44:26:30. Coinciding with maximum outlet temperatures (≈ 800°), however, the component with C:S:Cl ratios of 70:29:1 predominates, causing a rapid and marked rise in the ratio S:Cl from unity to above ten. The latter component with low ratios of C:S of around 2.5 and ratios of S:Cl of above ten is considered to be most closely related to the primary magmatic gas phase.     

Statistical analysis of intermittent volcanic tremor associated with the September 1989 summit explosive eruptions at Mount Etna, Sicily

The pattern of volcanic tremor accompanying the 1989 September eruption at the south-east summit crater of Mount Etna is studied. In specific, sixteen episodes of lava fountaining, which occurred in the first phase of the eruption, are analysed. Their periodic behaviour, also evidenced by autocorrelation, allows us to define the related tremor amplitude increases as intermittent volcanic tremor episodes. Focusing on the regular intermittent behaviour found for both lava fountains and intermittent volcanic tremors, we tried an a posteriori forecast using simple statistical methods based on linear regression and the Student’ t-test. We performed the retrospective statistical forecast, and found that several eruptions would have been successfully forecast. In order to focus on the source mechanism of tremor linked to lava fountains, we investigated the relationship between volcanic and seismic parameters. A mechanism based on a shallow magma batch ‘regularly’ refilled from depth is suggested.     

Establishment of chemical equilibrium in the volcanic gas obtained from the lava lake of Kilauea,Hawaii

The establishment of gaseous chemical equilibrium in gases obtained from Kilauea lava lake was studied. Using Shepherd’s elaborate analytical data, we examined six chemical reactions in the gas phase and concluded that they were in equilibrium. The gases reflected the « quenched » equilibrium conditions of temperature within a range from 1,000° C to 1,200° C under 1 atmosphere. The gas samples had been collected over a period of three years in different localities of the same lava lake. Although the analytical result was varied considerably for each sample, the establishment of chemical equilibrium was confirmed in five of the six reactions, the exception being due to sulfur trioxide in the sixth.     

Blocky versus fluidal peperite textures developed in volcanic conduits,vents and crater lakes of phreatomagmatic volcanoes in Mio/Pliocene volcanic fields of Western Hungary

Volcanic fields in the Pannonian Basin, Western Hungary, comprise several Mio/Pliocene volcaniclastic successions that are penetrated by numerous mafic intrusions. Peperite formed where intrusive and extrusive basaltic magma mingled with tuff, lapilli-tuff, and non-volcanic siliciclastic sediments within vent zones. Peperite is more common in the Pannonian Basin than generally realised and may be also important in other settings where sediment sequences accumulate during active volcanism. Hajagos-hegy, an erosional remnant of a maar volcano, was subsequently occupied by a lava lake that interacted with unconsolidated sediments in the maar basin and formed both blocky and globular peperite. Similar peperite developed in Kissomlyó, a small tuff ring remnant, where dykes invaded lake sediments that formed within a tuff ring. Lava foot peperite from both Hajagos-hegy and Kissomlyó were formed when small lava flows travelled over wet sediments in craters of phreatomagmatic volcanoes. At Ság-hegy, a large phreatomagmatic volcanic complex, peperite formed along the margin of a coherent intrusion. All peperite in this study could be described as globular or blocky peperite. Globular and blocky types in the studied fields occur together regardless of the host sediment.