Steam cloud characteristics and heat output of fumaroles

• Published in: Geothermics Vol. 30; no. 5; pp. 547 - 559
• Main Authors: Hochstein, Manfred P, Bromley, Chris J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2001; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Cloud areas; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Exact sciences and technology; Fumaroles; Geothermics; Heat loss; Karapiti fumarole field; New Zealand; Steam clouds; Wairakei; New Zealand; Taupo volcanic zone; Wairakei; North Island; Steam clouds; New Zealand; Wairakei; Karapiti fumarole field; Heat loss; Cloud areas; Fumaroles; atmosphere; vents; interpretation; Australasia; clouds; heat transfer; vapor phase; fumaroles
• ISSN: 0375-6505; 1879-3576
• DOI: 10.1016/S0375-6505(01)00012-8

The heat transferred to the atmosphere by fumarole clouds is linearly proportional to the cloud area that is visible in vertical air-photos. Using measured outputs of a few accessible fumaroles, the total heat output of all fumaroles in a fumarole field can be assessed from the total area of the steam clouds. Normalised heat outputs, Q j , and normalised cloud areas, A j , were used as variables. Two surveys of the large Karapiti fumarole field (Wairakei, New Zealand) show that the total heat discharged by fumaroles with cloud areas >10 m 2 was 99 MW and 88 MW in 1999 and 2000, respectively. The output of vents with smaller cloud areas has to be obtained from ground surveys. The method also gives a representative (order of magnitude) estimate of the total heat discharged by fumarole clouds if measurements from a single, large fumarole can be used in conjunction with a recent air-photo.