Continuous monitoring of distal gas emanations at Vulcano, southern Italy

The increasing activity of Vulcano Island (Italy) since 1985 led to the initiation of continuous geochemical monitoring of the lateral soil gas emissions. On the basis both of their relative geochemical characteristics and of local considerations, three gaseous components were selected for monitoring, namely CO2, He and 222Rn. Monitoring has been performed by means of specific analysers. Gases extracted from a water well located at the foot of the active cone were selected for monitoring, on the basis of their geochemical and isotopic characters that indicate their genetic link with central high temperature fumarolic gases emitted at the crater. Very strong variations of gas composition can be observed within one day (from 1 to about 94% for CO2). Some variations display a daily character and can be correlated with that of atmospheric pressure. The three monitored gases are highly correlated, suggesting very high kinetics of gas transfer in the system. Because of these considerable variations of chemical composition, bulk concentrations obviously are not suitable for monitoring at Vulcano. However, the evolution with time of ratios such as 222Rn/CO2 and He/CO2 (the latter being corrected for atmospheric contamination) supplies numerical parameters that the expected to characterize the intensity of the degassing process. A new input of magmatic gases, that would lead to an increase in the 222Rn/CO2 and He/CO2 ratios, should therefore be detected by such a monitoring station. © 1992 Springer-Verlag.