A resource for studying potential impacts, examining gas migration processes, and testing monitoring techniques.

Transcription

1 Natural CO 2 -leaking marine sites off the coast of Italy A resource for studying potential impacts, examining gas migration processes, and testing monitoring techniques. Salvatore Lombardi Università di Roma La Sapienza

2 Example sites Ischia Island Panarea Island There are many sites off the west coast of Italy where natural CO2 is released from the sea floor - these two are the most studied

3 Ischia Ischia Island Castello Aragonese CO 2 vents Shallow (<5m), warm-water site in photic zone, therefore biologically-active area Note high population density in vicinity of leaks

4 Ischia Eti Estimated tdflow rate Hall-Spencer & Rodolfo-Metalpa 2009 south side = 1.4 x 10 6 L / day over 3000 m 2 north side = 0.7 x 10 6 L / day over 2000 m 2 Gas composition 90-95% CO2, 3-6% N2, no H2S

5 Ischia Hall-Spencer & Rodolfo-Metalpa 2009 Studied d as an analogue of ocean acidification caused by increased CO 2 concentrations in the atmosphere Work lead by U of Plymouth, with researchers from France, Brazil and Italy

6 Ischia biological impact Low ph over 120 m Note variability of values in gas release area, due to differential mixing Impact first observed where avg. ph is still high but greater ph variability Hall-Spencer et al. (2008) Cl Calcareous species diminished while invasive non-calcareous are favoured

7 Ischia biological impact ph = 8.2 ph = 7.3 Missing older, outer periostracum layer Eroded pitted shell Hall-Spencer et al. (2008)

8 Ischia biological impact Dias et al. (2010) Biodiversity is also affected, even at moderate ph changes

9 Ischia biological impact corallines bryozoans Percentage cover of other species is strongly impacted at ph values below 8 Some bryozoan species were able to survive lower ph Hbecause of a lower Mg calcite level Martin et al. (2008)

10 Ischia biological impact Some species benefited under moderately increased pco2 Some showed stable or increased calcification linked likely to an increase in DIC Seagrass production o was highest at ph 7.6 Brown algae increased under low ph conditions

11 Panarea Located off the NE tip of Sicily One of the Aeolian Islands, linked genetically and structurally with Stromboli, Lipari i and Vulcano Area of interest is a series of islets to the east of Panarea (box at left) that encircle a gas emission field of approximately 3km 2 Esposito et al. (2006)

12 Panarea General area of gas emissions i Steinbruckner (2009) Gas emissions studied since early 1980 s (Italiano & Nuccio, 1991) relatively stable in both gas chemistry (e.g. 98% CO2, 1.7% H2S plus other trace gases) and flux rates (7-9 x 10 6 l/d).

13 Panarea In Nov. 2002, however, a gas outburst increased flow by 2 orders of magnitude After 3 months flow returned to pre-outburst rates

14 Panarea Secca dei Panarelli Panarelli Dattilo Lisca Bianca Bottaro Secca di Lisca Nera Lisca Nera modified after Esposito et al. (2006) and Anzidei et al. (2005) Yellow leakage areas in December 2002 Red leakage areas one year later

15 Panarea gas migration pathways (Esposito et al. 2006) Underwater mapping has defined many fracture and lineament directions

16 Panarea gas migration pathways (Esposito et al. 2006) Gas bubble lineaments Gas bubble lineaments are mainly SW-NE and SE-NW Gas exhalation field is presently active where these two fracture trends intersect and form a network

17 Panarea gas migration pathways modified after De Astis et al Acocella et al Stromboli Filicudi Salina Panarea Alicudi Lipari Vulcano Sicily NE-SW direction same as regional trend linking Panarea - Stromboli Other studies show that the fractures in the Panarea area are predominantly extensional, thus more prone to be open

18 Panarea gas migration pathways Seiland 2009 In addition to aligned along fractures, gas leakage also occurs as diffuse fields (left) and strong individual id spots (right)

19 Panarea water quality impact Seiland 2009 Tassi et al., 2009 At some vents deep origin waters are released with the gas, analogous to brine migrating with CO2 Can be used to study mixing, dilution, and potential impact on water column chemistry and biota

20 Panarea water quality impact Seiland 2009 ocean water ph Similarly this water also has different ph values, which can be traced and monitored in the water column and bottom waters.

21 Panarea biological impact Karuza et al., submitted Studies near a large, thermal vent shows a strong influence on viral abundance but basically none on prokaryote abundance

22 Panarea monitoring methods Aliani et al., 2010 Gas bubble plume reaching the water surface Current meters have been applied to see the effect of the bubble plume on water column structure / stratigraphy

23 Panarea monitoring methods Anzidei et al Echo sounder surveys have been applied to show bubbleplume location, strength, and height in water column

24 CO 2 GeoNet, Network of Excellence for CO2 Geological Storage (partner, team leader, April 2004-March 2009) Panarea ongoing / planned work European Community funded CCS projects having a component at the natural test site of Panarea CO 2 GeoNet, Network of Excellence of Inter-laboratory connection for CO2 Geological Storage (OGS, NIVA, URS) April 2004-March 2009) RISCS (OGS, URS) started Jan 1, 2010 ECO2 (OGS, URS) will likely start Jan 1, 2011 PaCO2 (IFM-Geomar, CERTH, IOW, OGS, URS) will start July, 2011

