Search results for "LCA"

Volcanic-gas monitoring

2015

The environmental impact of volcanoes is closely related to the rates, style and chemistry of their gas emissions (Delmelle, 2003). Monitoring the composition and mass flux of volcanic gases is therefore central to understanding how volcanism impacts our planet, on both global and local scales. There are two main modes of volcanic-gas release on Earth (Chapter 14): (i) the impulsive emission of large quantities of gases during episodic, large-scale volcanic eruptions, and (ii) the far more sluggish, but persistent, passive gas release from quiescent or mildly erupting volcanoes. Characterising the chemical composition of impulsive emissions has remained a challenge, and direct measurements …

A Review of “Volcano and geothermal tourism: sustainable georesources for leisure and recreation”

2013

Chapter 16 Pre-eruptive vapour and its role in controlling eruption style and longevity at Soufrière Hills Volcano

2014

We use volatiles in melt inclusions and nominally anhydrous phenocrysts, with volcanic gas flux and composition, and textural analysis of mafic inclusions to estimate the mass of exsolved vapour prior to eruption at Soufriere Hills Volcano (SHV). Pre-eruptive andesite coexists with exsolved vapour comprising 1.6–2.4 wt% of the bulk magma. The water content of orthopyroxenes indicates a zone of magma storage at pressures of approximately 200–300 MPa, whereas melt inclusions have equilibrated at shallower pressures. Inclusions containing >3 wt% H2O are enriched in CO2, suggesting flushing with CO2-rich gases. Intruding mafic magma contains >8 wt% H2O at 200–300 MPa. Rapid quenching is accompa…

Mobility of plume-derived volcanogenic elements in meteoric water at Nyiragongo volcano (Congo) inferred from the chemical composition of single rain…

2017

The chemical composition of single rainfall events was investigated at Nyiragongo volcano (Democratic Republic of Congo) with the aim of determining the relative contributions of plume-derived elements. The different locations of the sampling sites allowed both plume-affected samples (hereafter referred to as “fumigated samples”) and samples representative of the local background to be collected. The chemical composition of the local background reflects the peculiar geographic features of the area, being influenced by biomass burning, geogenic dust, and biological activity. Conversely, fumigated samples contain large amounts of volcanogenic elements that can be clearly distinguished from th…

Signals and memory in tree-ring width and density data

2015

It has been suggested that maximum latewood density (MXD) should be used instead of tree-ring width (TRW) data to reconstruct post-volcanic cooling effects. A thorough assessment of high frequency signals and potentially differing memory effects in long MXD and TRW chronologies, in response to large volcanic eruptions, is still missing, however. We here present a compilation of MXD and TRW chronologies from 11 sites in the Northern Hemisphere, covering the past 750+ years, and containing significant June–August temperature signals. Basic assessment of the data using Superposed Epoch Analysis reveals a temporally extended response in TRW, by 2–3 years, to large volcanic eruptions, though pos…

The assessment of volcanic gas hazard by means of numerical models: An example from Vulcano Island (Sicily)

1999

Volcanic activity can inject large quantities of gases and aerosols into the atmosphere both during and between eruptions, creating a health risk for the local population. The paper describes how the volcanic gas concentration in the air can be computed by a flow model simulating the wind field over a digital terrain model of the volcano coupled with a Lagrangian particle model that uses the known (measured) gas emission rates to simulate gas dispersion. The coupling provides hazard maps for a number of meteorological conditions, introduced as boundary and initial conditions to the wind flow model, and permits the estimation of the risk both for actual and increased emission rates. An appli…

Application of field portable EDXRF spectrometry to analysis of pigments of Levantine rock art

2010

The results of the analyses of elemental composition of red and black pigments of Levantine rock art from La Saltadora rock shelters (Valltorta gorge, Castellon, Spain) are presented in this paper. Nondestructive analyses were carried out using a portable energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometer developed for in situ analysis. The results revealed the strong presence of calcium in all the analyzed locations due to the contribution of the underlying calcareous bedrock and the overlying crust. Iron is the main element detected in red pigments and manganese in black pigments. Iron and calcium ratios have been found indicative of the degree of preservation of the pictorial laye…

Benthic hydroids associated with volcanic structures from Bransfield Strait (Antarctica) collected by the Spanish Antarctic expedition GEBRAP96

2006

During the Spanish Antarctic expedition GEBRAP96 a survey to study the benthic fauna associated with deep volcanic structures in the Bransfield Strait was carried out. Amongst the benthic samples, a small collection of hydroids was gathered. A total of 10 species, most of them Leptothecata, was recorded; only two species of anthoathecates were present. Kirchenpaueriidae and Sertulariidae were the dominant families, and Symplectoscyphus and Oswaldella the predominant genera. Oswaldella niobae sp. nov. is described and figured. Since samples were taken at great depth, the lowest limit of the bathymetrical distribution for several species is distinctly increased. None of the samples showed sig…

Structural diversity and enzyme activity of volcanic soils at different stages of development and response to experimental disturbance

2008

We investigated the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) diversity and enzyme activities in soils from the volcano, Mt. Etna (Sicily). The soils were at sites which have been developing for different periods of time and have formed in volcanic lava of differing ages that have been supplemented with volcanic ejecta from subsequent eruptions. However, the plant communities indicated a marked successional difference between the sites and we have used this as a proxy for developmental stage. We have compared the structural and functional properties of the microbial communities in soils from the two sites and tested experimentally the hypothesis that the more diverse community was more resistant and r…

Active moss monitoring allows to identify and track distribution of metal(loid)s emitted from fumaroles on Vulcano Island, Italy

2014

Abstract Volatile metal(loid)s are known to be emitted from volcanoes worldwide. We tested the suitability of active moss monitoring for tracking volatile metal(loid)s released from the fumarolic field on Vulcano Island, Italy, and differentiated fumaroles from other sources of gaseous and particulate trace elements such as sea spray and soil. Metal(loid) accumulation on the mosses per day did depend neither on the state of the exposed moss (dead or living) nor exposure time (3, 6, or 9 weeks). After collection, mosses were digested with either HNO3/H2O2 or deionized water and analyzed by ICP-MS. While for most elements both extraction methods yielded similar concentrations, higher concentr…