[Geysers] Geyser Report 4-8-07

[Paul Strasser]

May I say something about the long Giant interval?

 

It is probably correct.  But - the Giant sign had been in a location that
IMO would make it very difficult to dislodge in a "normal function"
eruption.  And the "danger hot ground" sign was also in a very peculiar
place.  

 

Normally, both of these signs are perched on the gently sloping - almost
rounded - sinter directly in front of Giant's cone.  The first huge wash at
the start of a Giant eruption is good enough to get both of them tumbling
down the slope of the platform.  However, neither sign was anywhere near
there.  The Giant sign was in a place that seemed strategically designed to
keep it in place - on a "step" in the platform about 6 or 7 feet to the
north of its normal position.  Giant's sign wasn't simply on this "step" -
Its back end was tucked in tightly against the rear of this sinter step.
The huge wash from Giant could easily IMO just flow over the sign rather
than moving it - what the first Giant wash does is also lift the sign, not
just push it (the signs float, after all).  In addition, the "danger hot
ground" sign was even farther to the north, in that area south of the
Mastiff overflow area, directly west of the Mastiff sign on a flattish
region of the platform.  How many times have you seen a Giant eruption in
which the Mastiff sign didn't move?

 

I understand the Giant sign was moved yesterday back to its typical location
on the rounded slope in front of the cone, the place where it's been for the
last several years.  The danger hot ground sign is, I believe, still on that
flat ground to the north.

 

Now - does this mean that Giant has had missed eruptions during the 17+ day
hiatus?  I have no idea.  Frankly, the descriptions of the activity over the
week, notably the post-Marathon hot periods taking place 4 - 5.5 hours after
the end of a Marathon, are not what we like to see in Giant, and 3-4 hours
between semi-okay hot periods is also not good stuff.  But based on the
Giant signs alone, don't be surprised if the data logger shows an eruption
during this interval.

 

Suzanne said that this activity reminded her a bit of the stuff seen before
the July 23 eruption, in which Giant and Grotto seemed out of sync, and
what's needed is a nice, LONG Marathon.  We shall hope.

 

Paul Strasser

 

  _____  

From: geysers-bounces at wwc.edu [mailto:geysers-bounces at wwc.edu] On Behalf Of
Matthew McLean
Sent: Sunday, April 08, 2007 7:02 PM
To: geysers at wwc.edu
Subject: [Geysers] Geyser Report 4-8-07

 

Short Report for the day . . .
 
Julia and I went into the basin around 1600.  
 
-Little Squirt was active on Geyser Hill but little else was going on.
 
-There are trees down over the boardwalk between Lion and the Solitary
Geyser wash area.
 
-Sawmill appears to be the main show in the Sawmill Group right now.  It has
been erupting every time I have passed over the last few days.
 
-Chromatic appears to be fighting back into overflow (water is working its
way down the channel and it wasn't two days ago) but Beauty is still up as
well.
 
-When we reached Chromatic we noticed that Grotto Fountain was in eruption.
 
-Walked up on a Bijou pause - Mastiff filling - Hot period start at 1652.
Approximate duration 5 minutes.  Mostly flat Mastiff (only splashing near
the beginning). Feather, shortly followed by Satellite, Southwest Vents,
Rust.  Some heavy water in the cone but nothing too exciting.
 
-Grotto was 1658 near start - hard to tell exactly because we were leaving
Giant after the Hot Period when it started.  Seemed to be a long time
between when we first saw GF and Grotto.
 
Bear info - tracks near F&M and the pit toilet - I don't remember them a few
days ago.  When driving in from West yesterday a Grizzly ran out in front of
our vehicle about a mile west of Madison. Very scary in the dark!!
 
That is all for now.
 
-Matthew

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