Fumarolic emissions from Mount St. Augustine, Alaska: 1979-1984 degassing trends, volatile sources and their possible role in eruptive style

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-1991

Department

Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences

Abstract

Gas samples were collected from high-temperature, rooted summit vents at Mount St. Augustine in 1979, 1982, and 1984. All of the gas samples exhibit various degrees of disequilibrium. Thermodynamic restoration of the analyzed gases permits partial or complete removal of these disequilibrium effects and allows inference of equilibrium gas compositions. Long-term (1979-1984) degassing trends within resampled or adjacent vents are characterized by increases (from 97.4 to 99.8 mole%) in the H2O fraction and major decreases in the residual gases. Over this same period total gas HCl contents decreased by a factor of 3 to 10 while dry gas (H2O-free recalculated) HCl contents increased by a factor of 1.6 to 3. Dry gas mole proportions at these sites changed from being CO2-dominated (≈46% CO2, 24% H2 in 1979) to H2-dominated (≈49% H2, 22% CO2 in 1984). The overall trends in gas chemistry and the stable isotope patterns in gases and condensates from the summit fumaroles can be explained by progressive magmatic outgassing coupled with increasing proportions of seawater in the fumarole emissions. Studies of the gaseous emissions following the 1976 and 1986 Mount St. Augustine eruptions confirmed the Cl- and S-rich nature of the Mount St. Augustine emanations. Seawater, possibly derived from magmatic assimilation or dehydration of near-surface seawater-bearing sediments, could supply a portion of the outgassed Cl and S. Continued seawater influx through subvolcanic fractures or permeable sediments would recharge the seawater-depleted zone and provide a near-surface Cl and S source for the next eruptive cycle, Various lines of evidence support a phreatomagmatic component in the 1976 and 1986 Mount St. Augustine eruptions. We suggest that seawater may interact with magma or volcanic gases during the early explosive phase of Mount St. Augustine eruptions and that it continues to influence high-temperature fumarole emissions as the volcanic system cools.

Publication Title

Bulletin of Volcanology

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