[Geysers] Geysers: Fan & Mortar (Stephens)

[lynn stephens]

Following the June 29 th eruption, the next two eruptions have occurred overnight--
   overnight 7/2-7/3 and overnight 7/4- 7/5

Lynn Stephens


---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Tara Cross" <fanandmortar at hotmail.com>
Reply-To: geyser observation reports <geysers at wwc.edu>
Date:  Tue, 05 Jul 2005 04:53:31 -0600

>
>For those who are interested, here are the full details from the June 29 Fan 
>and Mortar eruption.
>
>Fan & Mortar had two observed event cycles on the 28th, both of them rather 
>weak.  The first (1430-1530) was a double river pause with moderate 
>splashing in Main Vent.  I might have been more excited about the double 
>pause if the 2nd pause had lasted more than 2 minutes, but Main Vent never 
>seemed very interested in keeping things going so it didn't surprise me when 
>the water levels fizzled.  The second (1840-1920) was a single river pause 
>lasting only 5 minutes with no Main Vent splashing.
>
>Fan & Mortar were unobserved from 2100 on the 28th until roughly 0530 on the 
>29th.  There was a weak Gold pause around 0830, after which the system 
>reverted to garbage mode for a few hours.  Fortunately, the Hill People were 
>at their post and called water in Beehive's Indicator, giving me barely 
>enough time (12 min.) to make it to the Hill for a fine Beehive eruption at 
>1210.
>
>Upon returning to F&M I observed several more garbage cycles with 
>continuous, obnoxious splashing from Angle.  However, everything--including 
>Angle--shut off at 1538 and by 1550 I was watching Main Vent with interest, 
>trying to coax it into doing something while the sun was unobscured by 
>clouds.  Events then took place as follows:
>
>1600 River Vent on
>1610 River Vent off (River pause)
>1612 Main Vent splash; splashing increased gradually throughout the first 
>pause
>1624 Bottom Vent (d=25s), accompanied by terrific water levels in Lower 
>Mortar, something I hadn't seen in a long time
>1626 River Vent on
>1635 River Vent off (River pause); Main Vent had several very nice splashes 
>during the 2nd pause, along with persistent low splashing
>1643 River Vent on, continued Main Vent splashing
>1644 Bottom Vent (d=26s)
>1653 River Vent off (River pause, making a triple pause)
>1700 River on
>1703 Bottom Vent (d=27s)
>1706 Gold Vent on with excellent water levels
>1709 Angle Vent on, water levels remained very good
>1722 High Vent in lock
>1724 Upper Mortar surge, Gold Vent joins in lock (Angle never quite did)
>1725 Fan and Mortar, East Vent start
>
>Water levels looked great as soon as Gold came on, and 16 minutes after 
>River came on High Vent began to drool constantly.  It looked as though the 
>minor vents were going to go into a lock at the 18-minute mark but then they 
>dropped back down.  After that they built up again, with High erupting 
>steadily first to a foot, then to 3 feet, then finally to 6-8 feet.  During 
>the lock, rumbling could be heard in the system and East Vent was steaming 
>heavily.  Finally at 24 minutes Upper Mortar had a cone-filling surge, and 
>East Vent initiated the eruption a minute later.
>
>The eruption was quite strong, though the wind direction was rather poor for 
>viewing.  Main Vent, aided by wind, was reaching into and beyond Backwater 
>Spring, and Lower Mortar put on a fine show as well.  Several gazers were 
>enjoying their first Fan & Mortar eruption and they got a good one.
>
>Some general observations:  The water levels in Lower Mortar during the 
>first pause were the best I have seen in a long time, probably since late 
>2003.  There was no hint of it actually having a minor eruption, but it was 
>still nice to see standing water and "fuzzballs" again.  Estimating roughly, 
>gazers have observed around 60 full eruption cycles since 2000; only one of 
>those was a triple pause cycle (Sept. 7, 2002).  There had been a triple 
>pause cycle prior to the eruption that took place in the early hours of June 
>26, so I didn't know what to expect this time around.  However, the water 
>levels on this cycle were so much better than any other that I had observed 
>that I had a good feeling about it from the time Gold came on.
>
>By the way, special thanks to Karl Hoppe for sharing information about the 
>June 22 eruption.
>
>--Tara Cross
>fanandmortar at hotmail.com
>
>
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