Repository logo

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
  1. Home
  2. Academic and Research Output
  3. Journal articles
  4. Simulation of CO2 concentrations, temperature, and stratification in Lake Nyos for different degassing scenarios
 
research article

Simulation of CO2 concentrations, temperature, and stratification in Lake Nyos for different degassing scenarios

Schmid, Martin
•
Halbwachs, Michel
•
Wüest, Alfred  
2006
Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems

[ 1] A large gas cloud erupted unexpectedly in 1986 from Lake Nyos, the larger of the two Cameroonian "Killer Lakes,'' with devastating consequences. Regular monitoring subsequently revealed that the deep water of the lake was gradually recharged with CO2. To preclude a similar event in the future, a degassing pipe was installed in the lake in 2001. In the present study a one-dimensional model is used to predict the effects of this pipe and other degassing options on the CO2 concentrations and the stratification within the lake for the next 50 years. The results of the simulations show that without degassing, total CO2 content would reach the preeruption value within a few decades. The presently installed pipe is sufficient to reduce CO2 pressures in the entire water column above the pipe inlet to < 5 bar within 10 years, and a steady state is reached within 50 years. Depending on the assessment of the risk due to the gas currently remaining in the lake and the costs involved, the installation of additional pipes could be considered ( 1) to remove the gas more quickly and ( 2) as a backup for long-term failures and maintenance. Once the steady state is reached, degassing with one pipe is a practicable long-term solution which can also be used for monitoring the approximate deep water CO2 concentrations by nonprofessionals. Assuming a doubled deep water input in the future as an upper limit of the expected source strength, the pipe is still able to prevent a CO2 accumulation. As a side effect, the degassing operation strongly changes the stratification in the lake. It transforms the lake from a meromictic to an oligomictic system and gradually removes the dissolved salts from the lake.

  • Details
  • Metrics
Type
research article
DOI
10.1029/2005Gc001164
Web of Science ID

WOS:000238935700001

Author(s)
Schmid, Martin
Halbwachs, Michel
Wüest, Alfred  
Date Issued

2006

Publisher

Amer Geophysical Union

Published in
Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems
Volume

7

Issue

6

Article Number

Q06019

Subjects

carbon dioxide

•

degassing

•

gas eruption

•

k-epsilon

•

Lake Nyos

•

biogeosciences : limnology

•

volcanology : volcanic hazards and risks

•

oceanography : general : numerical modeling

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
APHYS  
Available on Infoscience
June 10, 2013
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/92665
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
  • Contact
  • infoscience@epfl.ch

  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on X
  • Follow us on Youtube
AccessibilityLegal noticePrivacy policyCookie settingsEnd User AgreementGet helpFeedback

Infoscience is a service managed and provided by the Library and IT Services of EPFL. © EPFL, tous droits réservés