The Effect of Lunar Declination on CO2 degassing from Central Italian Apennines

TL;DR

This study investigates how lunar declination influences CO2 degassing in the Central Italian Apennines, revealing correlations between tidal cycles and surface emissions, which could improve understanding and forecasting of environmental impacts from over-pressured reservoirs.

Contribution

The paper demonstrates a novel link between lunar tidal cycles and CO2 flux, aquifer chemistry, and mineral reactions in a specific geological setting, enhancing predictive models of degassing events.

Findings

CO2 flux correlates with lunar tidal potential.

Dissolved calcium and alkalinity follow tidal cycles.

Dolomite dissolution influences CO2 release and travertine formation.

Abstract

The periodical degassing from CO2 over-pressured reservoirs may have serious consequences for the environment making urgent understanding the processes and forecasting the frequency. Prediction though needs methods that depends from temporal and spatial properties of hydro-chemical and physical reservoir characteristics that unfortunately are often lacking. We have analyzed surface emissions of CO2 attributed to over-pressured CO2-rich reservoirs in the Central Italian Apennines a zone characterized by significant periodical CO2 degassing. Here aquifers are hosted in Mesozoic limestone with high pCO2 groundwater and travertine deposits. We analyzed a 10-year temporal series and found that in the Apennines, CO2 flux and aquifer fluid composition are correlated with the lunar tides specific to the geographic zone. In particular, our study reveals that low CO2 flux corresponds with low lunar tidal potential values. We found a similar trend for dissolved calcium and water alkalinity, while pH values display a linear correlation with tidal cycles. The forces associated with tidal potentials are not capable of fracturing rock. However, they can, under certain conditions, drive the flow of fluids in over-pressured reservoirs, triggering sub-surface fluid movements that in turn modify the water-rock reactivity. In the central Apennines, these movements result in increased dolomite dissolution and an eventual return to calcite equilibrium. In this case, dolomite dissolution breaks the rock releasing calcium into ground water, which leads to calcite equilibrium and in turn to the formation of significant quantities of travertine and the concomitant release of CO2 in the atmosphere.