Atmospheric contribution of gas emissions from Augustine volcano, Alaska during the 2006 eruption

Airborne surveillance of gas emissions from Augustine for SO(2), CO(2) and H(2)S showed no evidence of anomalous degassing from 1990 through May 2005. By December 20, 2005, Augustine was degassing 660 td(-1) of SO(2), and ten times that by January 4, 2006. The highest SO(2) emission rate measured during the 2006 eruption was 8650 td(-1) (March 1); for CO(2), 13000 td(-1) (March 9), and H(2)S, 8 td(-1) (January 19). Thirty-four SO(2) measurements were made from December 2005 through 2006, with 9 each for CO(2) and H(2)S. Augustine released 1 x 10(6) tonnes of CO(2) to the atmosphere during 2006, a level similar to the output of a medium-sized natural gas-fired power plant, and thus was not a significant contributor of greenhouse gas to the atmosphere compared to anthropogenic sources. Augustine released about 5 x 10(5) tonnes of SO(2) during 2006, similar to that released in 1976 and 1986.