Numerical modelling of the volcanic plume dispersion from the hydrothermal system of La Soufrière de Guadeloupe

Yuly Paola Rave-Bonilla; David E. Jessop; Séverine Moune; Céline Garbin; Roberto Moretti

doi:10.30909/vol.06.02.459477

The front cover of Volcanica Volume 6 Issue 2. A melt-inclusion bubble is centered in this image of a quartz-hosted rhyolite melt inclusion, taken by Dr Hannah Elms using a microscope camera. The tagline reads, "LASER FOCUS" in stylised laser font. Below this it reads: "New research shows that results from Raman spectroscopy of CO2-rich olivine-hosted melt inclusion vapor bubbles are strongly dependent on laser power and spectral resolution. Read more on p. 201"

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Published: Nov 28, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30909/vol.06.02.459477

Keywords:

Volcanic gas dispersion Numerical model Exposure map Probable scenario Long-term exposure Monte Carlo simulation Citizen science

Yuly Paola Rave-Bonilla

1. Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, IRD, OPGC, Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4379-7788

David E. Jessop

1. Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, IRD, OPGC, Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France. 2. Université de Paris Cité, Institut de physique du globe de Paris, UMR 7154 CNRS, 1 rue Jussieu, F-75238 Paris, France

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2382-219X

Séverine Moune

1. Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, IRD, OPGC, Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France. 2. Université de Paris Cité, Institut de physique du globe de Paris, UMR 7154 CNRS, 1 rue Jussieu, F-75238 Paris, France

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8485-0154

Céline Garbin

Gwad’Air - Air Quality Monitoring Agency, 97170 Petit-Bourg, France

Roberto Moretti

Université de Paris Cité, Institut de physique du globe de Paris, UMR 7154 CNRS, 1 rue Jussieu, F-75238 Paris, France

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2031-5192

Abstract

Passive volcanic degassing results in the emission of toxic gases such as H₂S at quasi-steady rates over long periods of time that pose a significant hazard to human health even in low gas concentrations. Currently, La Soufrière de Guadeloupe has one of the highest gas emission rates in the Lesser Antilles arc, with gas emitted mainly from low-temperature fumaroles. In this study, gas dispersion from the volcano between 2016–2021 was modelled using a numerical code that takes into account wind and atmospheric data, topography and gas flux measurements. We ran c.100 individual simulations of the most frequently observed wind and gas flux conditions using a Monte-Carlo scheme. Our results, validated using air-quality measurements and citizen-science surveys, show that the most exposed zones are the hamlet of Matouba and the upper St. Claude. These areas have 20% and 5% probability, respectively, of exceeding H₂S guidelines for long-term gas exposure (70 ppb).

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How to Cite

Rave-Bonilla, Y. P., Jessop, D. E., Moune, S., Garbin, C. and Moretti, R. (2023) “Numerical modelling of the volcanic plume dispersion from the hydrothermal system of La Soufrière de Guadeloupe”, Volcanica, 6(2), pp. 459–477. doi: 10.30909/vol.06.02.459477.

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 2 (2023)

Section

Articles

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