Ratiocalc: Software for processing data from multicomponent volcanic gas analyzers

Portable gas analyzers have become a powerful tool for the real-time monitoring of volcanic gas composition over the last decade. Gas analyzers make it possible to retrieve in real-time the chemical composition of a fumarole system or a plume in an open-conduit volcano via periodic field-deployments or at permanent stations. The core of a multicomponent volcanic gas analyzer (MultiGAS) consists of spectroscopic and electrochemical sensors that are used to determine the concentrations of the most abundant volcanic gases (H2O, CO2, SO2, H2S, H2, CO and HCl) in a diluted plume and their mutual molar ratios. Processing such data is often difficult due to the high sensitivity of the sensors to environmental conditions such as humidity, gas concentrations, and pressure, with all involving occasional instrumental drift. Analyses require accurate and time-consuming processing by an operator. This paper presents a stand-alone program for the processing of chemical data obtained using the MultiGAS, called Ratiocalc. The Ratiocalc program has a user-friendly interface to enable volcanologists to process large datasets in a simple and rapid manner, thereby reducing the processing time associated with volcano monitoring and surveying

Conduit dynamics and post-explosion degassing on Stromboli:a combined UV camera and 1 numerical modelling treatment

Recent gas flux measurements have shown that strombolian explosions are often followed by periods of elevated flux, or ‘gas codas’, with durations of order a minute. Here, we present UV camera data from 200 events recorded at Stromboli volcano to constrain the nature of these codas for the first time, providing estimates for combined explosion plus coda SO2 masses of ≈ 18 – 225 kg. Numerical simulations of gas slug ascent show that substantial proportions of the initial gas mass can be distributed into a train of ‘daughter bubbles’ released from the base of the slug, which we suggest, generate the codas, on bursting at the surface. This process could also cause transitioning of slugs into cap bubbles, significantly reducing explosivity. This study is the first attempt to combine high temporal resolution gas flux data with numerical simulations of conduit gas flow to investigate volcanic degassing dynamics

Nutrient enrichment stimulates herbivory and alters epibiont assemblages at the edge but not inside subtidal macroalgal forests

AbstractNutrient enrichment is a major threat to subtidal macroalgal forests. Several studies have shown that nutrient inputs can enhance the ability of opportunistic algal species to acquire space freed by disturbance, at the expense of architecturally complex species that form forests. However, competition between canopy- and turf-forming macroalgae is not limited to the aftermath of disturbance. Canopy-forming macroalgae can provide suitable substratum for diverse epibiont assemblages, including both algae (epiphytes) and sessile invertebrates (epizoans). Despite evidence of enhanced epiphyte loading under eutrophic conditions, few experimental studies have assessed how nutrient enrichment influences the structure of epibiont assemblages on canopy-forming macroalgae at the edge versus inside forests. In oligotrophic waters of the NW Mediterranean, we experimentally tested the hypothesis that nutrient-driven proliferation of opportunistic epiphytic algae would affect the performance of the fucoid, Carpodesmia brachycarpa, and reduce the richness and abundance of the epizoan species they support. We predicted negative effects of nutrient enrichment to be greater at the edge than inside forests and on thalli that had recovered in cleared areas than on those within undisturbed canopy stands. Nutrient enrichment did not affect the photosynthetic efficiency and reproductive output of C. brachycarpa. By contrast, it enhanced herbivore consumption and decreased the cover and diversity of epizoans at forest edges, likely by stimulating the foraging activity of Arbacia lixula, the most abundant sea urchin in adjacent encrusting coralline barrens. Fertilization of areas inside forests had no effect on either C. brachycarpa or epibiont assemblages. Finally, nutrient enrichment effects did not vary between cleared and undisturbed areas. Our results show that moderate nutrient enrichment of oligotrophic waters does not necessarily cause the proliferation of epiphytes and, hence, a strengthening of their competitive effects on canopy-forming macroalgae. Nevertheless, enhanced herbivory damage to fertilized thalli at forest edges suggests that fragmentation could reduce the resilience of macroalgal forests and associated epibiont assemblages to nutrient enrichment

Observability of Forming Planets and their Circumplanetary Disks I. -- Parameter Study for ALMA

