Abstract
Measurements of the sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rate from three Guatemalan volcanoes provide data which are consistent with theoretical and laboratory studies of eruptive and shallow magma chamber processes. In particular, unerupted magma makes a major contribution to the measured SO2 emission rates at Santiaguito, a continuously erupting dacitic volcanic dome. Varying shallow magma convection rates can explain the variations in SO2 emission rates at Santiaguito. At Fuego, a basaltic volcano currently in repose, SO2 emission rate measurements are consistent with a high level magma body that is crystallizing and releasing volatiles. At Pacaya, a continuously erupting basaltic volcano, recent SO2 emission rate measurements support laboratory simulation studies of strombolian eruptions; these studies indicate that the majority of gas escapes during eruptions and little gas escapes between eruptions.
Average SO2 emission rates over the last 20 years for Santiaguito, Fuego and Pacaya are 80, 160 and 260 Mg/d, respectively. On a global scale, these three volcanoes account for 1% of the annual global volcanic output of SO2. Santiaguito and Pacaya, together, emit 6% of the total annual SO2 emitted by continuously erupting volcanoes.
Even though SO2 measurements at these volcanoes have been made infrequently and by different investigators, the collective data help to establish a useful baseline by which to judge future changes. A more complete record of SO2 emission rates from these volcanoes could lead to a better understanding of their eruption mechanisms and reduce the impact of their future eruptions on Guatemalan society.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andres RJ (1992) Remote sensing of volcanic H2O, CO2 and SO2 emissions. Ph. D. Dissertation. Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 167 pp
Andres RJ, Kyle PR, Stokes JB, Rose WI (1989) SO2 from episode 48A eruption, Hawaii: Sulfur dioxide emissions from the episode 48A East Rift zone eruption of Kilauea volcano, Hawaii. Bull Volcanol 52:113–117
Andres RJ, Rose WI, Kyle PR, deSilva S, Francis P, Gardeweg M, Moreno Roa H (1991) Excessive sulfur dioxide emissions from Chilean volcanoes. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 46:323–329
Andres RJ, Kyle PR, Chuan RL (1992) Sulfur dioxide, particle and elemental emissions from Mount Etna, Italy during July 1987. Geol Rund (submitted)
Bonis S, Salazar O (1973) The 1971 and 1973 eruptions of Volcán Fuego, Guatemala and some socio-economic considerations for the volcanologist. Bull Volcanol 37:394–400
Bornhorst TJ, Rose Jr WI, Bornhorst LE (1984) Magma evolution in shallow high-Al basalt bodies below Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala. EOS 65:1153
Cadle RD, Kiang CS, Louis J-F (1976) The global scale dispersion of the eruption clouds from major volcanic eruptions. J Geophys Res 81:3125–3132
Carroll MR, Rutherford MJ (1985) Sulfide and sulfate saturation in hydrous silicate melts. J Geophys Res 90:C601-C612
Casadevall TJ, Johnston DA, Harris DM, Rose Jr WI, Malinconico LL, Stoiber RE, Bornhorst TJ, Williams SN, Woodruff L, Thompson JM (1981) SO2 emission rates at Mount St. Helens from March 29 through December, 1980. USGS Prof Pap 1250:193–200
Casadevall T, Rose W, Gerlach T, Greenland LP, Ewert J, Wunderman R, Symonds R (1983) Gas emissions and the eruptions of Mount St. Helens through 1992. Science 221:1383–1385
Chartier TA, Rose WI, Stokes JB (1988) Detailed record of SO2 emissions from Pu'u O'o between episodes 33 and 34 of the 1983–86 ERZ eruption, Kilauea, Hawaii. Bull Volcanol 50:215–228
Crafford TC (1975) SO2 emission of the 1974 eruption of Volcán Fuego, Guatemala. Bull Volcanol 39:536–556
