Magma degassing at piton de la fournaise volcano

Abstract

Since about 1860 AD, magmatic gas release at Piton de la Fournaise volcano is very weak during intra-eruptive phases and essentially occurs during the relatively short-lived eruptions. Recent gas measurements performed during an eruption in October 2010, combined with detailed review of melt and fluid inclusion composition in magmas erupted over the past 50 kyrs, indicate that most PdF eruptions extrude magmas having variably degassed at shallow depth (P < 1 kbar). The average low gas flux results from the low volume of both the magma recharges (from P > 1 kbar) and the shallow magmas, whose fluids are efficiently scrubbed by the hydrothermal system and the water table. Quantification of SO2 fluxes permits to track syn-eruptive magma ascent at shallow level (above sea level). Deeper exsolution of CO2 (below sea level) provides a potential long-term geochemical precursor for the detection of new magma recharges and volcano unrest.