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Volcanic gases and water include chemical signatures of magma
How do gases and water separate from magma and reflect its composition?
At depth, the gases are dissolved in the magma, but as the magma rises to the surface, the pressure drops and the gases separate from the liquid. Because the gas is less dense than the magma, it can rise more quickly and be detected at the earth’s surface.
Similarly, water can also carry material from the depths to the surface where it can be studied. Groundwater flows deep into the earth’s crust in volcanic regions, where it can be heated by magma to over 200°C (about 400°F). It then rises along fractures, carrying dissolved material to the surface. By studying the chemical composition of this thermal water, scientists can get a better idea of the conditions deep inside a volcano, an area they cannot observe directly.
The gas released by a volcano is directly related to the type, amount and depth of magma below the surface, while thermal waters give an indirect view of the subsurface. An increase in gas production, the appearance of new vents or a change in the chemical composition of gas and water can be the first signs at the surface of increased volcanic activity.
Steam and gas emit from altered ground at the summit of Mount Hood, Oregon.
Carbon dioxide gas detection instrument installed at Horseshoe Lake, Mammoth Mountain, California.
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