Geophysics Research Letters
Supporting Information for
Ascent velocity and dynamics of the Fiumicino mud eruption, Rome, Italy
A. Vona1, G. Giordano1, A. A. De Benedetti1, R. D’Ambrosio1, C. Romano1, M. Manga2
1: Dipartimento di Scienze, Università degli Studi Roma Tre, L.go San Leonardo Murialdo 1, 00146 Rome, Italy
2: Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
Contents of this file
Figure S1 to S2
Tables S1 to S2
Additional Supporting Information (Files uploaded separately)
Captions for Movies S1 to S2
Introduction
This data set contains physicochemical and rheological properties of the muds erupted in 2013
at Fiumicino. Bulk density of the mud was determined by helium pycnometry on sample
aliquots. Water content and solid fraction were calculated from measurements of weight
before and after drying in an oven. Electrical conductivity and pH of the aqueous solution were
determined using a multiparametric probe. Mineralogy was determined through X-ray
diffraction on sample powders. Size distribution of particles was measured by laser diffraction
using a Mastersizer 2000 Particle Size Analyzer that measures the size range between 0.02 to
2000 microns. Out-sized ballistic clasts were characterized by measuring their size (by caliper)
and their density (by helium pycnometry) (Fig. S1). Rheological measurements were performed
using an Anton Paar RheolabQC concentric cylinder viscometer.
1
Figure S1. Schematic cross-section of the Fiumicino mud volcano. We infer that the conduits
are cylindrical and evolved from boreholes drilled to depths of 40 m and 35 m. The likely source
of clay in the erupted mud is the Holocene clayey interval between -20 and -40 m from ground
level. The dashed line shows the bottom of the second borehole. Activity at vent 2 started as a
consequence of destabilization of the thin clay material located near the bottom of the hole.
There is no surface evidence for the formation of an expanding chamber in the Holocene clay
layer, a mechanism proposed for other mud volcanoes (Rudolph et al. 2011; Shirzaei et al.
2015). Ballistics shown in Fig. S2 derive from ejection of manufacts from the shallow Holocene
(historical) sands.
2
a)
Size (cm)= 14 x 10 x 3
Density (g/cm 3)= 2.74 b)
Size (cm)= 11 x 10 x 2
Density (g/cm 3)= 2.26
c)
Size (cm)= 9 x 6 x 6
Density (g/cm 3)= 2.56
d)
Figure S2. (a) Initial activity of Fiumicino mud volcano with ejection of out-sized ballistic clasts
(photo taken on August 29, 2013); red circles indicate some of the large clasts selected for size
and density determinations (b, c, d).
3
Aqueous Solution
Samples
Date
Mud
Density
(g/cm3)
Solid Fraction
Mean
pH
Mean
Conductivity
(mS/cm)
Salinity
(ppt )
Volume
Fraction
(v)
Grain Size Distribution (< 1.6 mm)
Mode
(m)
d10
(m)
d50
(m)
d90
(m)
St.Dev.

FC 08
30 August
2013
1.4023
6.63
52.40
34.5
0.223
23.5431.97
1.49
11.99
47.21
2.64
FC 09
2
September
2013
1.3880
6.77
53.00
35.0
0.159
15.7221.35
1.46
19.71
39.13
2.45
FC 10
3
September
2013
1.3956
6.82
53.45
35.3
0.137
16.1226.20
1.54
9.71
40.95
2.48
FC 11
5
September
2013
1.2794
6.80
54.70
36.2
0.162
10.2414.63
1.52
8.61
35.53
2.33
FC 12
10
September
2013
1.2883
6.70
53.43
35.3
0.133
23.5431.97
1.92
14.49
51.05
2.45
FC 14
12
September
2013
1.2385
6.61
52.50
34.4
0.127
9.7313.56
1.49
8.65
36.89
2.36
FC 15
19
September
2013
1.1744
6.77
53.15
35.1
0.085
13.1718.55
1.60
9.73
41.35
2.20
FC 16
19
September
2013
1.1485
6.62
52.05
34.2
0.084
15.7221.35
1.68
10.57
42.54
2.42
Table S1. Table of physicochemical parameters of mud samples.
4
FC08
1.4022
0.223
1.38
Bulk Density, b (g/cm3)
Volume Fraction,v
d10
Grain Size
Distribution
(µm)
FC16
1.1485
0.084
1.56
d50
10.96
9.78
d90
45.98
41.88
Herschel-Bulkley Fit
Yield Stress, τy (Pa)
2.4996
0.0876
Consistency, K (Pa*s)n
0.8379
0.4813
Flow Index, n
0.3998
0.1975
R2
0.98
0.65
Applied Shear Rate (s-1)
4
Shear Stress (Pa)
3.89
(0.06)
Viscosity (Pa s)
0.973
(0.015)
Shear Stress (Pa)
-
Viscosity (Pa s)
-
12
4.80
(0.09)
0.400
(0.008)
0.72
(0.05)
0.060
(0.004)
20
5.42
(0.28)
0.271
(0.014)
1.03
(0.09)
0.051
(0.005)
28
5.82
(0.05)
0.208
(0.002)
1.11
(0.05)
0.040
(0.002)
36
5.98
(0.09)
0.166
(0.002)
1.23
(0.11)
0.034
(0.003)
44
6.03
(0.05)
0.137
(0.001)
1.30
(0.02)
0.029
(0.001)
52
6.42
(0.27)
0.123
(0.005)
0.98
(0.09)
0.019
(0.002)
60
6.66
(0.08)
0.111
(0.001)
1.10
(0.02)
0.018
(0.001)
68
7.28
(0.09)
0.107
(0.001)
1.18
(0.05)
0.017
(0.001)
76
7.36
(0.02)
0.097
(0.001)
1.03
(0.05)
0.014
(0.001)
84
7.38
(0.20)
0.088
(0.002)
1.13
(0.03)
0.013
(0.001)
92
-
-
-
-
1.33
(0.04)
0.014
(0.001)
100
-
-
-
-
1.46
(0.03)
0.015
(0.001)
Table S2. Details of rheology measurements.
Movie S1. The Fiumicino mud eruption on 02 September 2013, nine days after the opening of
the vent.
Movie S2. The Fiumicino mud eruption on 17 September 2013, twenty-four days after the
opening of the vent.
5
References
Rudolph, M. L., L. Karlstrom, and M. Manga (2011), A prediction of the longevity of the Lusi
mud eruption, Indonesia, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 308(1-2), 124–130,
doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2011.05.037.
Shirzaei, M., M. L. Rudolph, and M. Manga (2015), Deep and shallow sources for the Lusi mud
eruption revealed by surface deformation, Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, doi:10.1002/2015GL064576.
6