1980–1990: Ten years of geochemical investigation at Phlegrean Fields (Italy)

A systematic geochemical investigation on the thermal manifestations of the volcanic area of Phlegrean Fields started in 1980, with the aim of obtaining useful information about the changes possibly occurring at the same time of vertical ground movements, termed as “bradyseismic”, which frequently interested this area.The attention was initially given to the fumaroles and the boiling pools of Solfatara and Pisciarelli, then subsequently extended to thermal springs, dug wells, and crater lakes.Analytical data pertaining to a period preceding the last crisis of 1982–1984 were then available, as well as other data collected during the previous crisis of 1970; a comprehensive picture of the variations observed before, during and after the acceleration of vertical movement has been drawn.According to the results obtained, the intrusion of a magmatic body as the trigger of the observed ground deformation is considered unrealistic. The whole area appears now in a quiet stage, and no further perturbation is expected without previous significant tectonic activity; chemical precursors appear suitable for an early detection of changes occurring at depth, to forecast possible consequences to be expected in the surface environment.     

Marine sediment contamination of an industrial site at Port of Bagnoli, Gulf of Naples, Southern Italy

For almost one century an important steel plant has been active at the Bagnoli industrial area (Naples, Southern Italy). The environmental survey of near shore and offshore sediments has been carried out as fundamental part of a clean up project. The characteristics of the area, supposed type of pollution, national and international protocols in force were taken into consideration in designing sampling schemes and selecting analytical parameters. For this work, sediment grain size, PAHs, PCBs, trace elements, total hydrocarbons and organic matter were considered. Factor analysis evidenced two main types of pollution in the proximity of the industrial plant, both probably attributable to the activity of the industrial site. The first one, due to Cd, Pb, Zn and Mn seems determined by localised activities at the southern part of the plant. The second one, due to Fe and Mn, appears directly linked to the whole contaminated area.     

Autochthonous and allochthonous plant contributions to coastal benthic detritus deposits: a dual-stable isotope study in a volcanic lake

The high numbers of primary producers represent multiple sources of organic matter accumulating onto lake bottoms. The difficulty of distinguishing the relative contribution to the mixture presents considerable challenges to the analysis of these organic deposits. In this study, dual-stable isotope analysis and IsoSource model were used to identify allochthonous and autochthonous components of detritus deposits (Particulate Organic Matter: POM) at two different bottom slope sites of a volcanic lake (lake Bracciano). Experiments were carried out to calibrate IsoSource on constructed plant mixtures and assess changes in isotope ratios during plant decomposition. IsoSource satisfactorily discriminated the constructed mixture sources with a few exceptions. Changes in isotopic enrichment during decomposition were low, and thus did not represent a confounding variable in the isotopic analysis. By contrast, chemical and geological differences of the study sites were associated with differences in plant δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values (more than 2‰ within single plant species). At both sites, the isotopic signals of POM fell between polygons delineated by source end members with an evident shift of δ¹³C toward allochthonous sources. POM amount and diversity were greater at the flatter bottom site, where allochthonous contributions were larger than at the other site. In particular, IsoSource ranked species contributions as follows: A. glutinosa > P. australis > A. donax > S. alba > P. nigra > the benthic macroalga Chara sp. at the first site, and A. glutinosa > P. nigra > the aquatic macrophyte C. demersum at the latter. The composition of littoral POM was determined by allochthonous sources in proportion to their relative abundances (as percent land cover) with differences between sites due to bottom slope.     

