[Geysers] Boulder Spring and Artemesia

[Karen Webb]

Just two thoughts for people who might have the time to spend with a 
short research project:
    1) Boulder Spring (S-SW of Ojo Caliente), described variously as 
being a perpetual spouter and as having a second vent that exhibits 
periodic behavior, might be worth a look.  The day we did the River 
Group area, it was definitely putting up an eruptive (ie, pulsatile) 
steam could; by the time we got to it, everything had ceased except for 
a small bit of post-eruptive steam.  Observed from the Fountain 
overlook, the cloud was definitely not the consistent one of a typical 
perpetual spouter but definitely waxed and waned.  I'd like to spend 
some time out there when we return in August, but in the meantime it 
might make a nice little article for Sput or the upcoming Transactions.
    2) I guess all the Artemesia watchers are aware that Artemesia is 
kind of a mess to try and catch this year.  Had two observations on 
this.  One is, to look at the data logger data Ralph has posted on the 
GOSA site, there seems to be a definite cyclicity to the intervals, at 
least in the last few months (meaning if you look at the graph, instead 
of the eruptions being completely random, they tend to be long interval 
followed by one or two intervals somewhere around the 
mean/median/distributive norm, then a short interval, followed by one or 
two around the "central tendency" figure followed by a long.  I wondered 
if someone who's sharper with statistics than I could make something of 
this?  Two, I've noticed that when Artemesia's intervals are longer or 
goofier, nearby Pinto and Calthos are higher and (at least in Pinto's 
case) hotter, while the reverse has seemed to be true in years that 
Artemesia's intervals have been shorter.  (Definite informal observation 
by an Artemesia-o-phile!)  I thought I remembered a project Cathy Nist 
undertook where she tossed a substance (I'm thinking an isotope of 
strontium or iodine?) into Splended to see how long it would take to 
appear in Daisy.  I imagine this would take a whole lot of paperwork if 
permission could even be obtained, but I've wondered if work could be 
done on the possible underground connections amongst the three 
features.  (Also curious if anyone else has noticed this tendency or if 
the fact that I noticed it just meant I got too bored waiting for 
Artemesia...)
    Isn't anybody going to post info about that Giant eruption on the 
3rd?  Thomas Barger and David Monteith invested a whole bunch of hours 
watching the Grotto group that morning and afternoon (based on Grotto 
Fountain looking like it would start...and looking...and looking...)  
GF's eventual start led Grotto by less than a minute (so, not a great 
GF), but the Grotto was (I was told) the first non-marathon since Giant 
had last erupted on 6/17.  Kitt saw some behavior out of the Giant group 
(like Mastiff leading the actual start of a hot period) that made her 
tell me "You'll be back!" when I headed off to Grand.  Two thunderstorms 
were kind enough to split and go around the Upper Basin, one in each 
direction, and of course the eventual Giant eruption and the hot period 
leading into it got Tara's inimitable, enthusiastic commentary.  Please 
could some of you guys give details?
Karen

-- 
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