Dissolved Carbon in Groundwater versus Gas Emissions from the Soil: The Two Sides of the Same Coin

Abstract

This study focuses on the interaction among deep volcanic/hydrothermal gases, groundwater and soil gases at Vulcano Island (Aeolian Archipelago, Italy). The chemical-physical parameters of the groundwater, the total dissolved inorganic carbon (TDIC) and the isotopic composition of the CO2 dissolved in groundwater are reported and discussed. Furthermore, a comparison between soil gases and groundwater indicates that groundwater and soil gases show the same qualitative information, giving a good overall picture of the main degassing zones of a volcanic system, whereas the soil gas discharge provides an evaluation of the mass released by the deep feeding system. This approach can be a useful tool both to characterize mixing and/or interaction processes among different sources and for a monitoring of degassing activity of a volcanic system.