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Hazard From Endogenous Gas Emissions and Phreatic Explosions in Rome City (Italy)
Author(s) -
Carapezza Maria Luisa,
Barberi Franco,
Tarchini Luca,
Ranaldi Massimo
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2020gl089797
Subject(s) - phreatic , geology , phreatic eruption , aquifer , volcano , overpressure , geochemistry , hazard , unrest , seismology , groundwater , earth science , magma , geotechnical engineering , chemistry , organic chemistry , physics , politics , political science , law , thermodynamics
A gas blowout during an unauthorized well drilling occurred on June 9, 2020 at the Rome‐Ciampino boundary at the periphery of Colli Albani quiescent volcano. This zone hosts a shallow confined gas‐pressured aquifer, which recently produced further three gas blowouts. Dangerous atmospheric CO 2 and H 2 S concentrations killed some birds, and 12 families were evacuated. The helium isotopic composition indicates that the gas has a magmatic origin. It rises toward the surface along leaky faults, pressurizing the shallow confined aquifer and creating a permanent gas blowout hazard. Colli Albani volcano is characterized by anomalous uplift, release of magmatic gas, and episodic seismic crises. Should a volcanic unrest occur, gas hazard would increase in this densely inhabited zone of Rome city, as the input of magmatic gas into the confined aquifer might create overpressure conditions leading to a harmful phreatic explosion, or increase the emission of hazardous gas through newly created fractures.