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CO2 Degassing over Seismic Areas: The Role of Mechanochemical Production at the Study Case of Central Apennines
Language
English
Obiettivo Specifico
3.2. Tettonica attiva
Status
Published
JCR Journal
JCR Journal
Peer review journal
Yes
Title of the book
Issue/vol(year)
1/165 (2008)
Publisher
Birkhauser Verlag
Pages (printed)
75–94
Issued date
January 2008
Abstract
Field observations coupled with experimental results show that CO2 can be produced by
mechanical energy applied to carbonate rocks becoming an unexpected additional gas source besides that
degassed from the mantle or produced by thermometamorphism. The evidence that a large amount of carbon
dioxide associated with radiogenic-type helium (R/Ra as low as 0.01–0.08) is released through continental areas,
denotes the absence of a contribution from the mantle or from mantle-derived fluids. Data collected during the
seismic crisis which struck the Central Apennines in 1997–98 have shown an enhanced CO2 flux not associated
with the presence of mantle or thermometamorphic-derived fluids. On the other hand, new experimental results
highlight the possibility of producing CO2 by mechanical energy that acts on the calcite crystalline lattice. While
the CO2 released over the geothermal areas (e.g., Larderello Geothermal Field) is obviously derived by mantlederived
activities, this is not the case of the huge amount of CO2 released over the seismically active areas where
the presence mantle-derived products is ruled out. We propose that mechanical energy, e.g., released during
seismic events, microseismicity or creeping processes is a possible additional energy source able to produce CO2
and thus could explain the presence of CO2 degassing over tectonic areas where the influence of the mantle is
low.
1. Introduction
Apart from the water va
mechanical energy applied to carbonate rocks becoming an unexpected additional gas source besides that
degassed from the mantle or produced by thermometamorphism. The evidence that a large amount of carbon
dioxide associated with radiogenic-type helium (R/Ra as low as 0.01–0.08) is released through continental areas,
denotes the absence of a contribution from the mantle or from mantle-derived fluids. Data collected during the
seismic crisis which struck the Central Apennines in 1997–98 have shown an enhanced CO2 flux not associated
with the presence of mantle or thermometamorphic-derived fluids. On the other hand, new experimental results
highlight the possibility of producing CO2 by mechanical energy that acts on the calcite crystalline lattice. While
the CO2 released over the geothermal areas (e.g., Larderello Geothermal Field) is obviously derived by mantlederived
activities, this is not the case of the huge amount of CO2 released over the seismically active areas where
the presence mantle-derived products is ruled out. We propose that mechanical energy, e.g., released during
seismic events, microseismicity or creeping processes is a possible additional energy source able to produce CO2
and thus could explain the presence of CO2 degassing over tectonic areas where the influence of the mantle is
low.
1. Introduction
Apart from the water va
References
AGLIETTI, E.F., LOPEZ, P.J.M, and PEREIRA, E. (1986), Mechanochemical effects in kaolinite grinding, Int. J. Min.
Proc. 16, 135–146.
AMATO, A. and 18 others (1998), The 1997 Umbria-Marche, Italy, earthquake sequence: A first look at the main
shocks and aftershocks, Geophys. Res. Lett. 25, 15, 2861–2864.
BARBIER, E. and FANELLI, M. (1976), Main fractures of Italy from Earts satellite images and correlations with
thermal springs, volcanoes and earthquakes. In (Aoki, H. and Iizuka, S., Eds.).
BASILI, R. and MEGHRAOUI, M. (2001), Coseismic and postseismic displacement related with the 1997 earthquake
sequence in Umbria-Marche (Central Italy), Geophys. Res. Lett. 28, 14, 2695–2698.
BOSCHI, E., GUIDOBONI, E., FERRARI, G., MARIOTTI, D., VALENSISE, G., and GASPERINI, P. (2000), Catalogue of
Strong Italian Earthquakes from 461 BC to 1197- Introductory text and CDrom. Annali di Geofisica 43, 4,
609–868.
