1. University of New Mexico
Permanent volcanic gas observatories can provide key insights into eruption precursors
Tobias Fischer
University of New Mexico

2. Melt Pressure (kbar) ~ Depth (km) CO2/SO2 (molar) 10 30 8 6 15 4 2 5
0.01
0.1 1 10
100
1,000
CO2/SO2 (molar)
mod. from: Scaillet and Pichavant, 2005

3. Fluid Melt (gas) Pressure (kbar) ~ Depth (km) CO2/SO2 (molar) 10 30 86 15
~ Depth (km) 4 2 5
0.01
0.1 1 10
100
1,000
CO2/SO2 (molar)
mod. from: Scaillet and Pichavant, 2005

4. Fluid Melt (gas) Pressure (kbar) ~ Depth (km) CO2/SO2 (molar) 10 30 86 15
~ Depth (km) 4
typical volcanic
gas ratios 2 5
0.01
0.1 1 10
100
1,000
CO2/SO2 (molar)
mod. from: Scaillet and Pichavant, 2005

5. Volcanic gases are the only direct and real-time chemical probes
of the magma at depth
Photo: M. Zelinski

6. DCO – Deep Carbon Observatory MultiGAS (Aiuppa et al., 2005) Network
initiated in 2012 through collaborative
international team.
Measures gas composition
in volcanic plumes
MASAYA
VIllarrica
Location of MultiGAS installed (by September 2014)
photos from: A. Aiuppa

7. Permanent gas monitoring network multiGAS for CO2, SO2, H2O in plume
USGS
UNM (planned 2016)
GNS/others
map and photos modified from: A. Aiuppa

8. Villarrica
MultiGas (Nov 2014)
Open-vent persistently degassing volcano with active lava lake transition to vigorous strombolian to lava fountaining activity in February to March 2015 (after an escalation of seismicity)
February – March 2015
November 2014
map and photos from: A. Aiuppa

9. Permanent gas monitoring network:
Scanning DOAS for continuous measurements of SO2 emissions
NOVAC/MultiGAS sites since 2014
from: B. Galle and S. Arellano

10. Permanent continuous volcanic gas monitoring is still in its infancy (compared to seismic, GPS)
Technological advances are needed and costs need to decrease (sensors, isotopes, cameras, drones)
Open-path FTIR
1 Hz time resolution
many gas species
from: Tehnuka Ilanko, UNM

11. Need to instrument most/all degassing volcanoes in
an arc to make real science progress.
Rapid response capabilities and instrument pool
Integration with Satellite measurements and
rapid availability of data and data streams is needed
Integration with petrological and eruption data – better degassing models, thermodynamics, experiments is needed

12. Gas flux and composition
Quantify Gas Sources
Mass and Flux of Magma
Gas flux and composition
Petrological Data
Thermodynamic Modeling
Shallow
Lava lake
phonolitic
intermediate
Deep degassing
basanite
Iacovino (2015) for Erebus

13. Need to instrument all degassing volcanoes in
an arc to make real science progress
Integration with Satellite measurements and
rapid availability of data and data streams to investigators
Integration with petrological and eruption data – better degassing models, experiments
Integration with deformation (local/regional)

14. Need to instrument all degassing volcanoes in
2004
2008
Need to instrument all degassing volcanoes in
an arc to make real science progress
Integration with Satellite measurements and
rapid availability of data and data streams to investigators
Alutu Volcano
Hutchison et al. 2016
Kilauea Volcano
Poland et al. 2012

15. Integration with seismic (local/regional)
MSH node array that recorded continuously for 2 weeks, and locations of earthquakes during those 2 weeks (B. Schmandt and colleagues)
Integration with seismic (local/regional)
and infrasound
5 km

16. Thank you
Masaya, Nicaragua – open vent. Lava Lake in mid 2015