More than a decade has passed since the scholars find out Yellowston holds huge amounts of helium gas, but the questions remain about whether this helium can ever be extracted from ever Critical deficiency treatment. Now, a new study of ancient rocks under the Yellowstone National Park and other areas away from the inch from providing answers.
The research, which was published on April 5 in the magazine International geology reviewIt focuses on the areas known on relatively concentrated helium gas without its associated methane emissions, which is strong Greenhouse. Helium is produced almost exclusively as a secondary product of natural gas (methane), because natural gas trap deposits – but scientists are looking for more green sources to reduce Global warming.
“We scratched our heads to find helium free of fossil fuel,” a major author Ernest MoulayaA geology and structural lecturer at Dar Al Salam University in Tanzania, to the live sciences.
A big breakthrough came in 2016, when geologists discovered Giant reserves for such helium Close to Lake Rockua in the Great Valley of Reeft in Tanzania. One year later, the researchers created the main geological conditions of the production of “carbon -free” helium, said Moulaya.
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The new study studied three-wuston sites in the United States, Bakrazoar Tantoi in eastern India, and Rukwa Rift in southwest Tanzania-which meets most of these conditions. It is worth noting that the sites are active, which means that they are in places Inside the Earth It rises to the surface, which leads to formations such as heaters and hot springs.
Heat
The thermal energy temperature is required to produce carbon -free helium, as it releases helium atoms of rocks in the depth. Helium causes uranium caries and eruption, which takes billions of years John GlawasLive Science, in the UK University, told the UK University in Durham University in an email. The atoms remain besieged inside the crystals in the rocks, unless these crystals are exposed to a high temperature.
“If the temperature is raised above the so -called closing temperature of the appointed minerals, the helium will be released.”
He said that helium enters liquids – water or saline solution – which flows in the distance between the rocks, and ultimately forms a gas that can migrate under the ground and benefit to the surface of the earth. In some places – Like near Babit, Minnesota The Earth’s crust is a seal that raises helium in errors between the rocks, which constitutes a great accumulation of gas.
These accumulations are of great value, as they can help reduce helium deficiency all over the world. Helium is a decisive cooling component in missiles, nuclear reactors, super connections and medical diagnostic equipment, but suppliers may be close A struggle for meeting The increasing demand.
Old roots
Moulaya said that the detection of helium in Tanzania has raised the hope that similar geological environments may also carry carbon -free Helium stores. In addition to geographical activity, Rukwa Rift sits on billions of years old and rich in uranium and eruption, which means that helium had a great time to form it.
It turned out that Yellowston and Bakreswar-Tantloi County are also on the old rocks produced for Hillium. Yellowston is rooted in Wyoming Crawon, which contains 3.5 billion rocks of 3.5 billion, and the errors on the edges of Caldira are likely to form channels of huge quantities of helium, according to the new study.
Glawas said it is unlikely that there is a closed tank under the Yellowstone. Instead, the National Park is a system of pipes through which helium escapes to the air: annually, about 66 tons (60 metric tons) of helium leakage across hot springs and steam openings, Scientists were revealed in 2014.
However, “it’s not as if you can put a huge bag in the entire area and arrest it.”
But helium can be stored from Wyoming Crown in the tanks elsewhere. “There may be terminal areas for Malleston, where they are detained as soon as they are launched,” Glawas said.
“There are very promising conditions in all three sites,” “there are very promising conditions in all three sites, and this encourages us now to explore more.”
Results from the helium digging site Babbitt suggests that carbon -free helium production is possible and that helium focus in the extracted gas It can be very high.
“There is a promising future for shellium to cover the shortage that we are currently facing,” Moulaya said.