The control of magma crystallinity on the fluctuations in gas composition at open vent basaltic volcanoes

Basaltic open vent volcanoes are major global sources of volcanic gases. Many of these volcanoes outgas via intermittent Strombolian-type explosions separated by periods of passive degassing. The gas emitted during the explosions has high molar CO2/SO2 and SO2/HCl ratios, while during the passive degassing these ratios are lower. We present new laboratory experiments in a model volcanic conduit, which suggest that these differences in gas geochemistry are a consequence of gas migration through crystal-rich magma. We show that gas may flow along channels through the particle-laden liquid and, at a critical depth, the gas may displace an overlying crystal-rich plug en masse, producing a growing slug of gas. Owing to the friction on the walls of the conduit, this plug becomes progressively sheared and weakened until gas enriched in the least soluble volatiles breaks through, causing an explosion at the surface. When the gas slug bursts, liquid is drawn up in its wake, which exsolves the more soluble volatile components, which then vent passively at the surface until the next explosive slug-bursting event

On the use of plume models to estimate the flux in volcanic gas plumes.

Many of the standard volcanic gas flux measurement approaches involve absorption spectroscopy in combination with wind speed measurements. Here, we present a new method using video images of volcanic plumes to measure the speed of convective structures combined with classical plume theory to estimate volcanic fluxes. We apply the method to a nearly vertical gas plume at Villarrica Volcano, Chile, and a wind-blown gas plume at Mount Etna, Italy. Our estimates of the gas fluxes are consistent in magnitude with previous reported fluxes obtained by spectroscopy and electrochemical sensors for these volcanoes. Compared to conventional gas flux measurement techniques focusing on SO2, our new model also has the potential to be used for sulfur-poor plumes in hydrothermal systems because it estimates the H2O flux

On the use of plume models to estimate the flux in volcanic gas plumes.

Many of the standard volcanic gas flux measurement approaches involve absorption spectroscopy in combination with wind speed measurements. Here, we present a new method using video images of volcanic plumes to measure the speed of convective structures combined with classical plume theory to estimate volcanic fluxes. We apply the method to a nearly vertical gas plume at Villarrica Volcano, Chile, and a wind-blown gas plume at Mount Etna, Italy. Our estimates of the gas fluxes are consistent in magnitude with previous reported fluxes obtained by spectroscopy and electrochemical sensors for these volcanoes. Compared to conventional gas flux measurement techniques focusing on SO2, our new model also has the potential to be used for sulfur-poor plumes in hydrothermal systems because it estimates the H2O flux

The control of magma crystallinity on the fluctuations in gas composition at open vent basaltic volcanoes.

Basaltic open vent volcanoes are major global sources of volcanic gases. Many of these volcanoes outgas via intermittent Strombolian-type explosions separated by periods of passive degassing. The gas emitted during the explosions has high molar CO2/SO2 and SO2/HCl ratios, while during the passive degassing these ratios are lower. We present new laboratory experiments in a model volcanic conduit, which suggest that these differences in gas geochemistry are a consequence of gas migration through crystal-rich magma. We show that gas may flow along channels through the particle-laden liquid and, at a critical depth, the gas may displace an overlying crystal-rich plug en masse, producing a growing slug of gas. Owing to the friction on the walls of the conduit, this plug becomes progressively sheared and weakened until gas enriched in the least soluble volatiles breaks through, causing an explosion at the surface. When the gas slug bursts, liquid is drawn up in its wake, which exsolves the more soluble volatile components, which then vent passively at the surface until the next explosive slug-bursting event

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

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 Strombolian activity and spattering. Gases emitted during active degassing are enriched in SO2 over HCl and CO2 over SO2 relative to passive degassing, with CO2/SO2 ratios of 2.85 ± 0.17, SO2/HCl of 1.6 ± 0.22, and H2O/SO2 of 315 ± 78.8. Gases emitted during passive degassing have CO2/SO2 ratios of 1.96 ± 0.12, SO2/HCl of 0.50 ± 0.07 and H2O/SO2 of 174 ± 43.5. We use a model of volatile degassing derived from melt inclusion studies (Metrich et al., 2011), combined with our observations of chemical variations in the outgassing bubbles to propose a mechanism for magma degassing in the conduit at Yasur. We envisage a shallow conduit filled with crystal-rich magma, forming a viscous and mobile plug that develops an effective yield strength from the surface to a depth of at least 2000 m, in which bubbles are trapped, grow, ascend towards the surface and burst in a typical Strombolian eruption. Deeper bubbles released during active degassing are enriched in CO2 and SO2 compared to bubbles released during ‘passive degassing’, which are sourced from close to the surface, and are, consequently, HCl-rich

