| Title | Anomalies in the Content of Radon Gas and Presence of Hydrothermal Alteration in Chipilapa Geothermal Area |
|---|---|
| Authors | Magana, M. I.; Henriquez, E.; Lopez, D. L. |
| Year | 2006 |
| Conference | Geothermal Resources Council Transactions |
| Keywords | The Americas; Diffuse, convective, degassing, hydrothermal alteration, radon concentrations |
| Abstract | At the Ahuachapan-Chipilapa geothermal fields in El Salvador, results of soil radon gas surveys carried out in 1984, 1991, 2002, and 2003 show anomalies that relate with structural features such as fault zones and fault zone interceptions, as well as with areas of hydrothermal manifestations in the area. These anomalies correspond with anomalies reported by other the geophysical methods as well as geological studies. These results suggest that the fault systems are actively transferring fluids and heat from the deep reservoir to the near surface environment. Measurements of soil radon concentrations seem to be good indication of vertical permeability and can be used to identify faults transferring fluids in volcanic hydrothermal systems. |