[Geysers] GIANT, 4/29/08 @ 1502

[Lynn Stephens]

Mike O'Brien asked
 Could someone with better records than I have, recapitulate
> its known periods of activity in the past?  I'm wondering whether
> this current active period is starting to approach the length of
> its active period in the 1950s, for example.
> 
> Mike O'Brien
>
As I posted on the listserv , November 16, 2007--

Historically--the early 1950's were the best years.  From Marler's Inventory:  


1951			March through December 	43					
1952	Twelve months =                            137					
1953	Seven months =                   	    62		
1954	Five months   =                 	      49	

with a follow-up post that same day with additional information:

I sent a response showing counts from 1951-1954 per Marler, but realized I should have included explanation of some of what I sent.  And I'll add some analysis.


1952 is the only calendar year for which Marler had data for all months--so it appears to be the year with the most eruptions.  
1953 and 
1954 could have exceed that total if Giant was as active during the missing months as is was during the months for which data was available.  

1955 may have been the next "best" year, depending on Giant's activity during the first 5 months of 1955, 

1951 was probably the next best.

2007 will probably come in next--all it needs in one more eruption to beat out 1997 and 2006.  But unless activity really picks up in the next 6 weeks, it would probably come in behind 1951.

Then 1997 and 2006.

Here's Marler's data--

Year:       Data for                                                                               Number reported
  
1951        May 1 through September 30 , November 1 to December 31            43   
   
1952        January through December                                                          137     

1953        May  1 through September 30                                                       62  
              (If the other months had the same average as May through September, there may have been as many as 150 eruptions in 1953)
     
1954        June  1 through September 10                                                      49  
              (Again, assuming the same average for the other months as the average for June through the end of August, there may have been as many as  150 eruptions in 1954)
    
1955        May 28 through October 25                                                           27       
               (If January - end of May had same average as June, there may have been as many as 80+ eruptions before Giant went dormant at the end of October)                                             

1997                                                                                                          47
2006                                                                                                          47
2007 (to date)                                                                                            47

But after all--who really cares what happened in the 1950's.  I'm just glad Giant is erupting as frequently as it is and hope it keeps it up for many years to come.

I haven't updated the data through 2007 year-end.  I decided to wait for the electronic download.

My sentiments at the end of that post are still true today--But after all--who really cares what happened in the 1950's.  I'm just glad Giant is erupting as frequently as it is and hope it keeps it up for many years to come.

Lynn Stephens




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