Publication Date:
2021-06-15
Description:
Panarea Island is located in the eastern sector of the Aeolian arc at only 20 km from the active
volcano of Stromboli. Its recentmost volcanic products date back to about 50 ka but a probable
submarine eruption occurred there in 126 B.C. Near to volcanic islets 3 km E of Panarea, on 3
November 2002 an impressive submarine gas emission began from several points at a depth 8-20
m. The strongest gas emission, with jet velocity of 1 m/s, occurred from a small depression, possibly
produced by a weak submarine phreatic explosion. Most of the gas was emitted from NE-SW
trending fissures, whose direction matches with the main tectonic lineament of the Panarea-
Stromboli sector. Only a very weak local seismicity was recorded. Gas was sampled and the
physico-chemical characteristics of the seawater (T, pH, Eh, dissolved O2,) were measured in two
campaigns carried out in November and in December. Gas mostly consists of CO2 (95-98.2 vol % )
and H2S (0.7-2%). Compared with previous chemical data on the submarine fumaroles of the same
area, the 2002 emission is characterized by a marked increase of H2 and a decrease of the CH4/CO
ratio. These data indicate the presence of high-temperature components with a likely magmatic
provenance raised from a pressurized system through newly opened fractures. The sea water was
chemically modified over a wide area, as indicated by the low pH and Eh values. In the first months
of 2003 the gas emission started to decline, but it was still clearly visible four months after its
beginning. This phenomenon recalled the attention on the volcanic hazard related to a possible
submarine eruption near Panarea, where over 10,000 people live in the tourist season.
Description:
Published
Description:
Hilo, Hawaii - July 14-18 , 2003
Description:
1.2. TTC - Sorveglianza geochimica delle aree vulcaniche attive
Description:
restricted
Keywords:
Panarea
;
gas emission
;
04. Solid Earth::04.08. Volcanology::04.08.06. Volcano monitoring
Repository Name:
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV)
Type:
Abstract
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