25 Panarea ongoing / planned work CO 2 GEONET Network of Excellence of Interlaboratory Connection for CO2 Geological Storage (OGS, NIVA, URS), April 2004-March 2009 Gas and water quality Impact on Biota Testing monitoring tools

26 Panarea ongoing / planned work RISCS - Research into Impacts and Safety in CO2 Storage 4 campaigns (one each season) Just completed first campaign 1 week ago Integrated chemical, biological, physical measurements Profiles across background and vented areas to study mixing and dilution effects in the water column Benthic chambers to study sediment-water exchange for respiratory and production processes Current meters to define system during sampling periods

27 Panarea ongoing / planned work ECO2 - Sub-seabed CO2 Storage Impact on Marine Ecosystems CO2 flux rate measurements Testing of novel sensor equipment. Deployment of new generation, dissolved CO2 monitoring station Transplant experiments on biomarkers Study of the metabolic and respiratory physiology of seep-adapted organisms

28 Panarea ongoing / planned work PaCO2 - The Panarea natural CO2 seeps fate and impact of the leaking gas EuroFleets 5 ship days on R/V Urania Joint research with RISCS and ECO2 Work Hydroacoustics, sub-bottom profiler, sea-air CO2 flux CTD and water sampling profiling High resolution profiling, ADCP, eddy correlation Temperature moorings, GasQuant Bubble plume modelling

29 Panarea References Acocella, V., Neri, M. and Walter, T.R., Structural features of Panarea volcano in the frame of the Aeolian Arc (Italy) Implications for the unrest. Journal of Geodynamics, 47(5) Aliani, S., Bortoluzzi, G., Caramanna, G. and Raffa, F., Seawater dynamics and environmental settings after november 2002 gas eruption off Bottaro (Panarea, Aeolian Islands, Mediterranean Sea). Continental Shelf Research, In Press, Accepted Manuscript. Anzidei, M., Esposito, A., Bortoluzzi, G. and De Giosa, F., The high resolution bathymetric map of the exhalative area of Panarea (Aeolian Islands, Italy). Annals of Geophysics, 48(6) Caliro, S., Caracausi, A., Chiodini, G., Ditta, M., Italiano, F., Longo, M., Minopoli, C., Nuccio, P.M., Paonita, A. and Rizzo, A., Evidence of a recent input of magmatic gases into the quiescent volcanic edifice of Panarea, Aeolian Islands, Italy. Geophys. Res. Lett., 31(7) L De Astis, G., Ventura, G. and Vilardo, G., Geodynamic significance of the Aeolian volcanism (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy) in light of structural, seismological, and geochemical data. Tectonics, 22(4) Esposito, A., Giordano, G. and Anzidei, M., The submarine gas eruption at Panarea volcano (Aeolian Islands, Italy) Volcanology of the seafloor and implications for the hazard scenario. Marine Geology, 227(1-2) Italiano, F. and Nuccio, P.M., Geochemical investigations of submarine exhalations to the east of Panarea, Aeolian Islands, Italy. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., Karuza, A., Celussi, M., Cibic, T., Del Negro, P. and De Vittor, C., submitted. Effects of ph decrease caused by natural releases of CO2 on marine prokaryotic diversity and virus abundance. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. Sieland, R., Chemical and isotopic investigations of submarine hydrothermal fluid discharges from anarea, Aeolian Islands, Italy, Technische Universitat Bergakadeimi Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany, 190 pp. Steinbruckner, D., Quantification of submarine degassing of Panarea Volcano in the Aeolian archipelago, Italy, Technische Universitat Bergakdeimi Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany, 126 pp. Tassi, F., Capaccioni, B., Caramanna, G., Cinti, D., Montegrossi, G., Pizzino, L., Quattrocchi, F. and Vaselli, O., Low-pH waters discharging from submarine vents at Panarea Island (Aeolian Islands, southern Italy) after the 2002 gas blast Origin of hydrothermal fluids and implications for volcanic surveillance. Applied Geochemistry, 24(2) Tassi, F., Capaccioni, B., Caramanna, G., Cinti, D., Montegrossi, G., Pizzino, L., Quattrocchi, F. and Vaselli, O., Low-pH waters discharging from submarine vents at Panarea Island (Aeolian Islands, southern Italy) after the 2002 gas blast Origin of hydrothermal fluids and implications for volcanic surveillance. Applied Geochemistry, 24(2)

30 Ischia References Dias, B.B., Hart, M.B., Smart, C.W. and Hall-Spencer, J.M., Modern seawater acidification the response of foraminifera to high-co2 conditions in the Mediterranean Sea. Journal of the Geological Society, Hall-Spencer, J.M. and Rodolfo-Metalpa, R., Using scientific diving to investigate the long-term effects of ocean acidification at CO2 vents. In B.J. Merkel and M. Schipek (Editors), Research in Shallow Marine and Fresh Water Systems 1st International Workshop, Freiburg, Germany, pp , May 14 16, Hall-Spencer, J.M., Rodolfo-Metalpa, R., Martin, S., Ransome, E., Fine, M., Turner, S.M., Rowley, S.J., Tedesco, D. and Buia, M.-C., Volcanic carbon dioxide vents show ecosystem effects of ocean acidification. Nature, 454(3). Martin, S., Rodolfo-Metalpa, R., Ransome, E., Rowley, S.J., Buia, M.-C., Gattuso, J.-F. and Hall-Spencer, J.M., Effects of naturally acidified seawater on seagrass calcareous epibionts. Biol. Lett.,