Reconnaissance gas measurements on the East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano, Hawai'i by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Kenneth A. McGee; Tamar Elias; A. Jefferson Sutton; Michael P. Doukas; Peter G. Zemek; Terrence M. Gerlach

doi:10.3133/ofr20051062

Reconnaissance gas measurements on the East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano, Hawai'i by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Open-File Report 2005-1062

By: Kenneth A. McGee, Tamar Elias, A. Jefferson Sutton, Michael P. Doukas, Peter G. Zemek, and Terrence M. Gerlach

https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20051062

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Abstract

We report the results of a set of measurements of volcanic gases on two small ground level plumes in the vicinity of Pu`u `O`o cone on the middle East Rift Zone (ERZ) of Kilauea volcano, Hawai`i on 15 June 2001 using open-path Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The work was carried out as a reconnaissance survey to assess the monitoring and research value of FTIR measurements at this volcano. Despite representing emissions of residual volatiles from lava that has undergone prior degassing, the plumes contained detectable amounts of CO2, CO, SO2, HCl, HF and SiF4. Various processes, including subsurface cooling, condensation of water in the atmospheric plume, oxidation, dissolution in water, and reactions with wall rocks at plume vents affect the abundance of these gases. Low concentrations of volcanic CO2 measured against a high ambient background are not well constrained by FTIR spectroscopy. Although there appear to be some differences between these gases and Pu`u `O`o source gases, ratios of HCl/SO2, HF/SO2 and CO/SO2 determined by FTIR measurements of these two small plumes compare reasonably well with earlier published analyses of ERZ vent samples. The measurements yielded emission rate estimates of 4, 11 and 4 t d-1

Suggested Citation

McGee, K.A., Elias, T., Sutton, A.J., Doukas, M.P., Zemek, P.G., and Gerlach, T.M., 2005, Reconnaissance gas measurements on the East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano, Hawai'i by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (Version 1.0): U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2005-1062, 28 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20051062.

ISSN: 2331-1258 (online)

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Additional publication details
Publication type	Report
Publication Subtype	USGS Numbered Series
Title	Reconnaissance gas measurements on the East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano, Hawai'i by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
Series title	Open-File Report
Series number	2005-1062
DOI	10.3133/ofr20051062
Edition	Version 1.0
Year Published	2005
Language	English
Publisher	U.S. Geological Survey
Contributing office(s)	Volcano Hazards Program
Description	28 p.
Country	United States
State	Hawaii
Other Geospatial	Kılauea volcano