Cullis CF, Hirschler MM (1980) Atmospheric sulphur: Natural and man-made sources. Atmos Env 14:1263–1278
Devine JD, Sigurdsson H, Davis AN, Self S (1984) Estimates of sulfur and chlorine yield to the atmosphere from volcanic aruptions and potential climatic effects. J Geophys Res 89:6309–6325
Eggers AA (1971) The geology and petrology of the Amatitlán Quadrangle, Guatemala. PhD Dissertation, Dartmouth College, Hanover, 221 pp
Eggers AA (1983) Temporal gravity and elevation changes at Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 19:223–237
Fournelle J (1990) Anhydrite in Nevado del Ruiz November 1985 pumice: relevance to the sulfur problem. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 42:189–201
Geist DJ, Baker BH, McBirney AR (1985) GPP: A program package for creating and using geochemical data files. Center of Volcanology, Univ of Oregon. 33 pp
Gerlach TM (1986) Exsolution of H2O, CO2, and S during eruptive episodes at Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii. J Geophys Res 91:12 177–12 185
Gerlach TM, Nordlie BE (1975) The C−O−H−S gaseous system, Part II: Temperature, atomic composition, and molecular equilibria in volcanic gases. Am J Sci 275:377–94
Goldberg ED (1976) The health of the oceans. UNESCO Press, Paris, 172 pp
Greenland LP, Rose WI, Stokes JB (1985) An estimate of gas emissions and magmatic gas content from Kilauea volcano. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 49:125–129
Jaeschke W, Berresheim H, Georgii H-W (1982) Sulfur emissions from Mt. Etna. J Geophys Res 87:7253–7261
Jaggar TA (1940) Magmatic gases. Am J Sci 238:313–353
Jaupart C, Vergniolle S (1988) Laboratory models of Hawaiian and Strombolian eruptions. Nature 331:58–60
Kyle PR, Meeker K, Finnegan D (1990) Emission rates of sulfur dioxide, trace gases and metals from Mount Erebus, Antarctica. Geophys Res Lett 17:2125–2128
Lazrus AL, Cadle RD, Gandrud BW, Greenberg JP, Huebert BJ, Rose JR WI (1979) Sulfur and halogen chemistry of the stratosphere and of volcanic eruption plumes. J Geophys Res 84:7869–7875
Lovering TS (1935) Theory of heat conduction applied to geologic problems. Geol Soc Am 46:69–94
Luhr JF, Carmichael ISE, Varekamp JC (1984) The 1982 eruptions of El Chichón Volcano, Chiapas, Mexico: Mineralogy and petrology of the anhydrite-bearing pumices. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 23:69–108
Malinconico Jr LL (1979) Fluctuations in SO2 emission during recent eruptions of Etna. Nature 278:43–45
Malinconico Jr LL (1987) On the variation of SO2 emission from volcanoes. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 33:231–237
Martin DP, Rose Jr WI (1981) Behavioural patterns of Fuego Volcano, Guatemala. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 10:67–81
Metrich N, Clocchiatti R (1989) Melt inclusion investigation of the volatile behaviour in historic alkali basaltic magmas of Etna. Bull Volcanol 51:185–198
Millán MM, Hoff RM (1978) Remote sensing of air pollutants by correlation spectroscopy — instrumental response characteristics. Atmos Env 12:853–864
Palais J, Sigurdsson H (1989) Petrologic evidence of volatile emissions from major historic and pre-historic volcanic eruptions. In: Berger A, Dickinson RE, Kidson RE (eds) Understanding Climate Change. American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, 31–53
Rose Jr WI (1972) Santiaguito volcanic dome, Guatemala. Geol Soc Am Bull 83:1413–1434
Rose WI (1987a) Santa María, Guatemala: bimodal soda-rich calcalkalic stratovolcano. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 33:109–129
Rose WI (1987b) Volcanic activity at Santiaguito volcano, 1976–1984. In: Fink J (ed), The emplacement of silicic domes and lava flows. Geol Soc Am Spec Pap 212:17–27
