First In-Situ Measurements of Plume Chemistry at Mount Garet Volcano, Island of Gaua (Vanuatu)
Recent volcanic gas compilations have urged the need to expand in-situ plume measurements to poorly studied, remote volcanic regions. Despite being recognized as one of the main volcanic epicenters on the planet, the Vanuatu arc remains poorly characterized for its subaerial emissions and their chem...
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MDPI AG
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/20/7293 |
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| author | Joao Lages Yves Moussallam Philipson Bani Nial Peters Alessandro Aiuppa Marcello Bitetto Gaetano Giudice |
| author_facet | Joao Lages Yves Moussallam Philipson Bani Nial Peters Alessandro Aiuppa Marcello Bitetto Gaetano Giudice |
| author_sort | Joao Lages |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recent volcanic gas compilations have urged the need to expand in-situ plume measurements to poorly studied, remote volcanic regions. Despite being recognized as one of the main volcanic epicenters on the planet, the Vanuatu arc remains poorly characterized for its subaerial emissions and their chemical imprints. Here, we report on the first plume chemistry data for Mount Garet, on the island of Gaua, one of the few persistent volatile emitters along the Vanuatu arc. Data were collected with a multi-component gas analyzer system (multi-GAS) during a field campaign in December 2018. The average volcanic gas chemistry is characterized by mean molar CO<sub>2</sub>/SO<sub>2</sub>, H<sub>2</sub>O/SO<sub>2</sub>, H<sub>2</sub>S/SO<sub>2</sub> and H<sub>2</sub>/SO<sub>2</sub> ratios of 0.87, 47.2, 0.13 and 0.01, respectively. Molar proportions in the gas plume are estimated at 95.9 ± 11.6, 1.8 ± 0.5, 2.0 ± 0.01, 0.26 ± 0.02 and 0.06 ± 0.01, for H<sub>2</sub>O, CO<sub>2</sub>, SO<sub>2</sub>, H<sub>2</sub>S and H<sub>2</sub>. Using the satellite-based 10-year (2005–2015) averaged SO<sub>2</sub> flux of ~434 t d<sup>−1</sup> for Mt. Garet, we estimate a total volatile output of about 6482 t d<sup>−1</sup> (CO<sub>2</sub> ~259 t d<sup>−1</sup>; H<sub>2</sub>O ~5758 t d<sup>−1</sup>; H<sub>2</sub>S ~30 t d<sup>−1</sup>; H<sub>2</sub> ~0.5 t d<sup>−1</sup>). This may be representative of a quiescent, yet persistent degassing period at Mt. Garet; whilst, as indicated by SO<sub>2</sub> flux reports for the 2009–2010 unrest, emissions can be much higher during eruptive episodes. Our estimated emission rates and gas composition for Mount Garet provide insightful information on volcanic gas signatures in the northernmost part of the Vanuatu Arc Segment. The apparent CO<sub>2</sub>-poor signature of high-temperature plume degassing at Mount Garet raises questions on the nature of sediments being subducted in this region of the arc and the possible role of the slab as the source of subaerial CO<sub>2</sub>. In order to better address the dynamics of along-arc volatile recycling, more volcanic gas surveys are needed focusing on northern Vanuatu volcanoes. |
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| spelling | doaj.art-f047184981a74179a6059ad813db05512023-11-20T17:36:44ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172020-10-011020729310.3390/app10207293First In-Situ Measurements of Plume Chemistry at Mount Garet Volcano, Island of Gaua (Vanuatu)Joao Lages0Yves Moussallam1Philipson Bani2Nial Peters3Alessandro Aiuppa4Marcello Bitetto5Gaetano Giudice6Dipartimento DiSTeM, Università degli Studi di Palermo, 90123 Palermo, ItalyLamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USACNRS, IRD, OPGC, Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, FranceDepartment of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UKDipartimento