CARACAUSI, A., ITALIANO, F., MARTINELLI, G., PAONITA, A., and RIZZO, A. (2005), Long-term geochemical
monitoring and extensive/compressive phenomena: Case study of the Umbria region (Central Apennines,
Italy), Annals of Geophys. 48, 1, 43–53.
CATALDI, R., MONGELLI, F., SQUARCI, P., TAFFI, L., ZITO, G., and CALORE, C. (1995), Geothermal ranking of Italian
territory. Geothermics 24, 115–129.
CATALOGO DELLA SISMICITa` ITALIANA (2003), CSI 1.1 1981–2002, http://legacy.ingv.it/CSI/.
CERLING, T., QUADE, J., YANG, W., and BOREMAN, J. (1989), Soil and paleosols as ecologic and paleoecologic
indicators, Nature 341, 138–139.
CHIODINI, G., FRONDINI, F., and PONZIANI, F. (1995), Deep structures and carbon dioxide degassing in Central
Italy, Geothermics 24, 81–94.
CHIODINI, G., FRONDINI, F., KERRIK, D.M., ROGIE, J., PARELLO, F., PERUZZI, L., ZANZARI, A.R. (1999),
Quantification of deep CO2 fluxes from central Italy. Examples of carbon balance for regional aquifers and of
soil diffuse degassing. Chem. Geol. 159, 205–222.
FAURE, G., Principles of Isotope Geology (J. Wiley, New York 1977).
FAVARA, R., ITALIANO, F., and MARTINELLI, G. (2001), Earthquake-induced chemical changes in thermal waters of
Umbria region during the 1997–1998 seismic swarm, Terra Nova, 13-3, 227–233.
FREPOLI, A. and AMATO, A. (1997), Contemporaneous extension and compression in the Northern Apennines
from earthquake fault-plane solutions, Geophys. J. Int. 129, 368–388.
92 F. Italiano et al. Pure appl. geophys.,
GIANELLI,, G. (1985), On the origin of geothermal CO2 by metamorphic processes, Boll. Soc. Geol. Ital. 104,
575–584.
HEINICKE, J., ITALIANO, F., LAPENNA, V., MARTINELLI, G., NUCCIO, P.M. (2000), Coseismic geochemical variations
in some gas emissions of Umbria region, Central Italy, Phys. Chem. Earth 25, 289–293.
HEINICKE, J., BRAUN, T., BURGASSI, P., ITALIANO, F., and MARTINELLI, G. (2006), Gas flux anomalies in seismogenic
zones in the Upper Tiber Valley, Central, Geophys. J. Int. 167, 794–806.
HICKMAN, S. (1991), Stress in the lithosphere and the strength of active faults, Rev. Geophys. 29, 759–775.
IRWIN, W.P. and BARNES, I. (1980), Tectonic relations of carbon dioxide discharges and earthquakes,
J. Geophys. Res. 85 (B6), 3115–3121.
ITALIANO, F., NUCCIO, P.M., and PECORAINO, G. (1994), Fumarolic gas output at La Fossa di Vulcano Crater,
Acta Vulcanolog. 6, 39–40.
ITALIANO, F., MARTELLI, M., MARTINELLI, G., and NUCCIO, P.M. (2000), Geochemical evidences of melt intrusions
along lithospheric faults of Irpinian Apennines (Southern Italy): Geodynamic and seismogenetic implications,
J. Geophys. Res. 105, B6, 13569–13578.
ITALIANO,, F., MARTINELLI, G., and NUCCIO, P. M. (2001), Anomalies of mantle-derived helium during the 1997–
1998 seismic swarm of Umbria-Marche, Italy, Geophys. Res. Lett. 28, 5, 839–842.
ITALIANO, F., MARTINELLI, G., and RIZZO, A. (2004), Seismogenic-induced variations in the dissolved gases of the
thermal waters of the Umbria region ðCentral Apennines, ItalyÞ during and after the 1997–1998 seismic
swarm. G-Cubed 5, 11, doi:10.1029/2004GC000720.
