A physical mechanism for the release of free gases in the lithosphere

Abstract A possible mechanism for the creation of free gas bubbles in the upper parts of the crust is postulated. The creation of a bubble is assumed to be initiated by α-particles produced in the decays of the radioactive elements of uranium, thorium and their daughter products. The gas is assumed to be supplied from groundwater oversaturated with dissolved gases. A bubble formed in this way can ascend through cracks and fissures because of its buoyancy. It remains as a free gas bubble because it passes through a groundwater already saturated with dissolved gases. This phenomenon seems important since it offers a one-way upward transport mechanism for atoms or aggregates of atoms attached to the bubbles through the lithosphere. The bubble creation can be simulated in the laboratory by means of mineral water and an uranium-rich rock sample.