Output of Volcanic SO<sub>2</sub> Gases and Their Dispersion in the Atmosphere: The Case of Vulcano Island, Aeolian Archipelago, Italy
Gases emitted from active volcanic systems constitute a primary natural source of global atmospheric pollution. Atmospheric sulfur dioxide (SO<sub>2</sub>) concentrations were monitored using a near-continuous network based on Scan-DOAS (Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy) tech...
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2025-05-01
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| author | Fabio Vita Benedetto Schiavo Claudio Inguaggiato Jacopo Cabassi Stefania Venturi Franco Tassi Salvatore Inguaggiato |
| author_facet | Fabio Vita Benedetto Schiavo Claudio Inguaggiato Jacopo Cabassi Stefania Venturi Franco Tassi Salvatore Inguaggiato |
| author_sort | Fabio Vita |
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| description | Gases emitted from active volcanic systems constitute a primary natural source of global atmospheric pollution. Atmospheric sulfur dioxide (SO<sub>2</sub>) concentrations were monitored using a near-continuous network based on Scan-DOAS (Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy) technology. Complementary intermittent measurements were performed using a UV Thermo<sup>®</sup> analyzer deployed at fixed locations and along predefined transects on the island. SO<sub>2</sub> flux data derived from the Scan-DOAS measurements, coupled with atmospheric dispersion maps generated using the AERMOD modeling software, enabled the estimation of SO<sub>2</sub> distribution across the volcanic crater region and inhabited areas of the island, including Vulcano Village and Vulcano Piano. The results of the estimation of SO<sub>2</sub> concentration in the atmosphere, integrated with the dispersion modeling, exhibited consistency with direct SO<sub>2</sub> concentration measurements obtained by the Thermo<sup>®</sup> analyzer, demonstrating coherence between the two methodologies, although some overestimations of ambient SO<sub>2</sub> were noted. This study provided valuable insights into areas with anomalous SO<sub>2</sub> concentrations exceeding the threshold limits established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union (EU). These limits are generally exceeded in the crater zone and surrounding areas. The findings also highlighted the influence of prevailing winds and the temporal variations in volcanic degassing activity observed over the preceding 17 years, characterized by four periods of unrest degassing with SO<sub>2</sub> emission rates from the summit solfataric area reaching up to 250 tonnes per day (td<sup>−1</sup>). |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-25b5df1efea147848ec24da80672b5fe |
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| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj-art-25b5df1efea147848ec24da80672b5fe2025-08-20T02:24:39ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332025-05-0116665110.3390/atmos16060651Output of Volcanic SO<sub>2</sub> Gases and Their Dispersion in the Atmosphere: The Case of Vulcano Island, Aeolian Archipelago, ItalyFabio Vita0Benedetto Schiavo1Claudio Inguaggiato2Jacopo Cabassi3Stefania Venturi4Franco Tassi5Salvatore Inguaggiato6INGV Sezione Palermo, Via Ugo La Malfa, 153, 90146 Palermo, ItalyInstituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, MexicoDepartamento de Geología, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Baja California (CICESE), Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana 3918, Ensenada 22860, Ensenada Baja California, MexicoCNR-IGG Istituto di Geoscienze e Georisorse, Via La Pira, 450121 Firenze, ItalyINGV Sezione Palermo, Via Ugo La Malfa, 153, 90146 Palermo, ItalyCNR-IGG Istituto di Geoscienze e Georisorse, Via La Pira, 450121 Firenze, ItalyINGV Sezione Palermo, Via Ugo La Malfa, 153, 90146 Palermo, ItalyGases emitted from active volcanic systems constitute a primary natural source of global atmospheric pollution. Atmospheric sulfur dioxide (SO<sub>2</sub>) concentrations were monitored using a near-continuous network based on Scan-DOAS (Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy) technology. Complementary intermittent measurements were performed using a UV Thermo<sup>®</sup> analyzer deployed at fixed locations and along predefined transects on the island. SO<sub>2</sub> flux data derived from the Scan-DOAS measurements, coupled with atmospheric dispersion maps generated using the AERMOD modeling software, enabled the estimation of SO<sub>2</sub> distribution across the volcanic crater region and inhabited areas of the island, including Vulcano Village and Vulcano Piano. The results of the estimation of SO<sub>2</sub> concentration in the atmosphere, integrated with the dispersion modeling, exhibited consistency with direct SO<sub>2</sub> concentration measurements obtained by the Thermo<sup>®</sup> analyzer, demonstrating coherence between the two methodologies, although some overestimations of ambient SO<sub>2</sub> were noted. This study provided valuable insights into areas with anomalous SO<sub>2</sub> concentrations exceeding the threshold limits established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union (EU). These limits are generally exceeded in the crater zone and surrounding areas. The findings also highlighted the influence of prevailing winds and the temporal variations in volcanic degassing activity observed over the preceding 17 years, characterized by four periods of unrest degassing with SO<sub>2</sub> emission rates from the summit solfataric area reaching up to 250 tonnes per day (td<sup>−1</sup>).https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/6/651SO<sub>2</sub> outputharmful gasesdegassing unrestvulcano island |
| spellingShingle | Fabio Vita Benedetto Schiavo Claudio Inguaggiato Jacopo Cabassi Stefania Venturi Franco Tassi Salvatore Inguaggiato Output of Volcanic SO<sub>2</sub> Gases and Their Dispersion in the Atmosphere: The Case of Vulcano Island, Aeolian Archipelago, Italy Atmosphere SO<sub>2</sub> output harmful gases degassing unrest vulcano island |
| title | Output of Volcanic SO<sub>2</sub> Gases and Their Dispersion in the Atmosphere: The Case of Vulcano Island, Aeolian Archipelago, Italy |
| title_full | Output of Volcanic SO<sub>2</sub> Gases and Their Dispersion in the Atmosphere: The Case of Vulcano Island, Aeolian Archipelago, Italy |
| title_fullStr | Output of Volcanic SO<sub>2</sub> Gases and Their Dispersion in the Atmosphere: The Case of Vulcano Island, Aeolian Archipelago, Italy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Output of Volcanic SO<sub>2</sub> Gases and Their Dispersion in the Atmosphere: The Case of Vulcano Island, Aeolian Archipelago, Italy |
| title_short | Output of Volcanic SO<sub>2</sub> Gases and Their Dispersion in the Atmosphere: The Case of Vulcano Island, Aeolian Archipelago, Italy |
| title_sort | output of volcanic so sub 2 sub gases and their dispersion in the atmosphere the case of vulcano island aeolian archipelago italy |
| topic | SO<sub>2</sub> output harmful gases degassing unrest vulcano island |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/6/651 |
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