Volcanic Gas Monitoring Research Articles

Heat transport process associated with the 2021 eruption of Aso volcano revealed by thermal and gas monitoring

The thermal activity of a magmatic–hydrothermal system commonly changes at various stages of volcanic activity. Few studies have provided an entire picture of the thermal activity of such a system over an eruptive cycle, which is essential for understanding the subsurface heat transport process that culminates in an eruption. This study quantitatively evaluated a sequence of thermal activity associated with two phreatic eruptions in 2021 at Aso volcano. We estimated plume-laden heat discharge rates and corresponding H2O flux during 2020–2022 by using two simple methods. We then validated the estimated H2O flux by comparison with volcanic gas monitoring results. Our results showed that the heat discharge rate varied substantially throughout the eruptive cycle. During the pre-eruptive quiescent period (June 2020–May 2021), anomalously large heat discharge (300–800 MW) were observed that were likely due to enhanced magma convection degassing. During the run-up period (June–October 2021), there was no evident change in heat discharge (300–500 MW), but this was accompanied by simultaneous pressurization and heating of an underlying hydrothermal system. These signals imply progress of partial sealing of the hydrothermal system. In the co-eruptive period, the subsequent heat supply from a magmatic region resulted in additional pressurization, which led to the first eruption (October 14, 2021). The heat discharge rates peaked (2000–4000 MW) the day before the second eruption (October 19, 2021), which was accompanied by sustained pressurization of the magma chamber that eventually resulted in a more explosive eruption. In the post-eruptive period, enhanced heat discharge (~ 1000 MW) continued for four months, and finally returned to the background level of the quiescent period (< 300 MW) in early March 2022. Despite using simple models, we quantitatively tracked transient thermal activity and revealed the underlying heat transport processes throughout the Aso 2021 eruptive activity.Graphical abstract

Noble gas isotopes reveal degassing-derived eruptions at Deception Island (Antarctica): implications for the current high levels of volcanic activity

Deception Island is one of the most active volcanoes in Antarctica with more than twenty explosive eruptions in the past two centuries. Any future volcanic eruption(s) is a serious concern for scientists and tourists, will be detrimental to marine ecosystems and could have an impact to global oceanographic processes. Currently, it is not possible to carry-out low and high frequency volcanic gas monitoring at Deception Island because of the arduous climatic conditions and its remote location. Helium, neon and argon isotopes measured in olivine samples of the main eruptive events (pre-, syn- and post caldera) offer insights into the processes governing its volcanic history. Our results show that: (i) ascending primitive magmas outgassed volatiles with a MORB-like helium isotopic signature (3He/4He ratio); and (ii) variations in the He isotope ratio, as well as intensive degassing evidenced by fractionated 4He/40Ar* values, occurred before the beginning of the main eruptive episodes. Our results show how the pre-eruptive noble gas signals of volcanic activity is an important step toward a better understanding of the magmatic dynamics and has the potential to improve eruption forecasting.

Spatio-temporal changes in degassing behavior at Stromboli volcano derived from two co-exposed SO2 camera stations

Improving volcanic gas monitoring techniques is central to better understanding open-vent, persistently degassing volcanoes. SO2 cameras are increasingly used in volcanic gas studies, but observations are commonly limited to one single camera alone viewing the volcanic plume from a specific viewing direction. Here, we report on high frequency (0.5 Hz) systematic measurements of the SO2 flux at Stromboli, covering a 1-year long observation period (June 2017-June 2018), obtained from two permanent SO2 cameras using the same automated algorithm, but imaging the plume from two different viewing directions. Our aim is to experimentally validate the robustness of automatic SO2 camera for volcano monitoring and to demonstrate the advantage of using two co-exposed SO2 camera stations to better capturing degassing dynamics at open-vent volcanoes. The SO2 flux time-series derived from the two SO2 camera stations exhibit good match, demonstrating the robustness of the automatic SO2 camera method. Our high-temporal resolution SO2 records resolve individual Strombolian explosions as transient, repetitive gas bursts produced by the sudden release of over pressurized gas pockets and scoriae. Calculations show that explosive degassing activity accounts for ∼10% of the total SO2 emission budget (dominated by passive degassing) during mild regular open-vent activity. We show that the temporal variations of the explosive SO2 flux go in tandem with changes in total SO2 flux and VLP seismicity, implicating some commonality in the source processes controlling passive degassing and explosive activity. We exploited the spatial resolution of SO2 camera to discriminate degassing at two distinct regions of the crater area, and to minimize biases due by the station position respect to the target plume. We find that the SO2 fluxes from southwest-central (SWCC) and northeast (NEC) crater areas oscillate coherently but those from the NEC are more sensitive to the changes in the volcanic intensity. We interpret this as due to preferential gas/magma channeling into the structurally weaker north-eastern portion of the crater terrace in response to increasing supply rate of buoyant, bubble-rich magma in the shallow plumbing system.

