Oliveri, Ygor

Tectonically active areas of Central Italy are marked by intense CO 2 degassing, whose origin and role in earthquake processes are fundamental questions in geoscience. This study investigates the origin and geological controls on the geochemistry of light hydrocarbons from CO 2-dominated gas emissions located in the inner sector of the Umbria-Marche Apennines (Central Italy), aiming to better understand the sources and migration pathways of geogenic fluids in the region. Our findings indicate that light hydrocarbons are predominantly thermogenic, with negligible abiotic contributions. We demonstrate that Mesozoic carbonate rocks are the primary source across the study area, though conditions of hydrocarbon formation and migration vary. Specifically, higher temperatures and open-system conditions prevail in the southern regions, likely due to thermal stress associated with Quaternary magmatism. We propose that light hydrocarbons form at crustal depths (≤5-6 km) and are transported to the surface by ascending CO 2 from deeper sources. Finally, this work highlights that hydrocarbon geochemistry, combined with helium isotopes, can provide insights for reconstructing the circulation and origin of fluids in crustal reservoirs and assessing the thermal regime in tectonically active areas.

No abstract

Groundwater from karst circulation systems of Central Italy were sampled and analyzed, in 2018, for delineating a preliminary, general geochemical framework of their relationship with neotectonics, in an area characterized by a frequent and often destructive seismicity. We determined field physical-chemical parameters, concentrations of main dissolved ions and gases and isotopic composition of water ( 18O, D) and total dissolved inorganic carbon ( 13C TDIC). We discriminated between “normal” hydro-karst systems and multi-component aquifers, composed of meteoric groundwater that have also interacted with rocks of di erent lithological nature and/or deep fluids. These multicomponent aquifers are of potential interest in the monitoring of neotectonics activity, because changes in the stress field associated with the preparatory phase of an earthquake may a ect the permeability of rocks, in turn causing variation of their chemical-isotopic character. The geographical distribution of these aquifers seems to be controlled by tectonics. In fact, the Olevano–Antrodoco–Sibillini thrust separates the more anomalous sites, located westwards of it, from the groundwater bodies at its eastern side, showing a more typical karst character.

The underground systems for catchment and storage of meteoric water are a type of hydraulic works with a multi-millenary history, presently used, and with very interesting future perspectives in the framework the conversion to the “green economy”. An interesting topic, related to the possible anthropic reuse of ancient meteoric water collection and storage systems, is the evaluation of the chemical interactions between water and the rocks inside which these systems are carved, and the possible superseding of maximum admitted concentrations of chemical species potentially toxic or noxious for human health. In this work, after a review of the lithological nature of these systems, we discuss the chemical character of the water they collect, using direct measures and theoretical data from the literature, giving indications for its possible anthropic uses.

We investigated the geochemical behaviour of major and Rare Earth Elements (REE), together with oxygen and deuterium isotopic composition in the aquifer of Vulcano, the southernmost island of the Aeolian archipelago (Italy). Studied wells, located at different distances from the crater, are characterised by different contributions of the rising volcanic fluids. In particular, those located in the proximity of La Fossa crater are affected by a strong interaction with volcanic-hydrothermal fluids and show REE behaviour similar to that of fresh rocks, suggesting a congruent dissolution of the solid matrix. Samples from the other wells, located in an area where the volcanic deposits are hydrothermally altered as an “advanced argillic facies”, are enriched in HREE and mirror the corresponding depletion observed in the altered rocks. Moreover, the different grade of interaction with hydrothermal fluids determines the main ligand that complexes the REE. The main ligand is CO3 2– in the wells that are more directly affected by hydrothermal circulation, whereas SO4 2− dominates in those located at greater distances from La Fossa crater. This information provides further clues to the complex groundwater circulation model of Vulcano Island, which is regulated by the variable mixing and interacting of rising volcano-hydrothermal fluids, meteoric infiltration and seawater, differently interacting with fresh and altered rocks.