Monitoring toxic microalgae Ostreopsis (dinoflagellate) species in coastal waters of the Mediterranean Sea using molecular PCR-based assay combined with light microscopy

A molecular PCR-based assay was developed and applied to macrophyte and seawater samples containing mixed microphytobenthic and phytoplanktonic assemblages, respectively, in order to detect toxic Ostreopsis species in Mediterranean Sea. The specificity and sensitivity of the molecular PCR assay were assessed with both plasmidic and genomic DNA of the target genus or species using taxon-specific primers in the presence of background macrophyte DNA. The PCR molecular technique allowed rapid detection of the Ostreopsis cells, even at abundances undetectable within the resolution limit of the microscopy technique. Species-specific identification of Ostreopsis was determined only by PCR-based assay, due to the inherent difficulty of morphological identification in field samples. In the monitoring of the toxic Ostreopsis blooms PCR-based methods proved to be effective tools complementary to microscopy for rapid and specific detection of Ostreopsis and other toxic dinoflagellates in marine coastal environments.     

Geochemical heterogeneities and dynamics of magmas within the plumbing system of a persistently active volcano: evidence from Stromboli

We report here the most complete dataset for major and trace elements, as well as Sr isotopic compositions, of magmas erupted by Stromboli since the onset of present-day activity 1,800 years ago. Our data relate to both porphyritic scoria and lava originating in the uppermost parts of the feeding system, plus crystal-poor pumice produced by paroxysmal explosive eruption of deep-seated, fast ascending, magma. The geochemical variations recorded by Stromboli’s products allow us to identify changes in magma dynamics affecting the entire plumbing system. Deep-seated magmas vary in composition between two end-members having different key ratios in strongly incompatible trace elements and Sr isotopes. These features may be ascribed to mantle source processes (fluid/melt enrichment, variable degrees of melting) and occasional contamination by deep, mafic, cumulates. Temporal trends reveal three phases during which magmas with distinct geochemical signatures were erupted. The first phase occurred between the third and fourteenth centuries AD and was characterised by the eruption of evolved magmas sharing geochemical and Sr isotopic compositions similar to those of earlier periods of activity (<12 ka—Neostromboli and San Bartolo). The second phase, which began in the sixteenth century and lasted until the first half of the twentieth century, produced more primitive, less radiogenic, magmas with the lowest Ba/La and Rb/Th ratios of our dataset. The last phase is ongoing and is marked by a magma having the lowest Sr isotopic composition and highest Rb/Th ratio of the dataset. While this new magma can be clearly identified in the pumice erupted during the last two paroxysmal eruptions of 2003 and 2007, shallow degassed magma extruded during this time span records significant geochemical and isotopic heterogeneities. We thus suggest that the shallow reservoir has been only partially homogenised by this new magma influx. We conclude that compositional variations within the shallow magma system of a persistently active volcano provide only a biassed signal of ongoing geochemical changes induced by deep magma refilling. We argue that source changes can only be identified by interpreting the geochemistry of pumice, because it reliably represents magma transferred directly from deep portions of the plumbing system to the surface.     

Magma convection and mixing dynamics as a source of Ultra-Long-Period oscillations

Many volcanic eruptions are shortly preceded by injection of new magma into a pre-existing, shallow (<10 km) magma chamber, causing convection and mixing between the incoming and resident magmas. These processes may trigger dyke propagation and further magma rise, inducing long-term (days to months) volcano deformation, seismic swarms, gravity anomalies, and changes in the composition of volcanic plumes and fumaroles, eventually culminating in an eruption. Although new magma injection into shallow magma chambers can lead to hazardous event, such injection is still not systematically detected and recognized. Here, we present the results of numerical simulations of magma convection and mixing in geometrically complex magmatic systems, and describe the multiparametric dynamics associated with buoyant magma injection. Our results reveal unexpected pressure trends and pressure oscillations in the Ultra-Long-Period (ULP) range of minutes, related to the generation of discrete plumes of rising magma. Very long pressure oscillation wavelengths translate into comparably ULP ground displacements with amplitudes of order 10⁻⁴–10⁻² m. Thus, new magma injection into magma chambers beneath volcanoes can be revealed by ULP ground displacement measured at the surface.     

