146 CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON. 



the summer of 1912. A successful attempt was made to collect these gases 

 directly from the liquid lava at a temperature of about 1000° before they 

 reached the atmosphere. The collection of the gas before it has become 

 altered by combustion with air has proved to be an insurmountable 

 difficulty hitherto, whether the gases were collected in tubes for analysis in 

 the laboratory or studied at the point of emergence with the spectroscope. 

 In either case, the gases were burned or were in process of combustion, and 

 therefore could not reveal either the true identity or the original relation 

 of the gases participating in volcanic activity below the surface. 



In so far as the present reconnaissance yields final results, it shows that 

 the gases evolved from the hot lava at the Halemaumau crater are N2, HgO, 

 CO2, CO, SO2, free H, and free S; with CI, F, and perhaps NH3 in com- 

 paratively insignificant quantity. No argon was found, nor any of the other 

 rare gases. 



The chief conclusion, upon finding this group of gases in association at 

 1000° or higher, is that they can not be in equilibrium at that temperature 

 and must be in process of active reaction among themselves; there can be no 

 equilibrium, for example, between free sulphur and CO2, nor between free 

 hydrogen and SO2 or CO2 . 



This is a conclusion of rather far-reaching consequence, for it must mean 

 that the relative proportions of the gases are constantly in process of local 

 change — a fact which is supported by the very considerable differences 

 between the analyses of the gases contained in different tubes which were 

 filled at the same time. Since these reactions are strongly exothermic, it 

 also follows that a very large and constantly increasing amount of heat is 

 set free during the rise of the gases to the surface. In support of this it was 

 also observed that when the quantity of gas set free was large, the tempera- 

 ture of the liquid lava in the basin was higher (July 6, 1912, 1185°); when 

 the amount of discharged gas was small it was lower (June 13, 1912, 1070°), 

 the quantity of lava in the basin remaining substantially the same. 



Controverting a view recently put forth, H2O was found to be present as 

 such among the gases set free, as indeed it inevitably must be, for it has long 

 been known that free hydrogen in association with SO2 and CO2 will react to 

 form water at these temperatures. 



Neither hydrocarbons nor chlorine in appreciable quantities were found. 



The paper is somewhat preliminary in character and will be followed by 

 more detailed studies of the relation of the gases to each other and to the 

 lava at the temperatures which prevailed in the volcanic vent, 



(42) L'eau et les gaz magmatiques. Arthur L. Day et E. S. Shepherd. Compt. 



Rend., 157, 958-961. 1913. 



Abstract in French from "Water and the magmatic gases" (J. Wash. 

 Acad. Sci., 3, 457-463, 1913.) Reviewed under No. 41 above. 



(43) Conclusions a tirer de I'analyse des gaz du cratdre du Kilauea. Arthur L. Day 



et E. S. Shepherd. Compt. Rend., 157, 1027-1030. 1913. 



Abstract in French from "Water and the magmatic gases" (J. Wash. 

 Acad. Sci., 3, 457-463, 1913). Reviewed under No. 41 above. 



(44) Water and volcanic activity. Arthur L. Day and E. S. Shepherd. Bull. Geol, 



Soc. Am., 24, 573-606. 1913. 



A somewhat more detailed discussion, with illustrations, of the subject- 

 matter reviewed in No. 41 above, together with the data and the conclusions 

 which may be drawn therefrom. 



