[Geysers] Question re "muddy" Steamboat

[Paul Strasser]

Bill noted that I inadvertently said the left vent as seen from the middle
platform.  I meant the right vent, which is the south.  Sorry if there was
any confusion.

Paul S.

-----Original Message-----
From: geysers-bounces at wwc.edu [mailto:geysers-bounces at wwc.edu] On Behalf Of
Paul Strasser
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2005 11:06 PM
To: 'geyser observation reports'
Subject: RE: [Geysers] Question re "muddy" Steamboat

Bill:

Although it's pretty clear that major Steamboat eruptions tap a different
aquifer than the minor eruption source, it doesn't explain the distinct
brownish color in one vent only.  I believe that much of the brownish color
from the south vent (the one on the left in the photos) is due to mud and
debris flowing back into the south vent and being tossed in the air.
Because of the nature of the terrain in the immediate vicinity of both
vents, the south vent gets more runoff from upslope than the north vent.
The videotape of the Oct 2 1991 eruption shows mud, debris, and even some
smallish logs getting tossed about at the bottom of the south vent's column.


I discussed the water color changes in a Transactions article in the second
edition.  I believe there is an excerpt of it on the GOSA website.

Bruce took some awesome pictures.

Paul Strasser





-----Original Message-----
From: geysers-bounces at wwc.edu [mailto:geysers-bounces at wwc.edu] On Behalf Of
Bill Johnson
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2005 9:26 AM
To: geysers at wwc.edu
Subject: [Geysers] Question re "muddy" Steamboat

I'm relatively new here, and have experience of Steamboat only from seeing 
a bunch of minors (my first ones nearly 40 years ago when I was but a tad) 
and doing some reading, so my apologies if this has been covered 
previously, but:

In the recent photos of the major, it is quite obvious that the column from 
the (presumably) south vent is at least slightly muddy.  The Bruce Chase 
photos show not only a distinct color difference between the two columns, 
but also some really grungy brown stuff at the base of the right-hand 
column.  However, I have never seen anything in Scott Bryan's book or any 
other source alluding to muddy discharge during a major.  The classic 
photographs (like the one on the previous edition of TSB's book) don't show 
any discoloration to speak of, but of course that isn't definitive because 
of the way color balance is done.

Is this a known phenomenon?  Would value input from experienced Steamboat 
followers.

-- Bill Johnson
Los Alamos National Laboratory
(mwjohnson at lanl.gov)

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