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

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 Strombolian activity and spattering. Gases emitted during active degassing are enriched in SO2 over HCl and CO2 over SO2 relative to passive degassing, with CO2/SO2 ratios of 2.85 ± 0.17, SO2/HCl of 1.6 ± 0.22, and H2O/SO2 of 315 ± 78.8. Gases emitted during passive degassing have CO2/SO2 ratios of 1.96 ± 0.12, SO2/HCl of 0.50 ± 0.07 and H2O/SO2 of 174 ± 43.5. We use a model of volatile degassing derived from melt inclusion studies (Metrich et al., 2011), combined with our observations of chemical variations in the outgassing bubbles to propose a mechanism for magma degassing in the conduit at Yasur. We envisage a shallow conduit filled with crystal-rich magma, forming a viscous and mobile plug that develops an effective yield strength from the surface to a depth of at least 2000 m, in which bubbles are trapped, grow, ascend towards the surface and burst in a typical Strombolian eruption. Deeper bubbles released during active degassing are enriched in CO2 and SO2 compared to bubbles released during ‘passive degassing’, which are sourced from close to the surface, and are, consequently, HCl-rich

Degassing Behaviour of Basaltic Open Vent Volcanoes

This thesis investigates two problems in the field of volcanology by using a combination of remote sensing of volcanic gases, magma modelling and fluid dynamics. The first problem relates to gas-flow through particle-liquid suspension; with relevance for understanding the mechanism of intermittency and chemical changes in the gas composition in basaltic eruptions. The second problem centres around turbulent structures in vertical and wind-blown plumes. First, the injection of gas into a cylinder, which was filled with a water-glycerol mixture and particles, was investigated. These analogue experiments provides the framework of a model for episodic slug formations. The gas pressure at the base of the conduit is large enough to overcome the yield stress of crystal-rich magma and form gas channels within the pack. At a critical depth, the gas may displace the overlying crystal-rich plug en masse, producing a growing slug of gas. This plug becomes progressively sheared and weakened until gas enriched in the least soluble volatiles break through, causing an explosion at the surface enriched in CO2 and SO2. When the gas slug ascends, melt is drawn up in its wake, which exsolves the more soluble volatile components like HCl during passive degassing until the next explosive slug-bursting event. The second problem explores the turbulent structures of volcanic plumes. I show that it is possible to estimate volcanic water vapour fluxes with the combination of the measurement of convective structures in plumes and classical plume theory. This model predicts an estimate of H2O flux of Villarrica within 18 and 30 kg s-1 and between 130 and 270 kg s-1 for Etna, assuming the volcanic gas temperature is in the range of 500 to 900 ̊C. These estimated gas fluxes are reasonable estimations of fluxes derived from spectroscopy combined with electrochemical sensors of previous studies.Natural Environment Research Council (grant number NE/L002507/1

The control of magma crystallinity on the fluctuations in gas composition at open vent basaltic volcanoes

Abstract: Basaltic open vent volcanoes are major global sources of volcanic gases. Many of these volcanoes outgas via intermittent Strombolian-type explosions separated by periods of passive degassing. The gas emitted during the explosions has high molar CO2/SO2 and SO2/HCl ratios, while during the passive degassing these ratios are lower. We present new laboratory experiments in a model volcanic conduit, which suggest that these differences in gas geochemistry are a consequence of gas migration through crystal-rich magma. We show that gas may flow along channels through the particle-laden liquid and, at a critical depth, the gas may displace an overlying crystal-rich plug en masse, producing a growing slug of gas. Owing to the friction on the walls of the conduit, this plug becomes progressively sheared and weakened until gas enriched in the least soluble volatiles breaks through, causing an explosion at the surface. When the gas slug bursts, liquid is drawn up in its wake, which exsolves the more soluble volatile components, which then vent passively at the surface until the next explosive slug-bursting event