Non-Anthropogenic CO2 degassing: is the Socorro Magma Body Emitting CO2?

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]