A low magnitude seismic sequence near Isernia (Molise,Central Italy) in January 1986

Following the increase in seismic activity which occurred near Isernia (Molise, Central Italy) in January 1986, a digital seismic network of four stations with three-component, short-period seismometers, was installed in the area by the Osservatorio Vesuviano. The temporary network had an average station spacing of about 8–10 km and, in combination with permanent local seismic stations, allowed the accurate determination of earthquake locations during an operating period of about one month. Among the 1517 detected earthquakes, 170 events were selected with standard errors on epicentre and depth not greater than respectively 0.5 and 1.5 km. The most frequent focal depths ranged between 4 and 8 km, while the epicentres distribution covered a small area NE of Isernia of about 10 km². A main rupture zone could not be clearly identified from the spatial distribution of the earthquakes, suggesting a rupture mechanism involving heterogeneous materials. The activity was characterized by low energy levels, the largest earthquake, on January 18, 1986, havingM _D =4.0. The time sequence of events and pattern of seismic energy release revealed a strong temporal clustering of events, similar to the behaviour commonly associated with seismic swarms.     

Test of the upper mantle low velocity layer in Siberia with surface waves

The existence of the upper mantle low velocity layer (LVL) below 100 km depth in cratonic areas is tested with surface waves dispersion curves. Given the ambient noise we find that a pronounced LVL (80 km thick and 2% velocity reduction or 40 km thick and 5% velocity reduction) can be distinguished from a constant velocity model by comparison of the fundamental mode group velocities, whereas a thin LVL (less than 40 km thick) with small velocity contrast (less than 2%) cannot be resolved. The fundamental modes of Love and Rayleigh waves have similar properties and, in general, the phase velocity differences are smaller than the standard error. Phase velocity alone cannot discriminate between the models, and the group velocity is in general more sensitive to the velocity structure than the phase velocity. The higher modes at short periods could potentially determine a LVL but in reality it is difficult to obtain sufficiently accurate measurements. We invert the synthetic dispersion curves by the non-linear Hedgehog inversion method. A pronounced LVL (more than 40 km thick and with a strong velocity contrast of about 5%) is detectable by the non-linear inversion but for a thin LVL with a strong velocity contrast it is not possible to resolve both velocity and thickness. In the inversions all solutions include a LVL for models with a pronounced LVL, whereas the solution space includes models with and without a LVL for models with a zero or positive gradient velocity–depth structure.We invert also real data with travel path across the Siberian craton with the Hedgehog method. Almost all solutions include a LVL in the depth range of 80–150 km with a velocity contrast up to 2% to the surrounding intervals. Hence, the LVL appears to be a common feature of the Siberian upper mantle, although a constant velocity at the same depth range cannot be totally excluded. Despite low resolution at large depth, a pronounced asthenospheric LVL below a depth of about 225 km is a constant characteristic of the set of solutions.     

Bioavailability of different chemical forms of dissolved silica can affect marine diatom growth

In this study, we demonstrate that dissolved silica obtained from mineral (crystalline quartz), biogenic amorphous (diatomaceous earth) and artificial amorphous sources (Aerosil) influence the growth rate of two marine diatoms, Chaetoceros sp. and Skeletonema marinoi. Diatoms were reared in four different experimental conditions in artificial seawater containing either dissolved silica previously obtained through dissolution of the mineral crystalline quartz or two amorphous substrates, biogenic diatomaceous earth or artificial Aerosil silica. Sodium metasilicate was used as control. When the silica in the different media reached concentrations higher than 107 μm , particles were eliminated by filtration and the diatom cells were inoculated. Maximum cell density, growth and silica assimilation rates of both species in the presence of dissolved silica derived from crystalline quartz and metasilicate were higher than those obtained with the other silica sources. These results are discussed against the background of previous geochemical studies that have shown that silica–water interactions are strictly dependent on the silica polymorphs involved and on the ionic composition of the solution. Our results demonstrate that the soluble silicon compounds generated in seawater by crystalline sources are highly bioavailable compared with those generated by biogenic and amorphous materials. These findings are potentially of considerable ecological importance and may contribute to clarifying anomalous spatial and temporal distributions of siliceous organisms with respect to the presence of lithogenic or biogenic silica sources in marine environments.