A USGS scientist collects a water sample from a cold spring at the ...
Detailed Description
A USGS scientist collects a water sample from a cold spring at the base of Mount St. Helens, checking for dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). While much of the gas that is present in the magma under Mount St. Helens makes its way to the surface through fumaroles in the crater, some of it becomes dissolved in the groundwater and is instead discharged through cold springs on the flanks. Measuring the inorganic carbon content of these springs helps give us a more complete picture of the gas output of the volcano.