scholarly journals Fluid migrations and volcanic earthquakes from depolarized ambient noise

Author(s):  
Luca De Siena ◽  
Simona Petrosino

Abstract Ambient noise polarizes inside low-velocity fault zones, yet the spatial and temporal resolution of polarized noise on gas-bearing fluids migrating through stressed volcanic systems is unknown. Pressurized fluids increase stress and lead to volcanic earthquakes; imaging their location in real time would be a giant leap toward forecasting eruptions and monitoring volcanic unrest. Here, we show that depolarized noise detects fluid injections and migrations leading to earthquakes inside the laterally-stressed hydrothermal systems of Campi Flegrei caldera (Southern Italy). A polarized transfer structure connects the deforming centre of the caldera to open hydrothermal vents and extensional caldera-bounding faults during periods of low seismic release. Fluids depolarize the transfer structure and pressurize the hydrothermal system, building up stress before earthquakes and migrating after seismic sequences. During sequences, fluid migration pathways connect the location of the last eruption (Monte Nuovo, 1538AD) with the part of the eastern caldera trapped between transfer and extensional structures. After recent intense seismicity (December 2019-April 2020), the transfer structure appears sealed while fluids stored in the east caldera have moved further east. Depolarized noise has the potential to monitor fluid migrations and earthquakes at stressed volcanoes quasi-instantaneously and with minimum processing.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Petrosino ◽  
L. De Siena

AbstractAmbient noise polarizes inside fault zones, yet the spatial and temporal resolution of polarized noise on gas-bearing fluids migrating through stressed volcanic systems is unknown. Here we show that high polarization marks a transfer structure connecting the deforming centre of the caldera to open hydrothermal vents and extensional caldera-bounding faults during periods of low seismic release at Campi Flegrei caldera (Southern Italy). Fluids pressurize the Campi Flegrei hydrothermal system, migrate, and increase stress before earthquakes. The loss of polarization (depolarization) of the transfer and extensional structures maps pressurized fluids, detecting fluid migrations after seismic sequences. After recent intense seismicity (December 2019-April 2020), the transfer structure appears sealed while fluids stored in the east caldera have moved further east. Our findings show that depolarized noise has the potential to monitor fluid migrations and earthquakes at stressed volcanoes quasi-instantaneously and with minimum processing.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Nouibat ◽  
Laurent Stehly ◽  
Anne Paul ◽  
Romain Brossier ◽  
Thomas Bodin ◽  
...  

<p><span>We have successfully derived a new </span><span>3-D</span><span> high resolution shear wave velocity model of the crust and uppermost mantle of a large part of W-Europe from transdimensional</span><span><strong> </strong></span><span>ambient-noise tomography. This model is intended to contribute to the development of the first </span><span>3-D</span><span> crustal-scale integrated geophysical-geological model of the W-Alps to deepen understanding of orogenesis and its relationship to mantle dynamics. </span></p><p><span>We used an exceptional dataset of 4 years of vertical-component, daily seismic noise records (2015 - 2019) of more than 950 permanent broadband seismic stations located in and around the Greater Alpine region, complemented by 490 temporary stations from the AlpArray sea-land seismic network and 110 stations from Cifalps dense deployments.</span></p><p><span>We firstly performed a </span><span>2-D</span><span> data-driven transdimensional travel time inversion for group velocity maps from 4 to 150 s (Bodin & Sambridge, 2009). The data noise level was treated as a parameter of the inversion problem, and determined within a Hierarchical Bayes method. We used Fast Marching Eikonal solver (Rawlinson & Sambridge, 2005) jointly with the reversible jump algorithm to update raypath geometry during inversion. In the inversion of group velocity maps for shear-wave velocity, we set up a new formulation of the</span><span> approach proposed by Lu et al (2018) by including group velocity uncertainties. Posterior probability distributions on </span><span>Vs</span><span> and interfaces were estimated by exploring a set of 130 millions synthetic </span><span>4-</span><span>layer </span><span>1-D Vs</span><span> models that allow for </span><span>low-velocity zones</span><span><em>.</em></span><span> The obtained probabilistic model was refined using a linearized inversion</span><span><em>. </em></span><span>For the ocean-bottom seismometers of the Ligurian-Provencal basin, we applied a specific processing to clean daily noise signals from instrumental and oceanic noises (Crawford </span><span>&</span><span> Webb, 2000) and adapted the inversion for Vs to include the water column.</span></p><p>Our Vs model evidences strong variations of the crustal structure along strike, particulary in the subduction complex. The European crust includes lower crustal low-velocity zones and a Moho jump of ~8-12 km beneath the W-boundary of the external crystalline massifs. We observe a deep LVZ<em> </em>structure (50 - 80 km) in the prolongation<em> </em>of the European continental subduction beneath the Ivrea body. The striking fit between the receiver functions ccp migrated section across the Cifalps profile and this new Vs model validate its reliability.</p>


2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvia G. Sander ◽  
Andrea Koschinsky ◽  
Gary Massoth ◽  
Matthew Stott ◽  
Keith A. Hunter