Sources of CH4 with variable carbon isotopes from Changbaishan volcano in NE China: Implications for the feeding system

We report methane (CH4) with variable carbon isotopes (between −60.9‰ and − 26.8‰) from Changbaishan, the most dangerous volcano in NE China. Furthermore, recent chemical and isotopic data of He, CO2, and CH4 in hot spring gases at Changbaishan volcano are also presented. Bubbling gas samples were collected periodically from 2014 to 2019 in three hot spring areas in the Changbaishan volcanic field: one on the shoreline of the Tianchi caldera lake and two on the north and southwest flanks. The helium isotopes of the bubbling gases from the three hot spring areas suggested a major magmatic source, up to 5.8 Ra (where Ra represents the atmospheric 3He/4He ratios). However, the CH4 exhibited a biotic signature in carbon isotopes (δ13C) as low as −60.9‰, and the concentrations of CH4 among the three hot spring areas exhibited remarkable variations from 0.02% to 17.04%. After evaluating the influence of air contamination, crustal and organic contributions, and thermodynamic processes, we suggest that CH4 from the three hot spring areas primarily originated from two sources: (1) a previously formed gas reservoir in the crust with significant contributions from the ancient subductions and (2) the MORB-like materials from the present upwelling asthenosphere. Based on these observations, we propose a model to explain the processes that formed these two sources, which demonstrates the existence of ancient subduction fluids in the subcontinental lithospheric mantle. In addition, our study of volcanic gases does not support the conspicuous material connections between the subducting west Pacific slab and Changbaishan volcano. Finally, based on our results, suggestions for volcanic gas monitoring at the Changbaishan volcano are provided.

Theoretical estimates of equilibrium sulfur isotope effects among aqueous polysulfur and associated compounds with applications to authigenic pyrite formation and hydrothermal disproportionation reactions

Inorganic polysulfur compounds (polysulfides, Sx2-; polysulfur radical ions, Sx·-; thiosulfate, S2O32-; polythionate, SxO62-; elemental sulfur, e.g. S8) participate in numerous geochemical processes related to the sulfur cycle. These include authigenic pyrite formation in sediments undergoing early stages of diagenesis, reactions associated with magmatic-hydrothermal processes, and numerous other aquatic sulfur redox processes (e.g., pyrite and sulfide oxidation). Sulfur isotope fractionations among many of these and associated compounds (e.g., H2S, HSO4-) are either unknown or unconstrained over wide ranges of temperatures. We present theoretical estimates of equilibrium sulfur isotope fractionation factors among aqueous polysulfur compounds (including select polysulfides, polysulfur radical anions, and polythionates) and select aqueous sulfide and sulfate compounds that correspond to all three stable isotope ratios of sulfur (33S/32S, 34S/32S, 36S/32S). Our estimates are based on electronic structure calculations performed at the B3LYP/6–31+G(d,p) level of theory and basis set implemented in concert with an explicit solvation model whereby molecules are encapsulated in water clusters of varying size (30–52 H2O) to simulate the aqueous solvation environment. These calculations yield relatively small magnitude fractionation factors between aqueous polysulfides, polysulfur radicals, and reduced sulfur moieties in polythionates relative to the aqueous sulfide compounds but reveal numerous crossovers that result in non-intuitive temperature dependencies. Our predictions of 34S/32S-based fractionation factors among aqueous sulfur compounds generally agree with previous experimental constraints where available within estimated uncertainties (e.g., HSO4-/H2S(aq), H2S(aq)/HS-, HSO4-/S0, H2S(aq)/S0). We use our calculations to explore equilibrium isotope fractionations among polysulfur and sulfide compounds that are precursors to authigenic pyrite in the framework of established mechanisms (e.g., the polysulfide mechanism). We examine possible explanations for why pyrite formation may be associated with relatively small isotope fractionation with respect to precursor aqueous sulfur compounds. We additionally use our theoretical calculations to constrain multiple sulfur isotope (33S/32S, 34S/32S, 36S/32S) mass balance models associated with the abiotic hydrolytic disproportionation of intermediate sulfur compounds (SO2, S8, S3·-) relevant to hydrothermal-magmatic-volcanic systems in order to illustrate the potential for subtle but potentially resolvable effects expressed in values of Δ33S and Δ36S associated with these processes. We apply a SO2 disproportionation mass balance model based on previous work but newly constrained by our theoretical calculations to (hyper-) acid crater lakes associated with active volcanoes, and newly highlight the potential for the utility of multiple sulfur isotope analyses in volcanic gas monitoring and constraining sulfur cycling processes in such systems.

