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ALERTACO2 Project: Update of an extensive monitoring network for monitor and mitigate the CO2 hazard of indoor and outdoor air CO2 at the inhabited areas of Puerto Naos and La Bombilla, La Palma (Canary Islands)

Germán D. Padilla 1,2 , Carmen López 3 , Nemesio M. Pérez 1,2 , Rubén López 3 , Pedro A. Hernández 1,2 , David Moure 4 , Luca D\'Auria 1,2 , Pedro Torres 4 , Gladys Melián 1,2 , Daniel D\'Nardo 1,2 , Carla Méndez 1 , Alexis M. González 5 , y Juan A. bermejo 6

  • Affiliations: 1 Instituto Volcanológico de Canarias (INVOLCAN), 38400 Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, España; 2 Instituto Tecnológico y de Energías Renovables (ITER), 38611 Granadilla de Abona, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, España; 3 Observatorio Geofísico Central, Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN), 28014 Madrid, España; 4 Centro Geofísico de Canarias, Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN), 38001 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, España; 5 Hidrolap Medioambiental SL, 38750 El Paso, La Palma, Islas Canarias; 6 Cabildo Insular de La Palma, 38700 Santa Cruz de La Palma, España 

  • Presentation type: Poster

  • Presentation time: Tuesday 16:30 - 18:30, Room Poster Hall

  • Poster Board Number: 69

  • Programme No: 6.3.28

  • Theme 6 > Session 3

Abstract

During Tajogaite eruption in 2021, anomalous CO2 degassing appeared affecting the neighborhoods of La Bombilla and Puerto Naos, both about 6 km southwestern from the volcanic vent. These urban areas, not directly damaged by lava flows, were included in the exclusion zone due to the strong volcanic-hydrothermal CO2 concentrations (>5-20%). CO2 is an invisible toxic gas, as well as asphyxiant gas, and may be lethal when it is present in concentrations > 14V%.   During the post-eruptive period, several institutions deployed own gas networks to delimitate CO2 anomalies, but their number was insufficient (<100). The results of these studies and the appearance of dead fauna (insects, birds, lizards and small mammals) due to high CO2 concentrations and low O2 levels in the air has made it necessary to install more CO2 stations in real-time, in order to delimitate the CO2 anomalies where CO2 air concentration exceed that hazardous thresholds, and help the authorities decision-making of people's return to their homes and stores.  The ALERTACO2 project, participated by IGN and INVOLCAN institutes, was financed by the Spanish Government with an amount of 3M€, and has the goal of installing around 1,200 sensors in real-time, sending the data to a 24-hour monitoring room. At the present time, 1294 sensors are installed (1,287 indoor and 7 outdoor), of which 147 are in La Bombilla and 1,133 in Puerto Naos and 7 moving stations and 7 outside these places. Thanks to ALERTACO2, many families have been able to return in safety conditions to their homes.