[Geysers] Beehive activity in recent weeks

[Ralph Taylor]

I have recently received the geyser temperature data for the March
downloads, covering the period of 1 February to 21 March.  In analyzing
Beehive, I noted a long period of inactivity in February and, when eruptions
again appeared regularly in March, intervals around 48 hours.  I keep a
watch on the geyser list for Beehive reports, both from the webcam and
geyser reports; none of the reported eruptions failed to appear in the
temperature record.  I have posted the graphs and a list of the known
eruptions on the GOSA website, along with the following paragraph:
 
This year the record for Beehive is ambiguous for February 2007; there are
few eruptions evident from the temperature record, but the recorded
temperatures are well above freezing so the sensor did not appear to be
covered in ice.  Up to mid-January Beehive eruptions occurred once or twice
per day.  From 18 January to 1 February eruptions appear in the temperature
record at intervals of one to three days, and the temperature trace
indicates that runoff water was flowing over the sensor--temperatures show
diurnal variations and are between 10 and 20 degrees C (well above
freezing).  No eruptions were apparent between 22 January and 25 January, on
26 January, or 31 January.  In February there are two eruptions on 1
February, then none until 24 February, with one possible eruption on 19
February at about 11:30.  Definite eruptions occurred on 24 and 27 February
and on 2 March and 7 March.  Regularly spaced eruptions appear starting on
12 March at two-day intervals up to the end of the data on 21 March.  Based
on the appearance of the temperature record, I do not think there was an
instrumentation failure.  No reports of eruptions appeared on the geyser
email list in other than those mentioned.  The vagaries of wind and possible
ice dams make it impossible to rule out eruptions, but it appears that
Beehive has slowed substantially.
 
The eruptions that I can definitely identify from the temperature record
are:
 
Time and date        Interval
01/01/07 13:56:00,  21:32:00
01/02/07 11:36:00,  21:40:00
01/03/07 04:03:00,  16:27:00
01/03/07 22:24:00,  18:21:00
01/04/07 15:04:00,  16:40:00
01/05/07 15:05:00,  24:01:00
01/06/07 08:35:00,  17:30:00
01/07/07 22:36:00,  38:01:00
01/09/07 02:11:00,  27:35:00
01/09/07 18:52:00,  16:41:00
01/10/07 08:10:00,  13:18:00
01/10/07 21:54:00,  13:44:00
01/11/07 19:02:00,  21:08:00
01/12/07 18:22:00,  23:20:00
01/13/07 15:33:00,  21:11:00
01/14/07 06:00:00,  14:27:00
01/14/07 17:46:00,  11:46:00
01/15/07 12:30:00,  18:44:00
01/16/07 22:48:00,  34:18:00
01/18/07 05:09:00,  30:21:00
01/20/07 05:10:00,  48:01:00
01/21/07 21:22:00,  40:12:00
01/25/07 14:06:00,  88:44:00
01/27/07 04:27:00,  38:21:00
01/28/07 01:03:00,  20:36:00
01/29/07 05:23:00,  28:20:00
01/30/07 06:23:00,  25:00:00
02/01/07 02:20:00,  43:57:00
02/01/07 22:02:00,  19:42:00
02/24/07 08:02:00,  538:00:00
02/27/07 15:17:00,  79:15:00
03/02/07 07:49:00,  64:32:00
03/07/07 15:31:00,  127:42:00
03/12/07 15:33:00,  119:02:00
03/14/07 14:08:00,  46:35:00
03/16/07 17:52:00,  51:44:00
03/18/07 12:41:00,  42:49:00
03/20/07 12:00:00,  47:19:00
 
If anyone can shed some light on what is happening on that part of Geyser
Hill, especially if there are known eruptions that are not on the list,
please let me know!
 
Ralph Taylor
ralpht at fuse.net   (note new email address)
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