Although no eruption is expected scientists at the Alaska Geophysical Institute in Fairbanks recently spent a couple of days on the slopes of Mount. Edgecumbe and on the beaches surrounding it — gathering data on temperatures at the surface and gasses that they hope can reveal what’s going on below the surface.
Carbon dioxide isn’t visible or smelled, however researchers of the Alaska Geophysical Institute knows how to recognize it. Six members of the team spent several days flying across Sitka as well as Mt. Edgecumbe in the early part of June conducting tests on the soils of Kruzof Island for CO2.
Claire Puleio is a doctoral student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She and her team were at Sitka airport waiting for an end to the storm.
“We’re looking to take measurements of diffuse CO2 – the exact CO2 measurements we’ve also taken on the southwestern slopes of the mountain,” she said. “Then If we can reach the crater’s interior we’d like to make certain measurements there. But, it’s unclear whether it’s snow-free at the moment.”
Puleio studies with the direction of Research Assistant Professor Tarsilo Girona, who believes that there are thermal anomalies on Mt. Edgecumbe discovered by satellites may indicate an increase in magma activity which could signal the beginning of an eruption.
“One of the theories that we need to consider when analyzing these messages,” said Girona, “is that the gas flowing from magma sources to the surface is causing this warming at the surface.”
The project is financed from NASA in the context of their program that targets early-career scientists. The team tackles the issue from two angles both in the air and on the ground.
Carlo Cardellini is from the University Perugia in Italy. He’s been instrumental in developing a method for capturing gas from soil by using a device known as the accumulation chamber.
“We put a chamber on uppermost layer of soilit’s like a cook pan,” said Cardellini. “And we let the level of carbon dioxide grow within the chamber. The rate of increase is a factor that is related to the quantity of gas being released through the soil into the atmosphere. This is why we are seeing this rise, and are able to calculate the amount of gas that escapes out of the earth.”
Cardellini utilizes an infrared sensor which continuously monitors the amount of CO2 within the cooker. He also takes samples to return for further study in the laboratory. The carbon dioxide produced by magma will be different in its isotopic signature that CO2 created by organic decomposition and there’s plenty of organic decomposition occurring on Mount. Edgecumbe that are primarily wetland areas.
To get the full picture for the best view, you must be flying. Taryn Lopez, a volcanic scientist working for The Alaska Volcano Observatory. While the other scientists are sampling areas of the volcano, Taryn Lopez will be flying overhead performing what’s called”gas flight. “gas flight.”
“Some gasses dissolve and create bubbles that are very deep such as CO2,” Lopez said. “Where things such as CO2 and water (sulfur dioxide) that are commonly used volcanic gasses, dissolve extremely in the shallow. The thing we’re interested in is the chemical composition of gasses. If we detect gasses and if we look at the composition, then we can discern if the magma either shallow or deep.”
Girona states that all information and data collected through Geophysical Institute team members Geophysical Institute team will be published in a variety of papers, and will be shared with those at Alaska Volcano Observatory, which will be sending the same team of scientists to Mt. Edgecumbe in the coming summer. It is hoped that, Girona said, “We are able to understand better how the volcano operates.”