JAVOY, M., PINEAU, F., and DELORME, H. (1986), Carbon and nitrogen isotopes in the mantle, Chem. Geol. 57,
41–62.
KAMEDA, J., SARUWATARI, K., and TANAKA, H. (2004), H2 generation during grinding of kaolinite, J. Colloid and
Interface Sci. 275, 225–286.
KANAMORI, H. (1994), Mechanics of earthquakes, Ann. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 22, 207–237.
KHOMENKO, V.M. and Langer, K. (1999), Aliphatic hydrocarbons in structural channels of cordierite: A first
evidence from polarized single-crystal IR absorption spectroscopy, Am. Min. 84, 1181–1185.
KISSIN, I.G. and PAKHOMOV, S.I. (1967), The possibility of carbon dioxide generation at depth at moderately low
temperature, Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 174, 451–454.
KISSIN, I.G. and PAKHOMOV, S.I. (1969), A contribution to the geochemistry of carbon dioxide in deep zones of
underground hydrosphere. Geokhimiya, 4, 450–471 (in Russian).
KISSIN, I.G. and PAKHOMOV, S.I. (1975), Some features of the geochemistry of thermal water in platform areas
from experimental data. Proceedings of the Grenoble Symposium, August 1975, IAHS publication 119, 7–15.
MAMYRIN, B. A. and TOLSTIKHIN, I. N. (1981), Helium Isotopes in Nature (Energoizdat, Moscow) [in Russian].
MARINI, L. and CHIODINI, G. (1994), The role of carbon dioxide in the carbonate-evaporite geothermal systems of
Tuscany and Latium ðItalyÞ, Acta Vulcanol. 5, 95–104.
MARTINELLI, G. and PLESCIA P. (2004), Mechanochemical dissociation of calcium carbonate: laboratory data and
relation to natural emissions of CO2, Phys. Earth Planet. Int. 142, 3–4, 205–214.
MARTY, B., JAMBON, A., and SANO, Y. (1989), Helium isotopes and CO2 in volcanic gases of Japan. Chem. Geol,
76, 25–40.
MINISSALE, A. (1991), Thermal springs in Italy: Their relation to recent tectonics, Appl. Geochem. 6, 201–212.
MINISSALE, A., (2004), Origin, transport and discharge of CO2 in Central Italy. Earth Sci. Rev. 66, 89–141.
MINISSALE, A., EVANS, W., MAGRO, G., and VASELLI, O. (1997a), Multiple source components in gas
manifestations from northcentral Italy, Chem. Geol. 142, 175–192.
MINISSALE, A., KERRICK, D.M., MAGRO, G., MURRELL, M.T., PALADINI, M., RIHS, S., STURCHIO, N.C., TASSI, F., and
VASELLI, O. (2002), Geochemistry of Quaternary travertines in the region north of Rome ðItalyÞ : structural,
hydrologic and paleoclimatic implications, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 203 709–728.
MONTONE, P., AMATO, A., FREPOLI, A., MARIUCCI, M.T., and CESARO, M. (1997), Crustal stress regime in Italy,
Annali di Geofisica XL, 3, 741–757.
MORELLI,, A., EKSTROM, G., and OLIVERI, M. (2000), Source properties of the 1997–1998 Central Italy
earthquake sequence from inversion of long-period and broad-band seismograms, J. Seismol. 4, 365–375.
O’NIONS, R.K. and OXBURGH, E.R. (1983), Heat and helium in the Earth, Nature 306, 429–431.
OZIMA, M. and PODOSEK, F.A. Noble Gas Geochemistry. (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1983) 286 pp.
PANICHI, C., and TONGIORGI, E. (1976), Carbon isotopic composition of CO2 from springs, fumaroles, mofettes
and travertines of central and southern Italy: A preliminary prospection method of geothermal areas, Proc.
Vol. 165, 2008 CO2 Degassing over Seismic Areas 93
2nd U.N. Symp. on the Develop. and Use of Geotherm. Energy, San Francisco, USA., 20–29 May 1975, pp.
