Search results for "Eruption"

First gas and thermal measurements at the frequently erupting Gamalama volcano (Indonesia) reveal a hydrothermally dominated magmatic system

2020

Abstract The first gas and thermal measurements at the summit of the Gamalama volcano indicate that the system is dominated by hydrothermal processes. This is highlighted by the prevalence of H2S over SO2 (H2S/SO2 = 2–8), a high CO2/SO2 ratio (76–201), and a low heat transfer (3.0 MW) to the surface. A relative variation in gas composition is observed along the degassing fracture zone, possibly due to partial S scrubbing. Despite this surface hydrothermal signature, the system exhibits high gas equilibrium temperatures (425–480 °C), indicating that fluids are not exclusively derived from a boiling hydrothermal aquifer, but also sourced by cooling and crystallizing basaltic magma at deep tha…

S, Cl and F degassing as an indicator of volcanic dynamics: The 2001 eruption of Mount Etna

2002

[1] The recent eruption of Mount Etna (July 2001) offered the opportunity to analyze magma-derived volatiles emitted during pre- and syn-eruptive phases, and to verify whether their composition is affected by changes in volcanic dynamics. This paper presents the results of analyses of F, Cl and S in the volcanic plume collected by filter-packs, and interprets variations in the composition based on contrasting solubility in magmas. A Rayleigh-type degassing mechanism was used to fit the acquired data and to estimate Henry's solubility constant ratios in Etnean basalt. This model provided insights into the dynamics of the volcano. Abundances of sulfur and halogens in eruptive plumes may help …

Crater Gas Emissions and the Magma Feeding System of Stromboli Volcano

2013

Quiescent and explosive magma degassing at Stromboli volcano sustains high-temperature crater gas venting and a permanent volcanic plume which constitute key sources of information on the magma supply and dynamics, the physical processes controlling the explosive activity and, more broadly, the volcano feeding system. The chemical composition and the mass output of these crater emissions (gases, trace metals, radioactive isotopes) were measured using different methodologies: within-plume airborne measurements, ground-based plume filtering, and/or in situ analysis, remote UV and open-path Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy. The results obtained, summarized in this paper, demo…

Possible impacts of volcanic ash emissions of Mount Etna on the primary productivity in the oligotrophic Mediterranean Sea: Results from nutrient-rel…

2013

Atmospheric deposition of volcanic ash has recently been recognized as an important nutrient source into the surface ocean. Mount Etna (Italy), one of the world's most active volcanoes, is located in the oligotrophic Mediterranean Sea (MedSea). Despite the active volcanism on Mount Etna, the biogeochemical impacts of volcanic ash fallouts on the marine primary productivity (MPP) remain largely unknown. Here we present the results of seawater nutrient release experiments with volcanic ash samples from Mount Etna that have been collected during different eruptive episodes between 2001 and 2007. Our results show that volcanic ash from Mount Etna releases significant amounts of fixed-N (35-855 …

On the Volcanology of the West Eifel Maars

1987

The Quaternary alkali-basaltic volcanic field of the West Eifel is the classic maar region of the world. Related to the formation of the continental rift zone which extends through Central Europe, ultrabasic magmas rose from the upper mantle through the continental crust and fed 240 small volcanoes. Next to scoria cones with their lava flows, maars are most frequent and represent 25% of the volcanoes. Since 1820 and until 1970 their origin was mostly believed to be related to explosive exsolution of juvenile volatile phases. Since 1970, however, several authors have suggested that the West Eifel maars are phreatomagmatic in origin, i.e. rising magma contacted groundwater in near-surface lev…

Post-fragmentation vesiculation timescales in hydrous rhyolitic bombs from Chaitén volcano

2020

Abstract Bubble nucleation and growth dynamics exert a primary control on the explosivity of volcanic eruptions. Numerous theoretical and experimental studies aim to capture the complex process of melt vesiculation, whereas textural studies use vesicle populations to reconstruct magma behaviour. However, post-fragmentation vesiculation in rhyolitic bombs can create final quenched bubble (vesicle) textures that are not representative of the nature of fragmenting magma within the conduit. To examine bubble growth in hydrous rhyolitic bombs, we have used heated stage microscopy to directly observe vesiculation of a Chaiten rhyolite melt (with an initial dissolved water content of ~0.95 wt %) a…

Dynamics of mild strombolian activity on Mt. Etna

2015

Abstract Here we report the first measurements of gas masses released during a rare period of strombolian activity at the Bocca Nuova crater, Mt. Etna, Sicily. UV camera data acquired for 195 events over an ≈ 27 minute period (27th July 2012) indicate erupted SO2 masses ranging from ≈ 0.1 to ≈ 14 kg per event, with corresponding total gas masses of ≈ 0.1 to 74 kg. Thus, the activity was characterised by more frequent and smaller events than typically associated with strombolian activity on volcanoes such as Stromboli. Events releasing larger measured gas masses were followed by relatively long repose periods before the following burst, a feature not previously reported on from gas measureme…

2017

Strombolian volcanism is a ubiquitous form of activity, driven by the ascent and bursting of bubbles of slug morphology. Whilst considerable attention has been devoted to understanding the behaviour of individual slugs in this regime, relatively little is known about how inter-slug interactions modify flow conditions. Recently, we reported on high temporal frequency strombolian activity on Etna, in which the larger erupted slug masses were followed by longer intervals before the following explosion than the smaller bursts (Pering et al., 2015). We hypothesised that this behaviour arose from the coalescence of ascending slugs causing a prolonged lag before arrival of the next distinct bubble…

The 2007 eruption of Stromboli volcano: Insights from real-time measurement of the volcanic gas plume CO2/SO2 ratio

2009

Abstract The recent eruption of Stromboli in February–April 2007 offered a unique chance to test our current understanding of processes driving the transition from ordinary (persistent Strombolian) to effusive activity, and the ability of instrumental geophysical and geochemical networks to interpret and predict these events. Here, we report on the results of two years of in-situ sensing of the CO 2 /SO 2 ratio in Stromboli's volcanic gas plume, in the attempt to put constraints on the trigger mechanisms and dynamics of the eruption. We show that large variations of the plume CO 2 /SO 2 ratio (range, 0.9–26) preceded the onset of the eruption (since December 2007), interrupting a period of …

Insights Into the Mechanisms of Phreatic Eruptions From Continuous High Frequency Volcanic Gas Monitoring: Rincón de la Vieja Volcano, Costa Rica

2019

OVSICORI Understanding the trigger mechanisms of phreatic eruptions is key to mitigating the effects of these hazardous but poorly forecastable volcanic events. It has recently been established that high-rate volcanic gas observations are potentially very suitable to identifying the source processes driving phreatic eruptions, and to eventually detecting precursory changes prior to individual phreatic blasts. In February-May 2017, we deployed a Multi-GAS instrument to continuously monitor gas concentrations in the crater lake plume of Rincón de la Vieja, a remote and poorly monitored active volcano in Costa Rica, site of frequent phreatic/phreatomagmatic eruptions. Forty-two phreatic/phreat…