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Real-time gas monitoring at the Tekke Hamam geothermal field (Western Anatolia, Turkey): an assessment in relation to local seismicity

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Abstract

This study presents the results of a real-time gas monitoring experiment conducted, via the use of a quadrupole mass spectrometer, in a mofette field within the Tekke Hamam geothermal site in western Anatolia (Turkey), a tectonically active region hosting several east–west trending grabens. The study is aimed to establish a baseline gas profile of the region. Within the framework of the experiment, gas compositions (CO2, N2, O2, H2, H2S, CH4, He, and Ar) and flow rate of a mofette were monitored during two observation periods: November 2007–January 2008 and April–July 2008. During the course of monitoring, the major gas component was CO2 with concentration changing around 96 volume percent. Other gases, from the most abundant to the least, were N2, CH4, O2, H2S, Ar, H2, and He. The study produced a short-term, baseline gas profile of the region with daily/diurnal variations and temporal gas fluctuations appearing as instant signals. Although the temporal gas fluctuations did not reach the anomaly level (variations staying within the mean ± 2σ), some of the variations in more than one parameter in the gas compositions (exceeding the mean ± 1σ), accompanied by changes in the diurnal gas pulses lasting for long durations, were correlated with the seismic events selected according to the adopted seismic event elimination criteria. The variations were mainly attributed to changing gas mixing ratios in relation to porosity/permeability modifications possibly related to seismicity. Studies involving the continuous monitoring of meteorological parameters are necessary to assign these variations to geogenic events.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Umut Thermal Resort for making it possible for us to construct the online gas monitoring station nearby a pool within their thermal resort territories. We especially appreciate the assistance of Öncü Başoğlan Avşar during the course of the emplacement of the station. We would like to also acknowledge the support of Erkan Yılmazer and Özgür Avşar during the field studies. This work is part of a Turkish-German cooperation project funded by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), Project No. 106Y200 and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG-Nr: 446 TÜR 113/1).

Funding

This study was funded by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), Project No. 106Y200 and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG-Nr: 446 TÜR 113/1).

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  1. Selin Süer

    Present address: Central Laboratory, Middle East Technical University, 06800, Ankara, Turkey

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geological Engineering, Middle East Technical University, 06800, Ankara, Turkey

    Selin Süer & Nilgün Güleç

  2. Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, 14473, Potsdam, Germany

    Thomas Wiersberg & Jörg Erzinger

  3. Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, Middle East Technical University, 06800, Ankara, Turkey

    Mahmut Parlaktuna

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Süer, S., Wiersberg, T., Güleç, N. et al. Real-time gas monitoring at the Tekke Hamam geothermal field (Western Anatolia, Turkey): an assessment in relation to local seismicity. Nat Hazards 104, 1655–1678 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-020-04238-8

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