We present mock observations of forming planets with ALMA. The possible detections of circumplanetary disks (CPDs) were investigated around planets of Saturn, 1, 3, 5, and 10 Jupiter-masses that are placed at 5.2 AU from their star. The radiative, three dimensional hydrodynamic simulations were then post-processed with RADMC3D and the ALMA Observation Simulator. We found that even though the CPDs are too small to be resolved, they are hot due to the accreting planet in the optically thick limit, therefore the best chance to detect them with continuum observations in this case is at the shortest ALMA wavelengths, such as Band 9 (440 microns). Similar fluxes were found in the case of Saturn and Jupiter-mass planets, as for the 10 $\mathrm{M_{Jup}}$ gas-giant, due to temperature weighted optical depth effects: when no deep gap is carved, the planet region is blanketed by the optically thick circumstellar disk leading to a less efficient cooling there. A test was made for a 52 AU orbital separation, showed that optically thin CPDs are also detectable in band 7 but they need longer integration times ($>$5hrs). Comparing the gap profiles of the same simulation at various ALMA bands and the hydro simulation confirmed that they change significantly, first because the gap is wider at longer wavelengths due to decreasing optical depth; second, the beam convolution makes the gap shallower and at least 25% narrower. Therefore, caution has to be made when estimating planet masses based on ALMA continuum observations of gaps.Comment: Accepted for publication at MNRAS. Typos are corrected since previous version. 11 pages, 5 tables, 4 figure

Hydrogen in the gas plume of an open-vent volcano, Mount Etna, Italy

We report here on the first hydrogen determinations in the volcanic gas plume of Mount Etna, in Italy, which we obtained during periodic field surveys on the volcano’s summit area with an upgraded MultiGAS. Using a specific (EZT3HYT) electrochemical sensor, we resolved H2 concentrations in the plume of 1–3 ppm above ambient (background) atmosphere and derived H2‐SO2 and H2‐H2O plume molar ratios of 0.002–0.044 (mean 0.013) and 0.0001–0.0042 (mean 0.0018), respectively. Taking the above H2‐SO2 ratios in combination with a time‐averaged SO2 flux of 1600 Gg yr−1, we evaluate that Etna contributes a time‐averaged H2 flux of ∼0.65 Gg yr−1, suggesting that the volcanogenic contribution to the global atmospheric H2 budget (70,000–100,000 Gg yr−1) is marginal. We also use our observed H2‐H2O ratios to propose that Etna’s passive plume composition is (at least partially) representative of a quenched (temperatures between 750°C and 950°C) equilibrium in the gas‐magma system, at redox conditions close to the nickel‐nickel oxide (NNO) mineral buffer. The positive dependence between H2‐SO2, H2‐H2O, and CO2‐SO2 ratios suggests that H2 is likely supplied (at least in part) by deeply rising CO2‐rich gas bubbles, fluxing through a CO2‐depleted shallow conduit magma.PublishedB102041.2. TTC - Sorveglianza geochimica delle aree vulcaniche attive2.4. TTC - Laboratori di geochimica dei fluidiJCR Journalrestricte

High time resolution fluctuations in volcanic carbon dioxide degassing from Mount Etna

We report here on the first record of carbon dioxide gas emission rates from a volcano, captured at ≈ 1 Hz. These data were acquired with a novel technique, based on the integration of UV camera observations (to measure SO2 emission rates) and field portable gas analyser readings of plume CO2/SO2 ratios. Our measurements were performedat the North East crater of Mount Etna, southern Italy, and the data reveal strong variability in CO2 emissions over timescales of tens to hundreds of seconds, spanning two orders of magnitude. This carries importantimplications for attempts to constrain global volcanic CO2 release to the atmosphere, and will lead to an increased insight into short term CO2 degassing trends. A common oscillation in CO2 and SO2 emission rates in addition to the CO2/SO2 ratios was observed at periods of ≈ 89 s. Our results are furthermore suggestive of an intriguing temporal lag between oscillations in CO2 emissions and seismicity at periods of ≈ 300–400 s, with peaks and troughs in the former series leading those in the latter by ≈ 150 s. This work opens the way to the acquisition of further datasets with this methodology across a range of basaltic systems to better our understandingof deep magmatic processes and of degassing links to manifest geophysical signals