DiSTeM, Università degli Studi di Palermo, 90123 Palermo, ItalyDipartimento DiSTeM, Università degli Studi di Palermo, 90123 Palermo, ItalyIstituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Osservatorio Etneo, 95125 Catania, ItalyRecent volcanic gas compilations have urged the need to expand in-situ plume measurements to poorly studied, remote volcanic regions. Despite being recognized as one of the main volcanic epicenters on the planet, the Vanuatu arc remains poorly characterized for its subaerial emissions and their chemical imprints. Here, we report on the first plume chemistry data for Mount Garet, on the island of Gaua, one of the few persistent volatile emitters along the Vanuatu arc. Data were collected with a multi-component gas analyzer system (multi-GAS) during a field campaign in December 2018. The average volcanic gas chemistry is characterized by mean molar CO<sub>2</sub>/SO<sub>2</sub>, H<sub>2</sub>O/SO<sub>2</sub>, H<sub>2</sub>S/SO<sub>2</sub> and H<sub>2</sub>/SO<sub>2</sub> ratios of 0.87, 47.2, 0.13 and 0.01, respectively. Molar proportions in the gas plume are estimated at 95.9 ± 11.6, 1.8 ± 0.5, 2.0 ± 0.01, 0.26 ± 0.02 and 0.06 ± 0.01, for H<sub>2</sub>O, CO<sub>2</sub>, SO<sub>2</sub>, H<sub>2</sub>S and H<sub>2</sub>. Using the satellite-based 10-year (2005–2015) averaged SO<sub>2</sub> flux of ~434 t d<sup>−1</sup> for Mt. Garet, we estimate a total volatile output of about 6482 t d<sup>−1</sup> (CO<sub>2</sub> ~259 t d<sup>−1</sup>; H<sub>2</sub>O ~5758 t d<sup>−1</sup>; H<sub>2</sub>S ~30 t d<sup>−1</sup>; H<sub>2</sub> ~0.5 t d<sup>−1</sup>). This may be representative of a quiescent, yet persistent degassing period at Mt. Garet; whilst, as indicated by SO<sub>2</sub> flux reports for the 2009–2010 unrest, emissions can be much higher during eruptive episodes. Our estimated emission rates and gas composition for Mount Garet provide insightful information on volcanic gas signatures in the northernmost part of the Vanuatu Arc Segment. The apparent CO<sub>2</sub>-poor signature of high-temperature plume degassing at Mount Garet raises questions on the nature of sediments being subducted in this region of the arc and the possible role of the slab as the source of subaerial CO<sub>2</sub>. In order to better address the dynamics of along-arc volatile recycling, more volcanic gas surveys are needed focusing on northern Vanuatu volcanoes.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/20/7293VanuatuGauaMount GaretMulti-GASvolcanic gas compositionsvolatile fluxes |
| spellingShingle | Joao Lages Yves Moussallam Philipson Bani Nial Peters Alessandro Aiuppa Marcello Bitetto Gaetano Giudice First In-Situ Measurements of Plume Chemistry at Mount Garet Volcano, Island of Gaua (Vanuatu) Applied Sciences Vanuatu Gaua Mount Garet Multi-GAS volcanic gas compositions volatile fluxes |
| title | First In-Situ Measurements of Plume Chemistry at Mount Garet Volcano, Island of Gaua (Vanuatu) |
| title_full | First In-Situ Measurements of Plume Chemistry at Mount Garet Volcano, Island of Gaua (Vanuatu) |
| title_fullStr | First In-Situ Measurements of Plume Chemistry at Mount Garet Volcano, Island of Gaua (Vanuatu) |
| title_full_unstemmed | First In-Situ Measurements of Plume Chemistry at Mount Garet Volcano, Island of Gaua (Vanuatu) |
| title_short | First In-Situ Measurements of Plume Chemistry at Mount Garet Volcano, Island of Gaua (Vanuatu) |
| title_sort | first in situ measurements of plume chemistry at mount garet volcano island of gaua vanuatu |
| topic | Vanuatu Gaua Mount Garet Multi-GAS volcanic gas compositions volatile fluxes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/20/7293 |
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