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Fault networks can provide pathways for fluids (water and gas) to the surface. Magma bodies (such as the Socorro Magma body, SMB, in NM) beneath Earth's surface also release CO2 to the surface. Recent work has provided information on CO2 flux and defined background, diffuse, and endogenic sources in the Albuquerque basin and Valles Caldera. Our main focus was to measure the active CO2 flux in the Rio Grande Rift south of any previously measured CO2 emission sites and was specifically across the margin of the Socorro Magma Body. Geological evidence, in the form of numerous travertine deposits associated with bounding rift faults co-located with the SMB, indicates persistent recent outgassing in this region. The method used was an EM-5 with a soil respiration chamber and an infrared detector to enable direct measurement of the flux of CO2 from the ground being studied. After surveying the western part of the Socorro Magma body in the Sevilleta Wildlife Preserve, we found that there was a small amount of CO2 being emitted by non-anthropogenic means (non-biological). To differentiate between anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic we had a minimum flux of 0.084 to 1.01 g/m2/d, which we defined as background flux to a maximum flux of 3.02 to 9.06 g/m2/d, which is substantially above background flux. Compared to previous works on the Valles Caldera, the data we collected for this project is only a small fraction compared to 170,000 g/m2/d. This preliminary work indicates that the Socorro Magma Body is emitting currently emitting diffuse CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fault networks can provide pathways for fluids (water and gas) to the surface. Magma bodies (such as the Socorro Magma body, SMB, in NM) beneath Earth's surface also release CO2 to the surface. Recent work has provided information on CO2 flux and defined background, diffuse, and endogenic sources in the Albuquerque basin and Valles Caldera. Our main focus was to measure the active CO2 flux in the Rio Grande Rift south of any previously measured CO2 emission sites and was specifically across the margin of the Socorro Magma Body. Geological evidence, in the form of numerous travertine deposits associated with bounding rift faults co-located with the SMB, indicates persistent recent outgassing in this region. The method used was an EM-5 with a soil respiration chamber and an infrared detector to enable direct measurement of the flux of CO2 from the ground being studied. After surveying the western part of the Socorro Magma body in the Sevilleta Wildlife Preserve, we found that there was a small amount of CO2 being emitted by non-anthropogenic means (non-biological). To differentiate between anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic we had a minimum flux of 0.084 to 1.01 g/m2/d, which we defined as background flux to a maximum flux of 3.02 to 9.06 g/m2/d, which is substantially above background flux. Compared to previous works on the Valles Caldera, the data we collected for this project is only a small fraction compared to 170,000 g/m2/d. This preliminary work indicates that the Socorro Magma Body is emitting currently emitting diffuse CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]