Environmental context. Deep-sea hydrothermal vents represent a natural habitat for many extremophile organisms able to cope with extreme physical and chemical conditions, including high loads of heavy metals and reduced gases. To date, no information is available on the level and role of organic complexation of metals in these systems, which will have consequences on the bioavailability and precipitation or mineralisation of metals. In this work, we give evidence for the presence of organic molecules, including thiols, capable of forming complexes with copper strong enough to compete against sulfide present at high levels in hydrothermal systems. Abstract. Here we report, for the first time, that strong organic complexation plays an important role in the chemical speciation of copper in hydrothermal vent systems including medium temperature outlets, diffuse vents with an adjacent hydrothermal biocommunity, and local mixing zone with seawater. Samples from three deep-sea hydrothermal vent areas show a wide concentration range of organic copper-binding ligands, up to 4000 nM, with very high conditional stability constants (log K′Cu′L = 12.48 to 13.46). Measurements were usually made using voltammetric methods after removal of sulfide species under ambient seawater conditions (pH 7.8), but binding still occurs at pH 4.5 and 2.1. The voltammetric behaviour of our hydrothermal samples is compared with that of glutathione (GSH) a known strong Cu-binding ligand, as a representative of an organic thiol. Our results provide compelling evidence for the presence of organic ligands, including thiols, which form complexes strong enough to play an important role in controlling the bioavailability and geochemical behaviour of metal ions around hydrothermal vents.


Author(s):  
Diana P. Baquero ◽  
Patrizia Contursi ◽  
Monica Piochi ◽  
Simonetta Bartolucci ◽  
Ying Liu ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTViruses of hyperthermophilic archaea represent one of the least understood parts of the virosphere, showing little genomic and morphological similarity to viruses of bacteria or eukaryotes. Here, we investigated virus diversity in the active sulfurous fields of the Campi Flegrei volcano in Pozzuoli, Italy. Virus-like particles displaying eight different morphotypes, including lemon-shaped, droplet-shaped and bottle-shaped virions, were observed and five new archaeal viruses proposed to belong to families Rudiviridae, Globuloviridae and Tristromaviridae were isolated and characterized. Two of these viruses infect neutrophilic hyperthermophiles of the genus Pyrobaculum, whereas the remaining three have rod-shaped virions typical of the family Rudiviridae and infect acidophilic hyperthermophiles belonging to three different genera of the order Sulfolobales, namely, Saccharolobus, Acidianus and Metallosphaera. Notably, Metallosphaera rod-shaped virus 1 is the first rudivirus isolated on Metallosphaera species. Phylogenomic analysis of the newly isolated and previously sequenced rudiviruses revealed a clear biogeographic pattern, with all Italian rudiviruses forming a monophyletic clade, suggesting geographical structuring of virus communities in extreme geothermal environments. Furthermore, we propose a revised classification of the Rudiviridae family, with establishment of five new genera. Collectively, our results further show that high-temperature continental hydrothermal systems harbor a highly diverse virome and shed light on the evolution of archaeal viruses.


Life ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Rimmer ◽  
Oliver Shorttle

There are two dominant and contrasting classes of origin of life scenarios: those predicting that life emerged in submarine hydrothermal systems, where chemical disequilibrium can provide an energy source for nascent life; and those predicting that life emerged within subaerial environments, where UV catalysis of reactions may occur to form the building blocks of life. Here, we describe a prebiotically plausible environment that draws on the strengths of both scenarios: surface hydrothermal vents. We show how key feedstock molecules for prebiotic chemistry can be produced in abundance in shallow and surficial hydrothermal systems. We calculate the chemistry of volcanic gases feeding these vents over a range of pressures and basalt C/N/O contents. If ultra-reducing carbon-rich nitrogen-rich gases interact with subsurface water at a volcanic vent they result in 10 − 3 – 1 M concentrations of diacetylene (C4H2), acetylene (C2H2), cyanoacetylene (HC3N), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), bisulfite (likely in the form of salts containing HSO3−), hydrogen sulfide (HS−) and soluble iron in vent water. One key feedstock molecule, cyanamide (CH2N2), is not formed in significant quantities within this scenario, suggesting that it may need to be delivered exogenously, or formed from hydrogen cyanide either via organometallic compounds, or by some as yet-unknown chemical synthesis. Given the likely ubiquity of surface hydrothermal vents on young, hot, terrestrial planets, these results identify a prebiotically plausible local geochemical environment, which is also amenable to future lab-based simulation.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Gammaldi ◽  
Amir Ismail ◽  
Teresa Chiuso ◽  
Aldo Zollo

