Turrialba: presence of helium suggests magma build-up 9 April 2008
Posted by admin in activity reports, Costa Rica, Turrialba.trackback
An analysis of gas collected from Turrialba volcano, Costa Rica, has revealed the presence of high proportions of helium in one of three samples collected on 7 and 8 March, according to a report in La Nación today. This suggests that magma may be building up within the volcano.
The gas sampling at Turrialba is being undertaken by a scientific team from the Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica (Ovsicori), part of the Universidad Nacional (UNA), while scientists at the Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR) have been carrying out the gas analysis. The UCR mass spectrometer analysis of the three gas samples revealed the presence of helium at a far higher level than normal: ‘We are talking about a difference of three orders of magnitude’ reports Jorge Andrés Díaz of the UCR.
Information
Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program – summary information for Turrialba (1405-07=)
Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica – Ovsicori news page, including latest bulletins (which are in PDF format)
Volcán Turrialba – information from Ovsicori
News
Helio sugiere formación de magma en volcán Turrialba – La Nación, 9 April 2008 (Spanish)
The Volcanism Blog 