POAS 2005

Description

Diffuse emission of carbone dioxide and other volatile compounds in Poás volcano, Costa Rica, Central America

Financed by

Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR) - ITER

Coordinated by

Participants

Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR), ITER

Abstract

Poás is an andesitic-basaltic stratovolcano of 2.708 m high, which belongs to the called "Pacific Fire Belt", and is located at 35 Km in the northwest from San José (Costa Ricas capital). It is one of 42 historically active volcano of the central America volcano chain, which has an extension of 1.100 Km from Guatemala to Panamá.

The aim of this project of scientific collaboration between the University of Costa Rica and ITER is to improve and optimize the volcanic surveillance of Poás with the incorporation of studies of gases diffuse emission, whether in a continous or non-continous mode. Studies of diffuse emission of carbone dioxide and other volatile gases in the main crater of Poás has been carried out since 2000, and since March 2002 a geochemical station has been installed to the continuos monitoring of diffuse emission of carbone dioxide.