Mantle-derived magmatic gas releasing features at the Rehai area, Tengchong county, Yunnan Province, China

Abstract

This paper deals with the chemical and isotopic compositions of escaped gases from the Rehai geothermal area in Tengchong county of Yunnan Province. Results indicate that there is the mantle-derived magmatic intrusion in shallow crust at this area. Modern mantle-derived magmatic volatiles are being released currently in a steady stream by way of active faults. The escaped gases are mostly composed of CO 2 , together with subordinate amounts of H 2 S, N 2 , H 2 , CH 4 , SO 2 , CO and He. At the studied area, the north-south directed fault is the deepest, and it may be interlinked with the deep-seated thermal reservoir that would be directly recharged by the mantle-derived magmatic volatile. The He, C isotopic evidence reveals that the modern active magma beneath Rehai area may originate from the historical mantle-derived magma which caused the latest eruptive activity of volcanoes in that region.