Intercomparison of geochemical techniques at La Soufrière de Guadeloupe (FWI) volcano: their advantages and their limits over a long-standing unrest

Volcanic gas emissions from the main low-temperature fumaroles (around 100°C) of one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the Lesser Antilles, La Soufriere de Guadeloupe, are measured routinely using direct sampling with NaOH bottles (for H2O, CO2, H2Stot, H2, CH4, CO, N2, He, Ar, O2), with P2O5 bottles (for H2O, CO2, H2S, SO2, H) and MULTIGAS (for HO, CO HS, SO, H). This allows us to perform a study about an intercomparison of volcanic gas monitoring methologies. The results show some good overlap and similar temporal evolution between the dataset of the different methologies, which is of utmost of importance for monitoring purposes. However, there is no good agreement between the three methodologies for the same chemical ratio. The differences could be explained by a time- dependant diffusive phenomenon that affects the concentrations of sampled gases for two methods of the three (P2O5 bottles and MULTIGAS). P2O5-based analyses are affected because effusion on rapid decompression and fast sampling affects the gas volume in the pipeline connecting the vent outlet to the sampling. Although MULTIGAS is a continuous, flow-through, sampling method, results are likely affected because of the sampling architecture involving filter and pump. Moreover, sulphur reaction (precipitation of elemental S upon exit from the fumarole, conversion of H2S to SO2, chemical reaction with the P2O5 powder that release H2S) and water condensation can also explain some discrepancies.

VGAM: Compact and Low‐Power Mass Spectrometer‐Based Instrumentation for Volcanic Gas Monitoring

AbstractCompact mass spectrometers (MSs) can provide simultaneous multispecies analysis with high sensitivity and precision. For volcanic gas monitoring in situ, instrumental mass spectrometry requires reliability and ruggedness combined with low power usage and portability. The Volcanic Gas Analytical Monitor (VGAM) is capable of quantitative molecular analysis of a variety of atmospheric and volcanic gases in a single sensor by ion trap mass spectrometry. These gases include H2, He, H2O, N2, O2, Ar, NO, N2O, CO, CO2, H2S, SO, SO2, and CH4. Unlike previous field instruments using magnetic sector and quadrupole MSs with vacuums backed by compact turbomolecular pumps, the VGAM uses a low‐power autoresonant ion trap MS and nonevaporable getter‐ion pumped vacuum that operates at only 25‐W total power, which is often the power requirement for just the MS. Ratiometric mass spectral response is combined with total pressure measurements to report absolute partial pressures. Data are generated in real time and are recorded to internal flash memory. Relatively low power (&lt;1 W) data telemetry to remote sites is possible. Analysis of volcanic plumes, fumaroles, and solfatara fields is accomplished by direct inlet of gases, after trapping as much excess water vapor in both the external and internal foreline as possible. We report herein on the VGAM autorun and postprocessing procedures, initial calibration results for CO2, and the results of a brief field deployment at Sulfur Banks solfatara field, Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii.

