[Geysers] Norris 4-7-06

[Mike Keller]

I spent most of the day at Norris today.

 

PORCELAIN BASIN

 

Guardian Geyser was in heavy steam phase.

 

Congress Pool is still in overflow.

 

One small vent beside Lava Pool was intermittently active today.

 

Arsenic Geyser was erupting every 6-25 minutes, with eruptions lasting 1-3
minutes and reaching 1-4 feet.

 

Fireball Geyser is still dormant.

 

Constant Geyser had a closed interval between series of 98 minutes.  The
first series had one eruption to 12 feet; the 2nd series had 3 eruptions
reaching 15, 20, and 25 feet respectively.  Intervals while in the series
were 3 and 5 minutes.

 

Big Whirligig has had at least one eruption in the past 2 weeks.

 

The entire Porcelain Basin is as dry as I have ever seen it.  There is no
overflow coming from the southern side of Porcelain Terrace.  Only 2 vents
have water in them.  The open area behind Constant/Pinto is also dry.
Numerous small vents are spouting in the flats but nothing is overflowing.

 

The large vent on the northern side of Porcelain Terrace was in eruption
every time I saw it today.  The play appeared to be about 5 feet high.

 

The water level in Big Blue Geyser has risen about a foot over the past 2
weeks.  It is still below overflow but is heavily boiling within its basin.

 

BACK BASIN

 

I spent almost 2 hours at Steamboat today.  The minor play was 68%
concerted, and for the first time this spring the north vent was having
vertical play (noted 11 times in 90 minutes).  The tallest minor play was a
little taller than the trees from the lower platform.

 

If Echinus is active, it is very weak.  There are small filament mats of
bacteria growing along the catch basins around it.  Animal tracks in the
gravel immediately next to its crater have not been washed in weeks.

 

Pearl Geyser was perpetual today reaching 2-5 feet.  The vents across the
boardwalk were also perpetually active to about 3 feet.

 

There is a new geyser (at least to me) in the gravel area to the south of
Pebble Geyser's cone.  It was erupting at 10-13 minute intervals today with
durations of 3 minutes.  The largest bursts reached 5-6 feet.  Every
eruption had muddy water with sand, gravel, and small rocks being tossed
about.

 

Veteran Geyser did not erupt while I was in sight of it today.

 

Vixen Geyser washed it marker, so it has erupted at least once in the past 2
weeks. 

 

I made a quick trip to "the Gap".  The largest of the hot springs are still
full and overflowing.  I saw 2 small spouting vents but nothing that was
periodic.

 

MK

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