A Mosaic of Science and Culture

home | project | meetings | works
Volcanoes in Macalube di Aragona

1

On January 18th 2006   the Comenius team visited the area the mud volcanoes in Macalube di Aragona, near Agrigento (Sicily) and conduced a series of physical and chemical experiments. Were done the following test:

1
       

To count the frequency
of the bobbles produced
To check the temperature

To check the pH

To burn gas delivered with a Bunsen burner
1

1 1

1

         

The bubbles-time frequency it varied. First it was every 11s, 7s and 30s. During 2 min they erupted 7 times. In small sources there were 40 bubbles/min. Big bubbles were erupted every 3 or 4s.
The value was 20°C in the open air, it dropped at 16°C when it was dipped. This experiment was to prove that it was a cold volcanic emission.

The value was 7, so neutral, because there was a perfect hydrogen-ion balance.

 The gas come out of the sources burned on contact with the flame. This was the proof that the gas was methane.  
 

In Macalube there are several mud volcanoes and mud pools emitting waters, oil and gaseous hydrocarbons  from buried sediments.

As regards the origin of water, it is reasonable to think that pore water is initially marine in origin and it has modified its pristine chemical and isotopic composition by secondary processes.

During sediments deposition has modified also its chemical composition by diagenetic reactions such as mineral dehydratation, carbonate precipitation, ion-exchange and water rock interaction process as well as organic matter degradation occurring at great depth within the accretionary prism. Gas released from mud volcano and mud pool from the “Macalube di Aragona” show very similar chemical and isotopic composition.

1

1

1