Publication Date:
2017-04-04
Description:
Active volcanoes are thought to be important
contributors to the atmospheric mercury (Hg) budget, and this chemical element is one of the most harmful atmospheric pollutants, owing to its high toxicity and long residence time in ecosystems. There is, however, considerable uncertainty over the magnitude of the global volcanic Hg flux, since the existing data on volcanogenic
Hg emissions are sparse and often ambiguous. In an attempt to extend the currently limited dataset on volcanogenic Hg emissions, we summarize the results
of Hg flux measurements at seven active open-conduit volcanoes; Stromboli, Asama, Miyakejima, Montserrat, Ambrym, Yasur, and Nyiragongo.. Data from the domebuilding
Soufriere Hills volcano are also reported. Using our determined mercury to SO2 mass ratios in tandem with the simultaneously-determined SO2 emission rates, we estimate that the 7 volcanoes have Hg emission rates
ranging from 0.2 to 18 t yr-1 (corresponding to a total Hg flux of ~41 t·yr-1). Based on our dataset and previous work, we propose that a Hg/SO2 plume ratio ~10-5 is bestrepresentative of gas emissions from quiescent degassing volcanoes. Using this ratio, we infer a global volcanic Hg
flux from persistent degassing of ~95 t·yr-1
Description:
Published
Description:
497-510
Description:
1.2. TTC - Sorveglianza geochimica delle aree vulcaniche attive
Description:
2.4. TTC - Laboratori di geochimica dei fluidi
Description:
JCR Journal
Description:
restricted
Keywords:
Volcanogenic mercury
;
Mercury
;
Volcanic plume
;
Mercury flux
;
Mercury inventories
;
Atmospheric mercury
;
01. Atmosphere::01.01. Atmosphere::01.01.07. Volcanic effects
;
04. Solid Earth::04.02. Exploration geophysics::04.02.01. Geochemical exploration
;
04. Solid Earth::04.04. Geology::04.04.12. Fluid Geochemistry
;
04. Solid Earth::04.08. Volcanology::04.08.01. Gases
;
04. Solid Earth::04.08. Volcanology::04.08.06. Volcano monitoring
Repository Name:
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV)
Type:
article