Extensive CO2 degassing in the upper mantle beneath oceanic basaltic volcanoes: First insights from Piton de la Fournaise volcano (La Réunion Island)

In spite of its major role on the atmospheric volatile budget, climate, and tracking magmatic transfers, mantle (CO2) degassing below volcanoes is still poorly understood. Most of the studies on this scientific topic lack constraint on the CO2 concentration of primary melts, the depth at which it starts degassing, and the extent of this process in the mantle. In this study of Piton de la Fournaise (PdF) volcano, we couple geochemistry of low solubility gases (He, Ar, CO2, δ13C) in fluid inclusions (FIs) and petro-chemistry of magmatic inclusions on a set of olivine and clinopyroxene crystals from basalts and ultramafic enclaves.We constrain basaltic melt degassing at PdF over a large pressure range (from 4 GPa up to the surface). Based on CO2-He-Ar systematics, we infer that extensive degassing occurs already in the upper mantle (4–1 GPa) and it is favored by multiple steps of magma ponding and differentiation up to the mantle-crust underplating depth (0.4 GPa). Thus, we calculate that basaltic melts injected at crustal depth (<0.4 GPa) have already exsolved ∼94 ± 5 wt% of their primary CO2 content in accordance with (1) the evolved and degassed signature of erupted lavas and (2) the weakness of inter-eruptive gas emissions in the active area bearing low-temperature vapor-dominated fumaroles. Our results at PdF strongly contrast with previous findings on other ocean island volcanoes having a higher magma production rate and faster magma ascent, like Kilauea (Hawaii), whose basalts experience only limited extent of differentiation and degassing. We propose that extensive degassing already in the upper mantle can be a common process for many volcanoes of the Earth and is tightly dependent on the dynamics of magma ascent and differentiation across multiple ponding zones.Based on the modeling developed in this study, we propose a new estimation of the CO2 content (up to 3.5 ± 1.4 wt%) in primary basaltic melts at PdF leading to a carbon content in the mantle source of 716 ± 525 ppm. This new estimation is considerably higher than the few previous calculations performed for Ocean Island Basalts (OIB) systems. Another implication of this work involves the possible bias between the δ13C measured in volcanic gas emissions (<−6‰) and that of primary vapour phase (−0.5 ± 0.5‰) constrained in this work. This bias would confirm the early step of extensive CO2 degassing within the upper mantle and could represent an alternative for the hypotheses of carbon recycling or mantle heterogeneity in support of the low δ13C signature of some mantle reservoirs. This study bears significant implications on the global budget of volcanic volatile emissions, chiefly regarding the contribution of past and future emissions of volcanic CO2 to climate dynamics, and on volcanic gas monitoring.

火山ガス観測による噴火予知研究の現状と展望(＜特集＞火山学50年間の発展と将来)

火山ガス観測による噴火予知研究の現状と展望(＜特集＞火山学50年間の発展と将来)

