Soil Mercury Study of Thermal Areas, Rincón de la Vieja Volcano, Costa Rica

David T. Lescinsky, Charles B. Connor, Richard E. Stoiber

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Numerous thermal areas are found on the southwest flank of the active volcano Rincón de la Vieja, Costa Rica. These are part of a larger band of thermal areas that parallels the volcanic front for about 25 km. A total of 318 soil Hg samples were collected on the southwest flank of the volcano, predominantly at the Las Pailas hot springs. Soil Hg concentrations range from 6 to 180,000 ppb and can be divided into three populations with threshold values of 47 and 190 ppb. Aureole Hg values are widely distributed; anomalous soil Hg concentrations were found at four locations. Two-dimensional Fourier analysis of smoothed Hg values from the Las Pailas thermal area reveals a N70W trending lineament of high Hg concentration. This lineament is thought to indicate the presence of a fault along which upwelling of geothermal fluids is enhanced. The orientationof this fault coincides with the orientation of volcano alignments and structural features identified elsewhere in the region.

Original languageAmerican English
JournalGeothermics
Volume16
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 1987
Externally publishedYes

Disciplines

  • Earth Sciences

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