<p>The imaging of seismic reflection data provides a powerful high-resolution method for studying volcano structure and fluids presence. The shallow structure of the Solfatara crater, a surface marker of deep magmatic activity inside Campi Flegrei caldera (Southern Italy), is characterized in terms of seismic profile and attributes. The main contribution of this work is to provide a detailed and improved seismic reflection image of the Solfatara crater and the identification of gas accumulation. The profiles are deployed along the NNE-SSW directions, the first, and the second orthogonal to the last. The two profiles are 400 m long acquired during the active experiment RICEN (Repeated Induced Earthquake and Noise) performed in the framework of the EU project MEDSUV between May and November 2014. Pre-stack processing of the seismic data has been performed in order to remove the noisy traces, low-frequency noise and reduce the ground roll phases. A very detailed velocity analysis for the NMO correction has been performed with the integration of information derived from the Vp velocity model previously obtained by the non-linear Bayesian technique. After having applied residual statics and DMO corrections, the CMP gathering, the post-stack Kirchhoff migration technique was performed to produce the final seismic profiles in time and depth. Once having obtained the post-stack migrated imaged, the energy, root mean square, envelope and sweetness attributes were computed for defining the maximum and minimum value of amplitude zones. In addition, other attributes as the time-gain attribute in order to interpret the deep reflectors and the variance attribute to define the faults, discontinuities, and chaotic zones have been evaluated. To enhance fluids identification the Amplitude Versus Offset (AVO) variation technique has been further applied to identify the gas zone in the explored sections. By integrating all information from the original seismic profile, seismic attributes and geophysical investigation relative to the Solfatara volcano, the multi-2D image presents the fluids trapped in the Solfatara crater at depths between 10 to 50 m below the surface of the crater and their migration pathways up to 150 meters depth.</p>


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
daniela tarallo ◽  
Giuseppe Cavuoto ◽  
Vincenzo Di Fiore ◽  
Nicola Pelosi ◽  
Michele Punzo ◽  
...  

<p>In this study we show an 2D Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) survey acquired in Agnano site pre (Dec 5<sup>th</sup>, 2019) and post (Dec 12<sup>th</sup>, 2019) earthquake events occurred in Pisciarelli-Solfatara areas. This earthquake swarm consisted of sequence of 34 earthquakes with Magnitude (Md) -1.1≤Md≤2.8 at depths between 0.9 and 2.3 km. In particular, the earthquake of Dec 06<sup>th</sup>, 2019 at 00:17 UTC with Md = 2.8 (depth 2 km) was the maximum recorded event since bradyseismic crisis began in 2005.</p><p>The ERT survey allow us to identify the main structural boundaries (and their associated fluid circulations) defining the shallow architecture of the Agnano volcano. The hydrothermal system is identified by very low values of the electrical resistivity (<20 Ω m). Its downwards extension is clearly limited by the lava and pyroclastic fragments, which are relatively resistive (>100 Ω m). The resistivity values are increased after the main shock. This increase in resistivity may have been caused by a change in the state of stress and a decrease in pore pressure (subsequent depressurization). Previously to the earthquake, an increase in pressurized fluids has been observed which have reduced the resistivity values. The present observation suggests that the temporal variation of the resistivity values is related to the variation of the pore fluid pressure in the source area of the swarm, facilitated by earthquake and the subsequent fluid diffusion. The combination of these qualitative results with structural analysis leads to a synthetic model of magmatic and hydrothermal fluids circulation inside the Agnano area, which may be useful for the assessment of potential hazards associated with a renewal of fluid pressurization, and a possibly associated partial flank-failure.</p>


Geophysics ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 73 (6) ◽  
pp. WA3-WA18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurizio Battaglia ◽  
Joachim Gottsmann ◽  
Daniele Carbone ◽  
José Fernández

Time-dependent gravimetric measurements can detect subsurface processes long before magma flow leads to earthquakes or other eruption precursors. The ability of gravity measurements to detect subsurface mass flow is greatly enhanced if gravity measurements are analyzed and modeled with ground-deformation data. Obtaining the maximum information from microgravity studies requires careful evaluation of the layout of network benchmarks, the gravity environmental signal, and the coupling between gravity changes and crustal deformation. When changes in the system under study are fast (hours to weeks), as in hydrothermal systems and restless volcanoes, continuous gravity observations at selected sites can help to capture many details of the dynamics of the intrusive sources. Despite the instrumental effects, mainly caused by atmospheric temperature, results from monitoring at Mt. Etna volcano show that continuous measurements are a powerful tool for monitoring and studying volcanoes.Several analytical and numerical mathematical models can beused to fit gravity and deformation data. Analytical models offer a closed-form description of the volcanic source. In principle, this allows one to readily infer the relative importance of the source parameters. In active volcanic sites such as Long Valley caldera (California, U.S.A.) and Campi Flegrei (Italy), careful use of analytical models and high-quality data sets has produced good results. However, the simplifications that make analytical models tractable might result in misleading volcanological inter-pretations, particularly when the real crust surrounding the source is far from the homogeneous/isotropic assumption. Using numerical models allows consideration of more realistic descriptions of the sources and of the crust where they are located (e.g., vertical and lateral mechanical discontinuities, complex source geometries, and topography). Applications at Teide volcano (Tenerife) and Campi Flegrei demonstrate the importance of this more realistic description in gravity calculations.


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