화산가스의 채취 및 분석에 대한 기술보고

화산가스의 측정법은 크게 원격 측정법과 직접 채취법이 있다. 원격 측정법에서 COSPEC는 <TEX>$SO_2$</TEX>를, Li-COR는 <TEX>$CO_2$</TEX>를, FT-IR는 다양한 화산가스를 측정한다. 하지만 주변 수계의 영향으로 백두산의 화산가스 농도가 낮아 원격 측정법에 의한 화산가스의 분석은 불가능하다. 대신 직접 채취법은 화산체에서 분출하는 화산가스를 직접 채취해 분석하는 방법으로 화산가스의 농도가 낮은 백두산에 적용할 수 있다. 직접 채취법은 포집방법에 따라서 진공병법과 관류병법이 있으며, 포집용액에 따라 Giggenbach method, <TEX>$NH_4OH$</TEX> method, acid condensate method로 나뉜다. 직접 채취법에 의해 얻은 시료는 전처리 과정을 거친 후 포집용액과 화산가스의 종류에 따라서 GC, IC, HPLC, 적정법, TOC-IC, ICP-MS 등을 이용해 분석한다. 최근 들어 백두산이 가까운 장래에 다시 분출할 것이라는 징후가 속속 보고되고 있다. 하지만, 현재 우리나라는 화산가스의 채취 및 분석법이 확립되지 않은 실정이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 지금까지 보고된 다양한 화산가스의 측정법을 검토하고, 이들 중 백두산 화산가스의 측정에 활용 가능한 기법을 상술했다. The monitoring methods for volcanic gases are divided into remote sensing and direct gas sampling approaches. In the remote sensing approach, COSPEC and Li-COR are used to measure <TEX>$SO_2$</TEX> and <TEX>$CO_2$</TEX>, respectively, with FT-IR for detection of a range of volcanic gases. However, the remote sensing approach is not applicable to Mt. Baegdu, where the atmospheric contents of volcanic gases are very low as a result of the strong interaction of volcanic gases with the nearby surface water and groundwater. On the other hand, the direct gas sampling approach involves the collection of volcanic gases from volcanic vents or fumaroles and the subsequent laboratory analysis, thus making it possible to measure even very low levels of volcanic gases. The direct sampling approach can be subdivided into the evacuated bottle method and the flow-through bottle method. In applying both methods, sampling bottles typically contain reaction media to trap specific volcanic gases. For example, NaOH solution(Giggenbach bottle), <TEX>$NH_4OH$</TEX> solution, and acid condensates have been experimented for volcanic gas sampling. Once taken from vents and fumaroles, the samples of volcanic gases are pretreated and subsequently analyzed for volcanic gases using GC, IC, HPLC, titrimetry, TOC-IC, or ICP-MS. Recently, there has been the increasing number of evidences on the potential volcanic activity of Mt. Baegdu. However, little technical development has been made for the sampling and analysis of volcanic gases in Korea. In the present work, we reviewed various volcanic gas monitoring methods, and provided the detailed information on the monitoring methods applied to Mt. Baegdu.

Leachate analyses of volcanic ashes from Stromboli volcano: A proxy for the volcanic gas plume composition?

[1] Many volcanoes show a change in chemical composition of the gas phase prior to periods of eruptive activity. Fine-grained tephra erupted from active vents and transported through volcanic plumes can adsorb, and therefore rapidly scavenge, volatile elements such as sulfur, halogens, and metal species in the form of soluble salts adhering to ash surfaces. Analysis of such water-soluble surface materials is a suitable supplement for remote monitoring of volcanic gases at inaccessible volcanoes. In this work, ash samples of the 2004 to 2009 eruptive activity of Stromboli volcano were sampled, leached, and analyzed for major and trace elements. Data analysis and interpretation was focused on determining the relationship between chemical composition of water-soluble components adhering to volcanic ash and the volcano's activity state. First results show significant temporal variations in ash leachate compositions, reflecting changes in the eruptive style of the volcano. In particular, we reveal that ash leachates S/F and Mg/Na ratios showed marked increases prior to a large-scale explosion on 15 March 2007.

Iceland Eruptions Fuel Interest in Volcanic Gas Monitoring

Icelandic researchers and civil protection officials are continually analyzing several streams of data to make educated guesses about the duration and size of the eruption on Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano that on Wednesday, 14 April, turned into a nightmare for airlines and passengers across Europe.

Network for Observation of Volcanic and Atmospheric Change (NOVAC)—A global network for volcanic gas monitoring: Network layout and instrument description

This paper presents the global project Network for Observation of Volcanic and Atmospheric Change (NOVAC), the aim of which is automatic gas emission monitoring at active volcanoes worldwide. Data from the network will be used primarily for volcanic risk assessment but also for geophysical research, studies of atmospheric change, and ground validation of satellite instruments. A novel type of instrument, the scanning miniaturized differential optical absorption spectroscopy (Mini‐DOAS) instrument, is applied in the network to measure volcanic gas emissions by UV absorption spectroscopy. The instrument is set up 5–10 km downwind of the volcano under study, and typically two to four instruments are deployed at each volcano in order to cover different wind directions and to facilitate measurements of plume height and plume direction. Two different versions of the instrument have been developed. Version I was designed to be a robust and simple instrument for measurement of volcanic SO2 emissions at high time resolution with minimal power consumption. Version II was designed to allow the best possible spectroscopy and enhanced flexibility in regard to measurement geometry at the cost of larger complexity, power consumption, and price. In this paper the project is described, as well as the developed software, the hardware of the two instrument versions, measurement strategies, data communication, and archiving routines. As of April 2009 a total of 46 instruments have been installed at 18 volcanoes worldwide. As a typical example, the installation at Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador is described, together with some results from the first 21 months of operation at this volcano.

