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Volcanic gas emissions research, searching for Earth's nitrogen.

Volcanic gas emissions research, searching for Earth's nitrogen.
Volcanic gas emissions research, searching for Earth's nitrogen.
Volcanic gas emissions research, searching for Earth's nitrogen.
Volcanic gas emissions research, searching for Earth's nitrogen.
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Barry, Peter
Volcanic gas emissions research, searching for Earth's nitrogen.
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01/01/2020
Nitrogen-Barry.jpg
Date is approximate.
Caption from Oceanus magazine, Vol. 55, No. 2, Pg. 6:
New geochemical tool reveals origin of Earth’s nitrogen.
Nitrogen is plentiful in the air we breathe and is also found in rocks that make up the mantle, the vast region between Earth’s crust and core that drives plate tectonics and volcanic activity. How much of the element is in the planet’s interior and where it comes from have long been unanswered questions—until now. WHOI geochemist Peter Barry, along with an international team of researchers, studied volcanic gas emissions by looking for certain nitrogen isotopes from Iceland and Yellowstone National Park. This technique enabled the scientists to distinguish between nitrogen from the atmosphere and the mantle. Their findings suggest that the element has been in the mantle since our planet’s origins. What’s more, the technique could one day be used to better predict natural disasters. Before a volcano erupts, the mix of gases it spews—including nitrogen—changes. Measuring the nitrogen belched from volcanoes could help forewarn volcanic eruptions in the future.
Photo by Peter Barry
Copyright © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
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