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Title: An experimental study of the role of subsurface plumbing on geothermal discharge

Abstract

In order to better understand the diverse discharge styles and eruption intervals observed at geothermal features, we performed here three series of laboratory experiments with differing plumbing geometries. A single, straight conduit that connects a hot water bath (flask) to a vent (funnel) can originate geyser-like periodic eruptions, continuous discharge like a boiling spring, and fumarole-like steam discharge, depending on the conduit length and radius. The balance between the heat loss from the conduit walls and the heat supplied from the bottom determines whether and where water can condense which in turn controls discharge style. Next, we connected the conduit to a cold water reservoir through a branch, simulating the inflow from an external water source. Colder water located at a higher elevation than a branching point can flow into the conduit to stop the boiling in the flask, controlling the periodicity of the eruption. When an additional branch is connected to a second cold water reservoir, the two cold reservoirs can interact. Our experiments show that branching allows new processes to occur, such as recharge of colder water and escape of steam from side channels, leading to greater variation in discharge styles and eruption intervals. This model is consistentmore » with the fact that eruption duration is not controlled by emptying reservoirs. We show how differences in plumbing geometries can explain various discharge styles and eruption intervals observed in El Tatio, Chile, and Yellowstone, USA.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [2]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Hiroshima Univ., Higashihiroshima (Japan). Dept. of Environmental Sciences. Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences
  2. U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (United States)
  3. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Earth and Planetary Science
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE; National Science Foundation (NSF); Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS); Mitsubishi Foundation (Japan)
OSTI Identifier:
1480735
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC02-05CH11231; 1114184; KAKENHI24681035; 27132
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 17; Journal Issue: 9; Journal ID: ISSN 1525-2027
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
58 GEOSCIENCES; plumbing system; eruption styles; geyser; fumarole; boiling spring; hot spring

Citation Formats

Namiki, Atsuko, Ueno, Yoshinori, Hurwitz, Shaul, Manga, Michael, Munoz-Saez, Carolina, and Murphy, Fred. An experimental study of the role of subsurface plumbing on geothermal discharge. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1002/2016GC006472.
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Namiki, Atsuko, Ueno, Yoshinori, Hurwitz, Shaul, Manga, Michael, Munoz-Saez, Carolina, & Murphy, Fred. An experimental study of the role of subsurface plumbing on geothermal discharge. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GC006472
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Namiki, Atsuko, Ueno, Yoshinori, Hurwitz, Shaul, Manga, Michael, Munoz-Saez, Carolina, and Murphy, Fred. Thu . "An experimental study of the role of subsurface plumbing on geothermal discharge". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GC006472. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1480735.
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@article{osti_1480735,
title = {An experimental study of the role of subsurface plumbing on geothermal discharge},
author = {Namiki, Atsuko and Ueno, Yoshinori and Hurwitz, Shaul and Manga, Michael and Munoz-Saez, Carolina and Murphy, Fred},
abstractNote = {In order to better understand the diverse discharge styles and eruption intervals observed at geothermal features, we performed here three series of laboratory experiments with differing plumbing geometries. A single, straight conduit that connects a hot water bath (flask) to a vent (funnel) can originate geyser-like periodic eruptions, continuous discharge like a boiling spring, and fumarole-like steam discharge, depending on the conduit length and radius. The balance between the heat loss from the conduit walls and the heat supplied from the bottom determines whether and where water can condense which in turn controls discharge style. Next, we connected the conduit to a cold water reservoir through a branch, simulating the inflow from an external water source. Colder water located at a higher elevation than a branching point can flow into the conduit to stop the boiling in the flask, controlling the periodicity of the eruption. When an additional branch is connected to a second cold water reservoir, the two cold reservoirs can interact. Our experiments show that branching allows new processes to occur, such as recharge of colder water and escape of steam from side channels, leading to greater variation in discharge styles and eruption intervals. This model is consistent with the fact that eruption duration is not controlled by emptying reservoirs. We show how differences in plumbing geometries can explain various discharge styles and eruption intervals observed in El Tatio, Chile, and Yellowstone, USA.},
doi = {10.1002/2016GC006472},
journal = {Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems},
number = 9,
volume = 17,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Aug 25 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Thu Aug 25 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}
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Journal Article:
Free Publicly Available Full Text
Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GC006472
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Cited by: 15 works
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Figures / Tables:

Figure 1. Figure 1.: A schematic diagram of the experimental apparatus of flask type 1 (a) with two branches and (b) with a cold water tank at the vent. (c) A list of geometries of plumbing systems used in these experiments, brief results, and important parameters to understand the results.
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    Works referencing / citing this record:

    Imaging the Deep Subsurface Plumbing of Old Faithful Geyser From Low‐Frequency Hydrothermal Tremor Migration
    journal, July 2019

    • Wu, Sin‐Mei; Lin, Fan‐Chi; Farrell, Jamie
    • Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 46, Issue 13
    • DOI: 10.1029/2018gl081771

    Geometry of Geyser Plumbing Inferred From Ground Deformation
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    • Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, Vol. 124, Issue 1
    • DOI: 10.1029/2018jb016454

    Physical characteristics of scoriae and ash from 2014–2015 eruption of Aso Volcano, Japan
    journal, September 2018

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