Chemical monitoring of volcanic gas using remote FT-IR spectroscopy at several active volcanoes in Japan

Abstract Chemical compositions of volcanic gases of several Japanese active volcanoes have been monitored from distant safe places since the beginning of the 1990s using an FT-IR spectral radiometer. For absorption measurements, an infrared light source behind volcanic gas emissions is necessary in a volcanic environment. In the early observations, infrared radiation from hot lava domes (Unzen volcano) and hot ground heated by high-temperature fumaroles (Usu, Aso, and Satsuma-Iwojima volcanoes) were used as infrared light sources. However, these sources were not available in many cases. This remote FT-IR method became more commonly applied to chemical monitoring of volcanic gases emitted from the summit or slopes of active volcanoes using scattered solar infrared light as infrared light sources (Sakurajima, Miyakejima, and Asama volcanoes). To date, eight species have been measured using this method: SO2, HCl, HF, CO, CO2, COS, SiF4, and H2O. The observations indicate that volcanic gases for each volcano have different chemical composition on a SO2–HCl–HF ternary diagram in spite of similar tectonic settings, suggesting that vapor/melt volume ratios during volcanic gas formation differ among volcanoes. During more than 15 years of monitoring, chemical changes in volcanic gases attributable to ascent of magma were observed only at Asama, where HCl/SO2 and HF/HCl ratios in the eruptive period were higher than those in non-eruptive period because of scrubbing of more soluble components in surface hydrothermal systems in the non-eruptive stage or solubility-controlled fractionation processes. Results show that these parameters are the most prospective ones among the various parameters measured using the remote FT-IR method to monitor volcanic activities.

Computed tomography reconstruction of SO2 concentration distribution in the volcanic plume of Miyakejima, Japan, by airborne traverse technique using three UV spectrometers

We present here a new method for measuring the SO2 concentration distribution in a volcanic plume cross‐section, by using the airborne traverse technique with three UV spectrometers and calculating a computed tomography (CT) reconstruction. Our observation requires only one traverse, and is as easy as conventional measurements of SO2 flux. The plume is traverse scanned using three UV spectrometers aligned at three different zenith angles, and a CT technique initially designed for air pollutant monitoring was improved by using ‘Akaike's Bayesian Information Criterion' (ABIC). We applied this method to a volcanic plume at 10 km downwind from the caldera of Miyakejima volcano in Aug. 2004. The results of the application show that the profile of the plumes significantly changed in only a matter of a few minutes. Due to the flexibility and ease of the observation procedure, this method is widely applicable to various fields and shows promise in volcanic gas monitoring.

Isotopic fractionation of SO2 and H2S gases during the absorption by KOH solution, with the application to volcanic gas monitoring at Miyakejima Island, Japan

The chemical trap method has been used for monitoring of volcanic activity. In this method, a strong alkaline water solution was exposed in ambient air. Acidic gases, such as SO2, H2S, HCl and HF are absorbed in KOH solution without any instrumental support. For sulfur isotopic monitoring with this method, however, a sulfur isotopic fractionation between fumarolic gas and sulfur trapped in KOH solution occurs (Sakai and Ueda, 1984). In this study, the magnitude of isotopic fractionation was experimentally determined for SO2 and H2S gases. The δ34S of SO2 and H2S gases absorbed by KOH solution is, respectively, 2.4 and 6.5‰ lower than the gases in air, which agreed with the theoretical prediction based on molecular diffusion of SO2 and H2S in air. The KOH solution trap method was applied to the volcanic gas at Miyakejima. The δ34S of the KOH solution gradually increased from 2001 to the summer of 2002, then abruptly decreased. After the summer of 2002, the δ34S of KOH solution again gradually increased until 2005. The increase of δ34S in both periods can be explained by open system degassing of magma. A value of -0.3 to -1.0 for 1000lnαgas-magma produces the increase in the δ34S, where αgas-magma is the fractionation factor between gas and magma. The fractionation factor αgas-magma is a function of oxygen fugacity (ΔNNO). The value of +0.6 to +1.2 for ΔNNO required to obtain -0.3 to -1.0 for 1000lnαgas-magma is significantly higher than the oxygen fugacity of magma estimated petrologically by Yasuda et al. (2001), suggesting a disequilibrium between gas and magma in terms of oxygen fugacity. The intrinsic δ34SCDT was estimated to be +4.4 to +5.7‰ for the magma of Miyakejima, which is consistent with the value of Quaternary volcanoes in the Japanese island arc estimated by Ueda and Sakai (1984).

