Studies on Volcanic Gases and Gases from Hydrothermal Fields in Kamchatka E.A. VAKIN L.P. NIKITINA SHAPAR Yu.A. TARAN Institute of Volcanology, Academy of Science of URSS, Piip Avenue 9, V.N. Petropavlovsk - Kamchatka, URSS. ABSTRACT This paper describes the main lines of inves- tigation for the volcanic and geothermal research in Kamchatka. Methods of gas sampl- ing in the field and gas extraction from rocks are also described. INTRODUCTION In Kamchatka, investigations on volcan- ic gases begun just after the organization of volcanologic stations in 1936. Since then, Soviet volcanologists have published a number of works dealing with volcanic gases and interpretation of field sampling of volcanic gases at numerous Kamchatka volcanoes. Despite the difficulties in obtaining precise analyses of volcanic gases, after the Second World War several summary works were printed where foreign and our own experiences were used. The first state, namely the (¢prechro- matographic epoch>~ in Kamchatka is associated with the names of such investi- gators as B.I. Piip, V.I. Vlodavets, A.I. Menyailov, S.I. Naboko, E.}C Markhinin, L.A. Basharina, etc. (BASHARINA, 1961, 1963; IVANOV, 1938, 1941; MENYAILOV and NABOKO, 1939; NABOKO, 1959, 1959a; PHP, 1956; VLODAVETS, 1940). After the organization of the Institute of Volcanology, Academy of Sciences of URSS in Kamchatka, systematic investi- gations on volcanic gases became a consti- tuent part of volcanologic programmes. Bull. Volcanol., Vol. 45-3, 1982 MAIN DIRECTIONS OF INVESTIGATIONS At present, all Soviet groups studying volcanoes and related phenomena, follow a few major directions in studies on volcanic gases. 1) Sampling and interpretation of ((magmatic>~ gases, gases emanating from ((hornitos>~ and from fresh effusive and pyroclastic material during volcanic erup- tions. The main achievements in this direction concern volcanic gases from lateral eruptions of the basaltic Klyu- chevskoy volcano, the Kurile basaltic volcanoes of Alaid and Tyatya, the andes- ite-dacitic Karymsky and andesitic Bezy- mianny volcanoes. The greatest success was achieved by Menyailov, Nikitina, Shapar, Markhinin, and Ponomarev during the Tolbachik fissure eruption in 1975-1976 (AVDEIKO et al., 1974; MENYAILOV, 1976, 1976a; MENYAILOV et al., 1980; PONOMAREV et al., 1977; VAKIN et al., 1966). 2) Periodic surveillance of the gas composition of ((fumarolic fields >~ at volcanic centers like Shiveluch, Mutnov- sky, Koshelevsky, Ebeko and Mendeleev volcanoes where the temperature of ((regime>> fumaroles is above 200°C, as well as single observations at numerous volcanoes displaying gas activity, such as Avachinsky, Koryaksky, Kizimen, Kambal- ny, Golovnin, Komarov, etc. Contempora- neously, investigations on hLmarolic incrustations (sublimates) and ore-forming processes as well as temperature meas-