815–825.
PLESCIA, P., GIZZI, D., BENEDETTI, S., CAMILUCCI, L., FANIZZA, C., and PAGLIETTI, F. (2003), Mechanochemical
treatment to recycling asbestos containing waste, Waste Managem. 23, 209–218.
POLYAK, B.G., TOLSTIKHIN, I.N. (1985), Isotopic composition of the Earth’s helium and the problem of
tectogenesis. Chem. Geol. 52, 9–33.
ROLLINSON, H., Using Geochemical Data (Longman Group, London 1993).
SANO, Y., WAKITA, H., ITALIANO, F., and NUCCIO, P.M. (1989), Helium isotopes and tectonics in southern Italy,
Geophys. Res. Lett. 16, 6, 511–514.
STOPPA, F. (1988), L’eurimite di Colle Fabbri ðSpoletoÞ: un litotipo ad affinita` carbonatitica in Italia, Boll. Soc.
Geol. It. 107, 239–248.
STOPPA, F. and SFORNA, S. (1995), Geological map of the San Venanzo volcano ðCentral ItalyÞ: Explanatory
notes, Acta Vulcanologica 7, 85–91.
STRAMONDO et al. (1999).
ZOBACK, M.L., ZOBACK, V., MOUNT, J., EATON, J., and HEALY et al. (1987), New evidence of the state of stress of
the San Andreas fault zone, Sci. 238, 1105–1111.
Proc. 16, 135–146.
AMATO, A. and 18 others (1998), The 1997 Umbria-Marche, Italy, earthquake sequence: A first look at the main
shocks and aftershocks, Geophys. Res. Lett. 25, 15, 2861–2864.
BARBIER, E. and FANELLI, M. (1976), Main fractures of Italy from Earts satellite images and correlations with
thermal springs, volcanoes and earthquakes. In (Aoki, H. and Iizuka, S., Eds.).
BASILI, R. and MEGHRAOUI, M. (2001), Coseismic and postseismic displacement related with the 1997 earthquake
sequence in Umbria-Marche (Central Italy), Geophys. Res. Lett. 28, 14, 2695–2698.
BOSCHI, E., GUIDOBONI, E., FERRARI, G., MARIOTTI, D., VALENSISE, G., and GASPERINI, P. (2000), Catalogue of
Strong Italian Earthquakes from 461 BC to 1197- Introductory text and CDrom. Annali di Geofisica 43, 4,
609–868.
CARACAUSI, A., ITALIANO, F., MARTINELLI, G., PAONITA, A., and RIZZO, A. (2005), Long-term geochemical
monitoring and extensive/compressive phenomena: Case study of the Umbria region (Central Apennines,
Italy), Annals of Geophys. 48, 1, 43–53.
CATALDI, R., MONGELLI, F., SQUARCI, P., TAFFI, L., ZITO, G., and CALORE, C. (1995), Geothermal ranking of Italian
territory. Geothermics 24, 115–129.
CATALOGO DELLA SISMICITa` ITALIANA (2003), CSI 1.1 1981–2002, http://legacy.ingv.it/CSI/.
CERLING, T., QUADE, J., YANG, W., and BOREMAN, J. (1989), Soil and paleosols as ecologic and paleoecologic
indicators, Nature 341, 138–139.
CHIODINI, G., FRONDINI, F., and PONZIANI, F. (1995), Deep structures and carbon dioxide degassing in Central
Italy, Geothermics 24, 81–94.
CHIODINI, G., FRONDINI, F., KERRIK, D.M., ROGIE, J., PARELLO, F., PERUZZI, L., ZANZARI, A.R. (1999),
Quantification of deep CO2 fluxes from central Italy. Examples of carbon balance for regional aquifers and of
soil diffuse degassing. Chem. Geol. 159, 205–222.
FAURE, G., Principles of Isotope Geology (J. Wiley, New York 1977).