Several shallow landslides occurred at La Fossa cone (Vulcano Island, Aeolian Archipelago, Italy) in the last 30 years, during both unrests and periods of quiet volcanic activity. The main event occurred in 1988, during a volcanic unrest, when a landslide collapsed into the sea from the NE flank of La Fossa cone, producing a small tsunami. Hydrothermal activity has been suggested as a potential trigger for landslide generation in this area. However, no specific investigations were carried out to test this hypothesis. With the aim of filling this gap, we studied the mineralogy and hydraulic conductivity of La Fossa cone deposits, the relationships between shallow hydrothermal circulation and rainfall dynamics and their role in triggering slope failures. We also measured rainfall rate, volumetric soil moisture content and soil suction at two automated stations installed in areas with and without active hydrothermal circulation.We found that hydrothermally altered low-conductivity materials show higher background water contents and lower soil suctions than pristine deposits, and their water content is modulated by impulsive increments following rainfalls. This behaviour is due to the combination of lower permeability and direct condensation of hydrothermal vapour. We conclude that shallow hydrothermal circulation produces conditions for slope failures following transients in soil moisture content caused by rainfall infiltration. These considerations allow to identify the areas immediately NWand SE of the 1988 landslide as the most prone to future mass movements.

Alkaline lakes like the hydrothermally affected lake Specchio di Venere (Pantelleria Island, Central Mediterranean) are typical geological settings harbouring calcified microbial mats. The present work is focused on the discrimination between biotic and abiotic processes driving carbonate precipitation in this lake, using hydrochemical, mineralogical and isotopic data. Hydrochemical analyses demonstrate that the lake is nearly 10 fold supersaturated with regard to aragonite and seasonally reaches hydromagnesite supersaturation. Microscopic observations depict organosedimentary laminated structures consisting of microbial communities and aragonitic precipitates, which are rather disseminated in pores than directly linked to microorganisms. Oxygen isotopic data indicate that authigenic carbonate crystallisation from evaporating water is the dominant precipitation process, further suggested by the absence of textural evidence of diagenetic processes. Conversely, the observed d13C values reflect an influence of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on carbon fractionation during the precipitation process, due to the selective sequestration of 12C in the biomass. The above considerations suggest that at lake Specchio di Venere the carbonate precipitation is mainly of inorganic nature, but a minor role played by biologically influenced processes in microbial mats is not excluded.

Hydrothermal lakes are a very common feature in volcanic environments, and among these lake Specchio di Venere (Pantelleria island, Italy) has attracted the interest of several researchers due to its peculiar characteristics. With the aim of improving the knowledge of its mineralogy, our work pointed out the characterisation of the bottom lake sediments. We collected and analysed 5 sediments cores around the shoreline, determining the mineralogical phases, concentration of major, minor, and trace elements, and the isotopic composition of carbon and oxygen in the carbonate phases. Our findings remarked a general compositional homogeneity in both the vertical and horizontal distribution of mineral phases, with the exception of peculiar geological niches connoted by biological and hydrothermal activities.

A continuous-flow GC/IRMS technique has been developed to analyse δ15N values for molecular nitrogen in gas samples. This method provides reliable results with accuracy better than 0.15‰and reproducibility (1σ) within ±0.1‰ for volumes of N2 between 1.35 (about 56 nmol) and 48.9μL (about 2μmol). The method was tested on magmatic and hydrothermal gases as well as on natural gas samples collected from various sites. Since the analysis of nitrogen isotope composition may be prone to atmospheric contamination mainly in samples with low N2 concentration, we set the instrument to determine also N2 and 36Ar contents in a single run. In fact, based on the simultaneously determined N2/36Ar ratios and assuming that 36Ar content in crustal and mantle-derived fluids is negligible with respect to 36Ar concentration in the atmosphere, for each sample, the degree of atmospheric contamination can be accurately evaluated. Therefore, the measured δ15N values can be properly corrected for air contamination.