Carbogaseous spring waters, coldwater geysers and dry CO2 exhalations in the tectonic window of the Lower Engadine Valley, Switzerland

Abstract

In the region of Scuol-Tarasp in the Lower Engadine Valley in the Eastern Swiss Alps, there are a variety of phenomena related to a geogenetic CO 2 production, including carbogaseous mineral springs, previously active coldwater geysers and dry gas exhalations from the ground via mofettes. Previous iso-topic studies revealed that the CO2 originates from the metamorphic decom-position of carbonate rocks in the crust. This paper presents an inventory of the springs, geysers and mofettes, and proposes a conceptual model on the regional gas and water circulation. Based on hydrochemical criteria, it was possible to identify six main groups of spring waters, three of which are carbogaseous mineral springs. Most of the carbogaseous springs and gas exhalations are bound to the Bündnerschiefer fractured aquifer. The different water types originate from mixing of groundwater and highly mineralised carbogaseous fluids from depth. Near-surface degassing of CO 2 from the fluid phase creates the dry gas exhalations. CO 2 and radon measurements in 178 soil boreholes suggest that the gas exhalations occur at a limited number of point-like anomalies, and there is no evidence for regionally important diffuse CO2 discharges from the ground.