Analyzing Volcanic Gases Can Help Us Evade Disaster by Understanding Magma

Volcanic eruptions are unpredictable and dangerous. Similar to getting a blood test to check your health, a team has discovered that the ratio of atoms in particular gases released from volcanic fumaroles (gaps in the Earth's surface) can provide an indicator of what is happening to the magma deep below.

Changes in the ratio of argon-40 to helium-3 can show how foamy the magma is, which signals the risk of various types of eruption, and this can show when things may be "heating up."

The next big step for the team is to create portable equipment that can provide on-site, real-time measurements for a 24/7 volcanic activity monitoring and early warning system.

Understanding which ratios of which gases indicate a certain type of magma activity is a big step.

Monitoring 'frothy' magma gases could help evade disaster

(Photo : Toby Elliott/Unsplash)

Do you experience fear or excitement when you consider standing on a volcano? Living in a volcano's shadow is a common occurrence for many people, as per ScienceDaily.

Japan has 111 active volcanoes, with 15 volcanic "events," including eruptions, occurring annually on average.

But these occurrences can be fatal and are infamously hard to predict.

In 2014, Mount Ontake, the second-highest volcano in Japan and a popular tourist destination, tragically erupted, killing 58 people and leaving five others unaccounted for.

Although earthquake activity is typically an early warning sign, some eruptions (like the one at Ontake) can happen without obvious earthquake signals.

As a result, disaster mitigators like the Japan Meteorological Agency would benefit from other trustworthy ways to alert residents of the next potential disaster.

Fumaroles are openings and fissures in the crust of the Earth that frequently form around volcanoes and release gas and steam.

A variety of chemicals make up the gas that is ejected. Its composition can help us understand what's going on in the mantle, which is where magma (molten rock) forms and pushes upward before erupting as lava, beneath the Earth's crust.

It is already known by scientists that the ratio of certain gases' isotopes-atoms from an element with the same chemical properties but a different mass-can reveal the presence of subterranean magma activity.

Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology Professor Hirochika Sumino However, we weren't sure why there was more mantle-derived helium when there was magmatic unrest.

Sumino and his team chose to monitor the gases coming from six fumaroles near the active Kusatsu-Shirane volcano in Gunma Prefecture, which is located about 150 kilometers northwest of Tokyo, in order to learn more.

The team took samples from 2014 to 2021 at intervals of a few months. After collecting the samples, they returned to the lab and used cutting-edge machinery called a noble gas mass spectrometer to analyze them.

They were able to precisely measure the isotopic compositions of a variety of isotopes, including ultratrace isotopes like helium-3, which are typically more abundant in the mantle than in the crust or air.

For the time being, collecting gas samples in the field and transporting them back to the lab for analysis is a difficult and time-consuming process.

However, Sumino has experience enhancing noble gas mass spectrometers and plans to create a new tool that will allow them to conduct the same analysis in the field while operating in real-time.

Read more: Philippines' Taal Volcano Erupts, Sends Thousands to Flee

Volcano Preparedness

For the most recent emergency instructions and information, tune in to a nearby station on a battery-operated, portable radio or television, as per Red Cross.

The best guidance for your specific circumstance will be provided by local officials.

Put your emergency plan into action and heed any authorities' orders to evacuate. Even though it might seem safe to wait out an eruption at home, doing so could be extremely risky if you live in a hazardous area.

Close all windows, doors, and dampers if you're inside to prevent volcanic ash from entering.

To protect it from volcanic ash, keep all machinery inside a garage or barn. If no buildings are available, use big tarps to cover the equipment.

To keep animals and livestock from breathing volcanic ash, bring them into enclosed shelters.

Avoid low-lying areas, areas in the volcano's downwind direction, and river valleys in the volcano's downstream direction.

Ash and debris will be moved by the wind and gravity. Keep to areas where you won't be further exposed to the dangers of volcanic eruptions.

It is dangerous to try and observe a volcano erupting up close.

Related article: Mauna Loa, Hawaii's Biggest Volcano, is Currently in an Active Phase