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Geochemical study of CO_2 build-up in Lake Nyos, Cameroon

Research Project

Project/Area Number 04041074
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for international Scientific Research

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
SectionField Research
Research InstitutionInstitute for Study of the Earth's Interior, Okayama University

Principal Investigator

KUSAKABE Minoru  Institute for Study of the Earth's Interior, Okayama University, 地球内部研究センター, 教授 (20015770)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) FONJI John  Ministry of Mining, Energy and Water Resouces, Cameroon, エネルギー・水資源省(カメルーン), 研究員
NOJIRI Yukihiro  National Institute for Environmental Studies, 地球環境グループ, 主任研究員 (10150161)
KITA Itsuro  Mining College, Akita University, 鉱山学部, 助教授 (10143075)
佐野 有司  広島大学, 理学部, 助教授 (50162524)
Project Period (FY) 1992 – 1993
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 1993)
Budget Amount *help
¥9,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥9,500,000)
Fiscal Year 1993: ¥4,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,500,000)
Fiscal Year 1992: ¥5,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,000,000)
Keywordscrater lakes / Cameroon / gas disaster / carbon dioxide / Lake Nyos / stratification / gas build-up
Research Abstract

The gas outburst from Lake Nyos in 1986 and a similar event at Lake Monoun in 1984, both in Cameroon, West Africa, killed approximately 1800 people and several thousand animals. Death resulted from the exsolution of magmatic CO_2 dissolved in the bottom layers of these two crater lakes. Since the volcanoes which host the lakes have neither the records of eruption nor geothermal manifestation, these gas disasters can be regarded as "cold" volcanic hazards and a new type natural disaster.
Seven years of continuous observation of these lakes following the dramatic events have revealed that (1) the gas disasters were caused by a massive release of carbon dioxide dissolved in the lakes ; and not by a volcanic phreatic eruption, (2) the carbon dioxide is supplied to the lake bottoms in the form of warm CO_2-charged mineralized springs, (3) the gas build-up and subsequent release was highly conditioned by the density structure of the lakes, (4) the CO_2 build-up within the bottom layers of Lake Nyos is increasing at an alarming rate, and (5) the recurrence of similar gas bursts from the lakes is, therefore, highly probable ; but can effectively be prevented.
Based on the above findings, the following remedial actions should be undertaken as soon as possible so as to alleviate the dangers from future gas bursts. (1) The lakes should be degassed. Controlled degassing, initiated but halted due to funding constraints, should be encouraged. (2) Deep tropical lakes with a similar recharge system have the potential to accumulate CO_2 and other gasses. Regular geochemical and limnological surveys of tropical volcanic lakes are, therefore, highly recommended as a mitigative measure against the Nyos-type disasters.

Report

(2 results)
  • 1993 Final Research Report Summary
  • 1992 Annual Research Report
  • Research Products

    (17 results)

All Other

All Publications (17 results)

  • [Publications] M.Kusakabe: "Hazardous Crater Lakes Studied" Eos,Transactions,American Geophysical Union. 74. 325 (1993)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1993 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Y.Nojiri,M.Kusakabe,K.Tietze,J.Hirabayashi,H.Sato,Y.Sano,H.Shinohara,T.Njine and G.Tanyileke: "An estimate of CO_2 flux in Lake Nyos,Cameroon" Limnol.Oceanogr.38. 739-752 (1993)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1993 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] S.Ohsawa,B.Takano,M.Kusakabe,and K.Watanuki: "Variation in volcanic activity of Kusatsu-Shirane Volcano as inferred from δ^<34>S in sulfate from the Yugama crater lake" Bull.Volcanol.Soc.Japan. 38. 95-99 (1993)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1993 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] I.Kita,K.Nitta,K.Nagao,S.Taguchi and A.Koga: "Difference in N2/Ar ratio of magmatic gases from northeast and southwest Japan:New evidence for different state of plate subduction" Geology. 21. 391-394 (1993)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1993 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] I.Kita,K.Nagao,S.Taguchi,K.Nitta and H.Hasegawa: "Emission of magmatic He with different ^3He/^4He ratios from the Unzen volcanic area,Japan" Geochem.J.27. 255-263 (1993)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1993 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] M.Kusakabe: "Hazardous Crater Lakes,a chapter of “Manual of Volcanic Monitoring"" UNESCO/IAVCEI, (in press) (1994)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1993 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] M.Kusakabe and Y.Sano: "The origin of gases in Lake Nyos,Cameroon,a chapter of “Natural Hazards in West and Central Africa"" Friedr.Vieweg & Sohn Verlags,Wiesbaden, 174 (1992)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1993 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] M.Kusakabe: "Hazardous crater lakes studied" Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union. 74. 325 (1993)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1993 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Y.Nojiri, M.Kusakabe, K.Tietze, J.Hirabayashi, H.Sato, Y.Sano, H.Shinohara, T.Njine and G.Tanyileke: "An estimate of CO_2 flux in Lake Nyos, Cameroon" Limnol.Oceanogr.38. 739-752 (1993)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1993 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] S.Ohsawa, B.Takano, M.Kusakabe and K.Watanuki: "Variation in volcanic activity of Kusatsu-Shirane Volcano as inferred from delta^<34>S in sulfate from the Yugama crater lake" Bull. Volcanol.Soc.Japan. 38. 95-99 (1993)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1993 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] I.Kita, K.Nitta, K.Nagao, S.Taguchi and A.Koga: "Difference in N2/Ar ratio of magmatic gases from northeast and southwest Japan : New evidence for different state of plate subduction" Geology. 21. 391-394 (1993)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1993 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] I.Kita, K.Nagao, S.Taguchi, K.Nitta and H.Hasegawa: "Emission of magmatic He with different 3He/4He ratios from the Unzen volcanic area, Japan" Geochem.J.27. 255-263 (1993)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1993 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] M.Kusakabe: UNESCO/IAVCEI. Hazardous Crater Lakes, a chapter of "Manual of Volcano Monitoring", (in press) (1994)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1993 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] M.Kusakabe and Y.Sano: Friedr. Vieweg & Sohn Verlags, Wiesbaden. The origin of gases in Lake Nyos, Cameroon, a chapter of "Natural Hazards in West and Central Africa", 83-95 (1992)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1993 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] M.Kusakabe,Y.Nojiri,I.Kita,G.Tanyileke and K.Kitamura: "Build-up of carbon dioxide at Lake Nyos,Cameroon" J.Volcanol.Geotherm.Res.(1994)

    • Related Report
      1992 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Y.Nojiri,M.Kusakabe,K.Tietze,J.Hirabayashi,H.Sato,Y.Sano,H.Shinohara and T.Njine: "Anestimate of CO_2 flux in Lake Nyos,Cameroon" Limnology and Oceanography. 105. (1993)

    • Related Report
      1992 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] M.Kusakabe: "The natural gas disasters induced by CO_2 exsolution from crater lakes in Cameroon" 29th International Geological Congress(Kyoto),Abstracts. 3. 932 (1992)

    • Related Report
      1992 Annual Research Report

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Published: 1992-04-01   Modified: 2016-04-21  

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