Method allows for continuous monitoring of volcanic gases

Many ongoing geophysical and geochemical studies are attempting to understand how volcanoes work and to forecast volcanic eruptions. While many geophysical methodologies for studying volcanoes have been completely standardized, continuous geochemical monitoring in active volcanic areas is still in its infancy.One reason geochemical approaches lag behind geophysical ones is because current technologies are not able to cope with prohibitive environmental conditions. The development of techniques that allow monitoring of geochemical parameters in the harsh environments of active volcanoes should be a goal to achieve within a decade.

Intercomparison of volcanic gas monitoring methodologies performed on Vulcano Island, Italy

Volcanic gas emissions from fumaroles on the rim of La Fossa crater, Vulcano Island, Italy, were measured simultaneously using direct sampling (for H2O, CO2, total sulfur, HCl and HF), filter packs (for SO2, HCl, HF) and short‐path active‐mode FTIR measurements (for H2O, CO2, SO2, HCl and HF) in an intercomparison study in May 2002. The results show that Cl/F ratios were in good agreement between all three methods, and that FTIR and direct sampling determined comparable proportions of CO2 and H2O. Amounts of total S observed in direct sampling data were approximately double the amounts of SO2 measured with filter packs and FTIR. This difference could be attributed either to the fact FTIR and filter packs do not measure reduced sulfur species (e.g., H2S) or to sublimation of elemental S upon exit from the fumarole, after collection by direct sampling but before detection with FTIR and filter packs.

Mass spectrometry for in-situ volcanic gas monitoring

The principle behind volcanic gas monitoring is that changes in the rate and the composition of the gaseous emissions are associated with major subsurface movement of magma. There has been increased attention directed towards measurements of volcanic gaseous emissions in order to gain a better comprehension of the precursor signals of eruptive activity. There is also a new appreciation of the hazards that gaseous emissions from volcanic sites pose to their immediate surrounding as well as their effects on the atmosphere and global climate. In-situ mass-spectrometer measurements of volcanic gaseous emissions were conducted at several fumarolic sites using a commercial quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS-300, from SRS Inc) and demonstrated the usefulness of this analytical technique for real-time continuous volcanic gas monitoring applications. The gas concentrations obtained by the MS were in agreement with the values obtained using gas chromatography (GC) at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. In addition, the C/S ratios measured by the MS, using both traditional bottle sampling and in-situ sampling, were found to be very similar. Other gases, such as helium, which it is not possible to monitor with any other continuous technique currently available to volcanologists, were easily detected by the mass spectrometer. The field measurements also provided instrument-performance parameters for an ideal field-deployable mass spectrometer. This is the first of a series of articles aiming at the development of a network of mass spectrometers connected via the Internet for real-time, continuous volcanic gaseous emissions monitoring.

Chemical and isotopic analysis using diode laser spectroscopy: applications to volcanic gas monitoring

We report on a diode-laser-based spectrometer, operating at a wavelength of 2 μm, which enables for simultaneous measurements of CO 2 and H 2O concentrations in gaseous mixtures with high precision and accuracy. We implemented the very simple approach of a direct measurement of absorption in a multiple reflection cell with a pathlength of 50 m. Gas concentration is simply retrieved from the integrated absorbance, without using calibration cells. The spectrometer is equipped with single-mode optical fibers in order to probe remote environments. The possible application in volcanic areas will be discussed. We also investigated the possibility to measure the isotopic ratio 13CO 2/ 12CO 2, which is another relevant parameter for monitoring volcanic activity.