FAVARA, R., ITALIANO, F., and MARTINELLI, G. (2001), Earthquake-induced chemical changes in thermal waters of
Umbria region during the 1997–1998 seismic swarm, Terra Nova, 13-3, 227–233.
FREPOLI, A. and AMATO, A. (1997), Contemporaneous extension and compression in the Northern Apennines
from earthquake fault-plane solutions, Geophys. J. Int. 129, 368–388.
92 F. Italiano et al. Pure appl. geophys.,
GIANELLI,, G. (1985), On the origin of geothermal CO2 by metamorphic processes, Boll. Soc. Geol. Ital. 104,
575–584.
HEINICKE, J., ITALIANO, F., LAPENNA, V., MARTINELLI, G., NUCCIO, P.M. (2000), Coseismic geochemical variations
in some gas emissions of Umbria region, Central Italy, Phys. Chem. Earth 25, 289–293.
HEINICKE, J., BRAUN, T., BURGASSI, P., ITALIANO, F., and MARTINELLI, G. (2006), Gas flux anomalies in seismogenic
zones in the Upper Tiber Valley, Central, Geophys. J. Int. 167, 794–806.
HICKMAN, S. (1991), Stress in the lithosphere and the strength of active faults, Rev. Geophys. 29, 759–775.
IRWIN, W.P. and BARNES, I. (1980), Tectonic relations of carbon dioxide discharges and earthquakes,
J. Geophys. Res. 85 (B6), 3115–3121.
ITALIANO, F., NUCCIO, P.M., and PECORAINO, G. (1994), Fumarolic gas output at La Fossa di Vulcano Crater,
Acta Vulcanolog. 6, 39–40.
ITALIANO, F., MARTELLI, M., MARTINELLI, G., and NUCCIO, P.M. (2000), Geochemical evidences of melt intrusions
along lithospheric faults of Irpinian Apennines (Southern Italy): Geodynamic and seismogenetic implications,
J. Geophys. Res. 105, B6, 13569–13578.
ITALIANO,, F., MARTINELLI, G., and NUCCIO, P. M. (2001), Anomalies of mantle-derived helium during the 1997–
1998 seismic swarm of Umbria-Marche, Italy, Geophys. Res. Lett. 28, 5, 839–842.
ITALIANO, F., MARTINELLI, G., and RIZZO, A. (2004), Seismogenic-induced variations in the dissolved gases of the
thermal waters of the Umbria region ðCentral Apennines, ItalyÞ during and after the 1997–1998 seismic
swarm. G-Cubed 5, 11, doi:10.1029/2004GC000720.
JAVOY, M., PINEAU, F., and DELORME, H. (1986), Carbon and nitrogen isotopes in the mantle, Chem. Geol. 57,
41–62.
KAMEDA, J., SARUWATARI, K., and TANAKA, H. (2004), H2 generation during grinding of kaolinite, J. Colloid and
Interface Sci. 275, 225–286.
KANAMORI, H. (1994), Mechanics of earthquakes, Ann. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 22, 207–237.
KHOMENKO, V.M. and Langer, K. (1999), Aliphatic hydrocarbons in structural channels of cordierite: A first
evidence from polarized single-crystal IR absorption spectroscopy, Am. Min. 84, 1181–1185.
KISSIN, I.G. and PAKHOMOV, S.I. (1967), The possibility of carbon dioxide generation at depth at moderately low
temperature, Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 174, 451–454.
KISSIN, I.G. and PAKHOMOV, S.I. (1969), A contribution to the geochemistry of carbon dioxide in deep zones of
underground hydrosphere. Geokhimiya, 4, 450–471 (in Russian).
KISSIN, I.G. and PAKHOMOV, S.I. (1975), Some features of the geochemistry of thermal water in platform areas
from experimental data. Proceedings of the Grenoble Symposium, August 1975, IAHS publication 119, 7–15.
MAMYRIN, B. A. and TOLSTIKHIN, I. N. (1981), Helium Isotopes in Nature (Energoizdat, Moscow) [in Russian].
