Search results for "volcanic plume"

Lidar sounding of volcanic plumes

2013

ABSTRACT Accurate knowledge of gas composition in volcanic plumes has high scientific and societal value. On the one hand, it gives information on the geophysical processes taking place inside volcanos; on the other hand, it provides alert on possible eruptions. For this reasons, it has been suggested to monitor volcanic plumes by lidar. In particular, one of the aims of the FP7 ERC project BRIDGE is the measurement of CO 2 concentration in volcanic gases by differential absorption lidar. This is a very challenging task due to the harsh environment, the narrowness and weakness of the CO 2 absorption lines and the difficulty to procure a suitable laser source. This paper, after a review on r…

Strombolian eruptions and dynamics of magma degassing at Yasur Volcano (Vanuatu)

2020

Abstract Open vent basaltic volcanoes account for a substantial portion of the global atmospheric outgassing flux, largely through passive degassing and mild explosive activity. We present volcanic gas flux and composition data from Yasur Volcano, Vanuatu collected in July 2018. The average volcanic plume chemistry is characterised by a mean molar CO2/SO2 ratio of 2.14, H2O/SO2 of 148 and SO2/HCl of 1.02. The measured mean SO2 flux in the period of 6th to 9th July is 4.9 kg s−1. Therefore, the mean fluxes of the other species are 7.5 kg∙s−1 CO2, 208 kg∙s−1 H2O and 4.8 kg∙s−1 HCl. The degassing regime at Yasur volcano ranges from ‘passive’ to ‘active’ styles, with the latter including Stromb…

Ash-plume dynamics and eruption source parameters by infrasound and thermal imagery: The 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption

2013

During operational ash-cloud forecasting, prediction of ash concentration and total erupted mass directly depends on the determination of mass eruption rate (MER), which is typically inferred from plume height. Uncertainties for plume heights are large, especially for bent-over plumes in which the ascent dynamics are strongly affected by the surrounding wind field. Here we show how uncertainties can be reduced if MER is derived directly from geophysical observations of source dynamics. The combination of infrasound measurements and thermal camera imagery allows for the infrasonic type of source to be constrained (a dipole in this case) and for the plume exit velocity to be calculated (54–14…

Preliminary investigation into temporal variation of volcanic ash adherent water-soluble components at Stromboli volcano during 2004-2009 eruptive ac…

2009

A change in the chemical compositions of volcanic gases is one of the noticeable phenomena that frequently occurs prior to an eruption. Tephra in plumes can absorb and thereby rapidly deposit volatiles including sulphur, halogen and metal species. These may then be leached (e.g. by rainfall), potentially releasing heavy loads into soils and water bodies. Their analysis is a suitable supplement for remote monitoring of volcanic gases from inaccessible volcanoes. Freshly fallen ashes of the eruptive activity from 2004 to 2009 at Stromboli volcano were sampled, leached and analysed for major and trace elements. This study is aimed at determining the causes of the compositional variations of th…

2017

Abstract. The STRAP (Synergie Transdisciplinaire pour Répondre aux Aléas liés aux Panaches volcaniques) campaign was conducted over the entire year of 2015 to investigate the volcanic plumes of Piton de La Fournaise (La Réunion, France). For the first time, measurements at the local (near the vent) and at the regional scales were conducted around the island. The STRAP 2015 campaign has become possible thanks to strong cross-disciplinary collaboration between volcanologists and meteorologists. The main observations during four eruptive periods (85 days) are summarised. They include the estimates of SO2, CO2 and H2O emissions, the altitude of the plume at the vent and over different areas of …

Volcanic plume monitoring at Mount Etna by diffusive (passive) sampling

2004

[1] This paper reports the use of diffusive tubes in determining HF, HCl, and SO2 in the volcanic plume of Mount Etna in an attempt to highlight the potential of this method in studying volcanoes. In a first application a network of 18 diffusive tubes was installed on Etna's flanks, aimed at evaluating the atmospheric dispersion of the volcanic plume on a local scale. Results showed a monotonic decrease in volatile air concentrations with distance from the craters (HF from 0.15 to <0.003 μmol m−3, HCl from 2 to <0.01 μmol m−3, and SO2 from 11 to 0.04 μmol m−3), revealing the prevalently volcanic contribution. Matching of SO2/HCl and HCl/HF volatile ratios with contemporaneous measurements a…

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 …

Volcanic plume monitoring at mount Etna by diffusive(passive)sampling

2004

This paper reports the use of diffusive tubes in determining HF, HCI, and SO2 in the volcanic plume of Mount Etna in an attempt to highlight the potential of this method in studying volcanoes. In a first application a network of 18 diffusive tubes was installed on Etna's flanks, aimed at evaluating the atmospheric dispersion of the volcanic plume on a local scale. Results showed a monotonic decrease in volatile air concentrations with distance from the craters (HF from 0.15 to <0.003 μmol m-3 , HCl from 2 to <0.01 μmol m -3, and SO2 from 11 to 0.04 μmol m -3 ), revealing the prevalently volcanic contribution. Matching of SO2/HCl and HCl/HF volatile ratios with contemporaneous measurements a…

Stratospheric Aerosols After Pinatubo: Results from the 1991/2 Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition (AASE II)

1996

The Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition II involved measurements of key quantities concerning the chemistry and physics of the stratospheric ozone loss from the NASA operated DC-8 and ER-2 platforms. The series of AASE II flights was conducted between August 22, 1991, until March 26, 1992, from Moffett Field (California), Fairbanks (Alaska), and Bangor (Maine). The timing and location of the AASE II flights permitted to obtain a large data basis pertaining to the effects of the Mt. Pinatubo volcanic plume spreading in the northern hemispheric stratosphere. This contribution presents results obtained from the ER-2 in-situ measurements up to altitudes of ≈ 20 km in the polar stratosphere…

Trace elements in scalp hair of children chronically exposed to volcanic activity (Mt. Etna, Italy)

2014

Abstract The aim of this survey was to use scalp hair as a biomonitor to evaluate the environmental exposure to metals and metalloids of schoolchildren living around the Mt. Etna area, and to verify whether the degree of human exposure to trace elements is subject to changes in local environmental factors. Twenty trace elements were determined in 376 samples of scalp hair from schoolboys (11–13 years old) of both genders, living in ten towns located around the volcanic area of Mt. Etna (Sicily). The results were compared with those (215 samples) from children living in areas of Sicily characterized by a different geological setting (reference site). As, U and V showed much higher concentrat…