Unmanned aerial vehicle measurements of volcanic carbon dioxide fluxes

We report the first measurements of volcanic gases with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The data were collected at La Fossa crater, Vulcano, Italy, during April 2007, with a helicopter UAV of 3 kg payload, carrying an ultraviolet spectrometer for remotely sensing the SO2 flux (8.5 Mg d−1), and an infrared spectrometer, and electrochemical sensor assembly for measuring the plume CO2/SO2 ratio; by multiplying these data we compute a CO2 flux of 170 Mg d−1. Given the deeper exsolution of carbon dioxide from magma, and its lower solubility in hydrothermal systems, relative to SO2, the ability to remotely measure CO2 fluxes is significant, with promise to provide more profound geochemical insights, and earlier eruption forecasts, than possible with SO2 fluxes alone: the most ubiquitous current source of remotely sensed volcanic gas data

UV camera measurements of fumarole field degassing (La Fossa crater, Vulcano Island)

The UV camera is becoming an important new tool in the armory of volcano geochemists to derive high time resolution SO2 flux measurements. Furthermore, the high camera spatial resolution is particularly useful for exploring multiple-source SO2 gas emissions, for instance the composite fumarolic systems topping most quiescent volcanoes. Here, we report on the first SO2 flux measurements from individual fumaroles of the fumarolic field of La Fossa crater (Vulcano Island, Aeolian Island), which we performed using a UV camera in two field campaigns: in November 12, 2009 and February 4, 2010. We derived ~ 0.5 Hz SO2 flux time-series finding fluxes from individual fumaroles, ranging from 2 to 8.7 t d−1, with a total emission from the entire system of ~ 20 t d−1 and ~ 13 t d−1, in November 2009 and February 2010 respectively. These data were augmented with molar H2S/SO2, CO2/SO2 and H2O/SO2 ratios, measured using a portable MultiGAS analyzer, for the individual fumaroles. Using the SO2 flux data in tandem with the molar ratios, we calculated the flux of volcanic species from individual fumaroles, and the crater as a whole: CO2 (684 t d−1 and 293 t d−1), H2S (8 t d−1 and 7.5 t d−1) and H2O (580 t d−1 and 225 t d−1).Published47-52JCR Journalrestricte

Periodic volcanic degassing behavior: The Mount Etna example

In contrast to the seismic and infrasonic energy released from quiescent and erupting volcanoes, which have long been known to manifest episodes of highly periodic behavior, the spectral properties of volcanic gas flux time series remain poorly constrained, due to a previous lack of hightemporal resolution gas-sensing techniques. Here we report on SO2 flux measurements, performed on Mount Etna with a novel UV imaging technique of unprecedented sampling frequency (0.5 Hz), which reveal, for the first time, a rapid periodic structure in degassing from this target. These gas flux modulations have considerable temporal variability in their characteristics and involve two period bands: 40–250 and 500–1200 s. A notable correlation between gas flux fluctuations in the latter band and contemporaneous seismic root-mean-square values suggests that this degassing behavior may be generated by periodic bursting of rising gas bubble trains at the magma-air interface.Published4818–48221.2. TTC - Sorveglianza geochimica delle aree vulcaniche attiveJCR Journalrestricte

Recent advances in ground-based ultraviolet remote sensing of volcanic SO2 fluxes

Measurements of volcanic SO2 emission rates have been the mainstay of remote-sensing volcanic gas geochemistry for almost four decades, and they have contributed significantly to our understanding of volcanic systems and their impact upon the atmosphere. The last ten years have brought stepchange improvements in the instrumentation applied to these observations, which began with the application of miniature ultraviolet spectrometers that were deployed in scanning and traverse configurations, with differential optical absorption spectroscopy evaluation routines. This study catalogs the more recent empirical developments, including: ultraviolet cameras; wideangle field-of-view differential optical absorption spectroscopy systems; advances in scanning operations, including tomography; and improved understanding of errors, in particular concerning radiative transfer. Furthermore, the outcomes of field deployments of sensors during the last decade are documented, with respect to improving our understanding of volcanic dynamics and degassing into the atmosphere