Accumulation chamber measurements of methane fluxes: application to volcanic-geothermal areas and landfills

Direct measurement of present day CH4 diffuse degassing from the soil represents an effective tool to better estimate the degassing rate of individual sources and to calibrate global Earth degassing estimates. While many data exist on CH4 emissions from ecosystems, agricultural soils and landfills, few estimates of CH4 emissions from volcanic-geothermal areas have been performed. The authors report results and discuss applications of accumulation-chamber measurements of soil CH4 and CO2 flux from Solfatara of Pozuoli (Naples), Vulcano Island and Poggio dell'Olivo (Viterbo) volcanic-geothermal areas, and the Palma Campania landfill (Naples). Volcanic-geothermal study areas are characterised by vent discharges of fluids with different CH4/CO2 ratios (from 4.7×10−5 to 7.5×10−5, 4.7×10−4 and 2.5×10−3 by weight, for Solfatara of Pozzuoli, Vulcano island, and Poggio dell'Olivo areas, respectively). Soil CH4 fluxes range from 0.003 to 48 g m−2 day−1 in the volcanic-geothermal areas and from 0.0021 to 936 g m−2 day−1 in the landfill, with high spatial variability observed in all areas. Using statistical methods different flux populations were distinguished (i.e. background soil gases and deeply derived gases) and the total gas emissions from study sites calculated. The results of this work show that CH4/CO2 ratios of deep fluids, fumarolic fluids in the case of the volcanic-geothermal environment and biogas in landfills, are roughly maintained in the gas phase diffusely degassed by the soil. Due to high spatial variability, a large number of flux measurements and appropriate statistical methods are needed to estimate total gas discharge from study areas. Furthermore, the simultaneous measurement of diffuse CH4 and CO2 fluxes represents a strong constraint for interpretative models of deep processes associated with soil degassing.