Rose Jr WI, Grant NK, Hahn GA, Lange IM, Powell JL, Easter J, DeGraff JM (1977) The evolution of Santa María Volcano, Guatemala. J Geol 85:63–87
Rose Jr WI, Anderson Jr AT, Woodruff LG, Bonis SB (1978) The October 1974 basaltic tephra from Fuego volcano: description and history of the magma body. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 4:3–53
Rose Jr WI, Stoiber RE, Malinconico LL (1982) Eruptive gas compositions and fluxes of explosive volcanoes: budget of S and Cl emitted from Fuego volcano, Guatemala. In: Thorpe RS (ed) Andesites: Orogenic Andesites and Related Rocks. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, England, 669–676
SEAN Bulletin (1987a) Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 12:1:10–11
SEAN Bulletin (1987b) Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 12:7:2–4
SEAN Bulletin (1989) Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 14:25–7
Sigurdsson H, Carey SN, Palais JM, Devine J (1990) Pre-eruption compositional gradients and mixing of andesite and dacite magma erupted from Nevado del Ruiz Volcano, Colomnia in 1985. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 41:127–151
Sparks RSJ, Sigurdsson H, Wilson L (1977) Magma mixing: a mechanism for triggering acid explosive eruptions. Nature 267:315–318
Spera FJ, Yuen DA, Kirschvink SJ (1982) Thermal boundary layer convection in silicic magma chambers: effects of temperature-dependent rheology and implications for thermogravitational chemical fractionation. J Geophys Res 87:8755–8767
Stoiber RE, Rose Jr WI (1969) Recent volcanic and fumarolic activity at Santiaguito Volcano, Guatemala. Bull Volcanol 33:475–502
Stoiber RE, Jepsen A (1973) Sulfur dioxide contributions to the atmosphere by volcanoes. Science 182:577–578
Stoiber RE, Malinconico Jr LL, Williams SN (1983a) Use of the correlation spectrometer at volcanoes. In: Tazieff H, Sabroux JC (eds), Forecasting Volcanic Events. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 425–444
Stoiber RE, Williams SN, Huebert BJ (1983b) Sulfur dioxide, hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid and hydrobromic acid from volcanoes: annual atmospheric contribution. Geol Soc Am Abstr Prog 15:698–699
Stoiber RE, Williams SN, Huebert B (1987) Annual contribution of sulfur dioxide to the atmosphere by volcanoes. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 33:1–8
Trial AF, Spera FJ (1990) Mechanisms for the generation of compositional heterogeneities in magma chambers. Geol Soc Am Bull 102:353–367
Vergniolle S, Jaupart C (1986) Separated two-phase flow and basaltic eruptions. J Geophys Res 91:12 842–12 860
White DE, Waring GA (1963) Data of geochemistry, 6th edition, Chapter K. Volcanic emanations. USGS Prof Pap 440-K
Williams SN (1979) The October, 1902 eruption of Santa María Volcano, Guatemala. MA Thesis. Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH. 140 pp
Williams SN, Self S (1983) The October 1902 plinian eruption of Santa María Volcano, Guatemala. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 16:33–56
Williams SN, Sturchio NC, Calyache VML, Mendez FR, Londoño CA, Garcia PN (1990) Sulfur dioxide from Nevado del Ruiz volcano, Colombia: total flux and isotopic constraints on its origin. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 42:53–68
World Resources 1990–91 (1990) Oxford University Press, Oxford, 244–245
Wunderman RL, Rose WI (1984) Amatitlan, an actively resurging cauldron 10 km south of Guatemala City. J Geophys Res 89:8525–8539
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Andres, R., Rose, W., Stoiber, R. et al. A summary of sulfur dioxide emission rate measuremnts from Guatemalan volcanoes. Bull Volcanol 55, 379–388 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00301150
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00301150