The Quest for Fluid Pathway at Meru Volcano, Tanzania Using Remote Sensing and Soil Gas

Abstract

Meru volcanic area, situated in the Northern Tanzania Divergence, an extension of the East Africa rift system is characterized by Pleistocene to recent tectonic and volcanic activities. The last volcanic activity in the area was recorded a century ago by the emergence of ash cone at the floor of the Meru crater. Fumarolic activities within a Meru crater was recorded half a century ago. Structural delineation from shuttle radar topography mission (SRTM) data and soil gas survey has been applied to trace the permeable pathway of geothermal related fluid. CO2 flux and radon concentration data are applied to delineate possible permeable zones that act as fluid pathways. The relatively high flux of CO2 and radon gas may signify permeable structures which form a potential target for further geothermal exploration. The lineaments extracted from SRTM and anomalous emanation of soil gas shows three trends; SW-NE, NNE-SSW and NW-SE trend that correlate well with the general structural trend of the Meru volcanic area. However, CO2 flux and radon concentration has revealed the major permeable zones trends NE-SW. from the findings presented in this study, it is suggested that these soil gas anomalies are structural controlled.