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Learning about Hydrothermal Volcanic Activity by Modeling Induced Geophysical Changes
Language
English
Obiettivo Specifico
1TR. Studi per le Georisorse
Status
Published
JCR Journal
JCR Journal
Peer review journal
Yes
Title of the book
Issue/vol(year)
/5 (2017)
Pages (printed)
Article 41
Issued date
2017
Abstract
Motivated by ongoing efforts to understand the nature and the energy potential of
geothermal resources, we devise a coupled numerical model (hydrological, thermal,
mechanical), which may help in the characterization and monitoring of hydrothermal
systems through computational experiments. Hydrothermal areas in volcanic regions
arise from a unique combination of geological and hydrological features which regulate
the movement of fluids in the vicinity of magmatic sources capable of generating
large quantities of steam and hot water. Numerical simulations help in understanding
and characterizing rock-fluid interaction processes and the geophysical observations
associated with them. Our aim is the quantification of the response of different
geophysical observables (i.e., deformation, gravity, and magnetic fields) to hydrothermal
activity on the basis of a sound geological framework (e.g., distribution and pathways
of the flows, the presence of fractured zones, caprock). A detailed comprehension
and quantification of the evolution and dynamics of the geothermal systems and the
definition of their internal state through a geophysical modeling approach are essential to
identify the key parameters for which the geothermal system may fulfill the requirements
to be exploited as a source of energy. For the sake of illustration only, the numerical
computations are focused on a conceptual model of the hydrothermal system of
Vulcano Island by simulating a generic 1-year unrest and estimating different geophysical
changes. We solved (i) the mass and energy balance equations of flow in porous media
for temperature, pressure and density changes, (ii) the elastostatic equation for the
deformation field and (iii) the Poisson’s equations for gravity and magnetic potential fields.
Under the model assumptions, a generic unrest of 1-year engenders on the ground
surface low amplitude changes in the investigated geophysical observables, that, being
above the accuracies of the modern state-of-the-art instruments, could be traced by
continuously running multi-parametric monitoring networks. Devising multidisciplinary
and easy-to-use computational experiments enable us to learn how the hydrothermal
system responds to unrest and which fingerprints it may leave in the geophysical signals.
geothermal resources, we devise a coupled numerical model (hydrological, thermal,
mechanical), which may help in the characterization and monitoring of hydrothermal
systems through computational experiments. Hydrothermal areas in volcanic regions
arise from a unique combination of geological and hydrological features which regulate
the movement of fluids in the vicinity of magmatic sources capable of generating
large quantities of steam and hot water. Numerical simulations help in understanding
and characterizing rock-fluid interaction processes and the geophysical observations
associated with them. Our aim is the quantification of the response of different
geophysical observables (i.e., deformation, gravity, and magnetic fields) to hydrothermal
activity on the basis of a sound geological framework (e.g., distribution and pathways
of the flows, the presence of fractured zones, caprock). A detailed comprehension
and quantification of the evolution and dynamics of the geothermal systems and the
definition of their internal state through a geophysical modeling approach are essential to
identify the key parameters for which the geothermal system may fulfill the requirements
to be exploited as a source of energy. For the sake of illustration only, the numerical
computations are focused on a conceptual model of the hydrothermal system of
Vulcano Island by simulating a generic 1-year unrest and estimating different geophysical
changes. We solved (i) the mass and energy balance equations of flow in porous media
for temperature, pressure and density changes, (ii) the elastostatic equation for the
deformation field and (iii) the Poisson’s equations for gravity and magnetic potential fields.
Under the model assumptions, a generic unrest of 1-year engenders on the ground
surface low amplitude changes in the investigated geophysical observables, that, being
above the accuracies of the modern state-of-the-art instruments, could be traced by
continuously running multi-parametric monitoring networks. Devising multidisciplinary
and easy-to-use computational experiments enable us to learn how the hydrothermal
system responds to unrest and which fingerprints it may leave in the geophysical signals.
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