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Multi-Level Gas Monitoring : A New Approach in Earthquake Research

Woith, Heiko ; Daskalopoulou, Kyriaki ; Zimmer, Martin ; Fischer, Tomáš ; Vlček, Josef ; Trubač, Jakub ; Rosberg, Jan Erik LU ; Vylita, Tomáš and Dahm, Torsten (2020) In Frontiers in Earth Science 8.
Abstract

Fluid anomalies were often considered as possible precursors before earthquakes. However, fluid properties at the surface can change for a variety of reasons, including environmental changes near the surface, the response of the superficial fluid system to loads associated with the mechanical nucleation of earthquake fractures, or as a result of transients in fluid flow from the depths. A key problem is to understand the origin of the anomaly and to distinguish between different causes. We present a new approach to monitor geochemical and geophysical fluid properties along a vertical profile in a set of drillings from a depth of a few hundred meters to the surface. This setup can provide hints on the origin of temporal variations, as... (More)

Fluid anomalies were often considered as possible precursors before earthquakes. However, fluid properties at the surface can change for a variety of reasons, including environmental changes near the surface, the response of the superficial fluid system to loads associated with the mechanical nucleation of earthquake fractures, or as a result of transients in fluid flow from the depths. A key problem is to understand the origin of the anomaly and to distinguish between different causes. We present a new approach to monitor geochemical and geophysical fluid properties along a vertical profile in a set of drillings from a depth of a few hundred meters to the surface. This setup can provide hints on the origin of temporal variations, as the migration direction and speed of properties can be measured. In addition, potential admixtures of fluids from a deep crustal or mantle origin with meteoric fluids can be better quantified. A prototype of a multi-level gas monitoring system comprising flow and pressure probes, as well as monitoring of fluid-geochemical properties and stable isotopes is being implemented in a mofette field with massive CO2 (up to 97 tons per day) degassing. The mofette is believed a gas emission site where CO2 ascends through crustal-scale conduits from as deep as the upper mantle, and may therefore provide a natural window to ongoing magmatic processes at mantle depth. Fluids from three adjacent boreholes—30, 70, and 230 m deep—will be continuously monitored at high sampling rates.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
crustal fluids, gas monitoring, mantle degassing, radon, scientific drilling, swarm earthquakes
in
Frontiers in Earth Science
volume
8
article number
585733
publisher
Frontiers Media S. A.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85095701694
ISSN
2296-6463
DOI
10.3389/feart.2020.585733
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
308ffec6-0c76-4c1b-a9ac-dea4fc5d67fa
date added to LUP
2020-11-24 09:46:55
date last changed
2022-04-19 02:19:23
@article{308ffec6-0c76-4c1b-a9ac-dea4fc5d67fa,
  abstract     = {{<p>Fluid anomalies were often considered as possible precursors before earthquakes. However, fluid properties at the surface can change for a variety of reasons, including environmental changes near the surface, the response of the superficial fluid system to loads associated with the mechanical nucleation of earthquake fractures, or as a result of transients in fluid flow from the depths. A key problem is to understand the origin of the anomaly and to distinguish between different causes. We present a new approach to monitor geochemical and geophysical fluid properties along a vertical profile in a set of drillings from a depth of a few hundred meters to the surface. This setup can provide hints on the origin of temporal variations, as the migration direction and speed of properties can be measured. In addition, potential admixtures of fluids from a deep crustal or mantle origin with meteoric fluids can be better quantified. A prototype of a multi-level gas monitoring system comprising flow and pressure probes, as well as monitoring of fluid-geochemical properties and stable isotopes is being implemented in a mofette field with massive CO<sub>2</sub> (up to 97 tons per day) degassing. The mofette is believed a gas emission site where CO<sub>2</sub> ascends through crustal-scale conduits from as deep as the upper mantle, and may therefore provide a natural window to ongoing magmatic processes at mantle depth. Fluids from three adjacent boreholes—30, 70, and 230 m deep—will be continuously monitored at high sampling rates.</p>}},
  author       = {{Woith, Heiko and Daskalopoulou, Kyriaki and Zimmer, Martin and Fischer, Tomáš and Vlček, Josef and Trubač, Jakub and Rosberg, Jan Erik and Vylita, Tomáš and Dahm, Torsten}},
  issn         = {{2296-6463}},
  keywords     = {{crustal fluids; gas monitoring; mantle degassing; radon; scientific drilling; swarm earthquakes}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  publisher    = {{Frontiers Media S. A.}},
  series       = {{Frontiers in Earth Science}},
  title        = {{Multi-Level Gas Monitoring : A New Approach in Earthquake Research}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.585733}},
  doi          = {{10.3389/feart.2020.585733}},
  volume       = {{8}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}