Gaseous constituents in the plume from eruptions of Mount St. Helens

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.211.4484.821· OSTI ID:5480033

Inn, E C.Y.; Vedder, J F; Condon, E P; O'Hara, D

Measurements in the stratosphere of gaseous constituents in the plume of Mount St. Helens were obtained during five flights of the NASA U-2 aircraft between 19 May and 17 June 1980. Mixing ratios from gas chromatographic measurements on samples acquired about 24 hours after the initial eruption show considerable enhancement over nonvolcanic concentrations for sulfur dioxide (more than 1000 times), methyl chloride (about 10 times), and carbon disulfide (more than 3 times). The mixing ratio of carbonyl sulfide was comparable to nonvolcanic mixing ratios although 3 days later it was enhanced two to three times. Ion chromatography measurements on water-soluble constituents are also reported. Very large concentrations of chloride, nitrate, and sulfate ions were measured, implying large mixing ratios for the water-soluble gaseous constituents from which the anions are derived. Measurements of radon-222 present in the plume are also reported.

• OSTI ID: 5480033
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Vol. 211
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
MT ST HELENS
PLUMES
CHLORIDES
DISULFIDES
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
GASEOUS WASTES
RADON 222
SULFUR DIOXIDE
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CASCADE MOUNTAINS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FEDERAL REGION X
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
MOUNTAINS
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIOISOTOPES
RADON ISOTOPES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
USA
WASHINGTON
WASTES
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)