MARINI, L. and CHIODINI, G. (1994), The role of carbon dioxide in the carbonate-evaporite geothermal systems of
Tuscany and Latium ðItalyÞ, Acta Vulcanol. 5, 95–104.
MARTINELLI, G. and PLESCIA P. (2004), Mechanochemical dissociation of calcium carbonate: laboratory data and
relation to natural emissions of CO2, Phys. Earth Planet. Int. 142, 3–4, 205–214.
MARTY, B., JAMBON, A., and SANO, Y. (1989), Helium isotopes and CO2 in volcanic gases of Japan. Chem. Geol,
76, 25–40.
MINISSALE, A. (1991), Thermal springs in Italy: Their relation to recent tectonics, Appl. Geochem. 6, 201–212.
MINISSALE, A., (2004), Origin, transport and discharge of CO2 in Central Italy. Earth Sci. Rev. 66, 89–141.
MINISSALE, A., EVANS, W., MAGRO, G., and VASELLI, O. (1997a), Multiple source components in gas
manifestations from northcentral Italy, Chem. Geol. 142, 175–192.
MINISSALE, A., KERRICK, D.M., MAGRO, G., MURRELL, M.T., PALADINI, M., RIHS, S., STURCHIO, N.C., TASSI, F., and
VASELLI, O. (2002), Geochemistry of Quaternary travertines in the region north of Rome ðItalyÞ : structural,
hydrologic and paleoclimatic implications, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 203 709–728.
MONTONE, P., AMATO, A., FREPOLI, A., MARIUCCI, M.T., and CESARO, M. (1997), Crustal stress regime in Italy,
Annali di Geofisica XL, 3, 741–757.
MORELLI,, A., EKSTROM, G., and OLIVERI, M. (2000), Source properties of the 1997–1998 Central Italy
earthquake sequence from inversion of long-period and broad-band seismograms, J. Seismol. 4, 365–375.
O’NIONS, R.K. and OXBURGH, E.R. (1983), Heat and helium in the Earth, Nature 306, 429–431.
OZIMA, M. and PODOSEK, F.A. Noble Gas Geochemistry. (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1983) 286 pp.
PANICHI, C., and TONGIORGI, E. (1976), Carbon isotopic composition of CO2 from springs, fumaroles, mofettes
and travertines of central and southern Italy: A preliminary prospection method of geothermal areas, Proc.
Vol. 165, 2008 CO2 Degassing over Seismic Areas 93
2nd U.N. Symp. on the Develop. and Use of Geotherm. Energy, San Francisco, USA., 20–29 May 1975, pp.
815–825.
PLESCIA, P., GIZZI, D., BENEDETTI, S., CAMILUCCI, L., FANIZZA, C., and PAGLIETTI, F. (2003), Mechanochemical
treatment to recycling asbestos containing waste, Waste Managem. 23, 209–218.
POLYAK, B.G., TOLSTIKHIN, I.N. (1985), Isotopic composition of the Earth’s helium and the problem of
tectogenesis. Chem. Geol. 52, 9–33.
ROLLINSON, H., Using Geochemical Data (Longman Group, London 1993).
SANO, Y., WAKITA, H., ITALIANO, F., and NUCCIO, P.M. (1989), Helium isotopes and tectonics in southern Italy,
Geophys. Res. Lett. 16, 6, 511–514.
STOPPA, F. (1988), L’eurimite di Colle Fabbri ðSpoletoÞ: un litotipo ad affinita` carbonatitica in Italia, Boll. Soc.
Geol. It. 107, 239–248.
STOPPA, F. and SFORNA, S. (1995), Geological map of the San Venanzo volcano ðCentral ItalyÞ: Explanatory
notes, Acta Vulcanologica 7, 85–91.
STRAMONDO et al. (1999).
ZOBACK, M.L., ZOBACK, V., MOUNT, J., EATON, J., and HEALY et al. (1987), New evidence of the state of stress of
the San Andreas fault zone, Sci. 238, 1105–1111.
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