[Geysers] Giant/Grotto/Oblong activity 2/16-2/23

[Graham Meech]

Well I now have some time to reflect on my week in the park and will start
reporting on the Giant area.  Glad to see Giant erupted again today too!

 

The Giant/Grotto relationship appeared to be much like it was last summer
with Grotto not always starting with the first Grotto Fountain eruption
after a Marathon and South Grotto Fountain independent eruptions when Grotto
didn’t start.  There were frequent long Grotto eruptions although I don’t
know how many of them kept going all night long since I didn’t stay out to
watch very late but it sure looked like they went long into the night.  

 

Giant had frequent hot periods when Grotto didn’t go into marathon, Mastiff
depth charged a lot and Bijou went into steam frequently.  Oblong appeared
to be the most changed, with less frequent eruptions – I didn’t see any 3-4
hour intervals and some were more like 10 hours long.

 

Here are the details from around Giant:

 

Saturday 2/16

 

Grotto 1228ie when I arrived.  Still ie at 1830.

Giant group quiet, appeared that Grotto has been going for a while.

Oblong 1706 – very thumpy :-)

 

Sunday 2/17

 

Grotto off when I got down there ~0600

Giant Hot Period (GHP) sometime before 0600, strong since India was damp

Oblong 1031ie

GHP 1137 d=2m45s, Feather Satellite (FS), Rust, SW vents, Bijou into roaring
steam, Mastiff depth charge started.

Grotto Fountain 1142ie – no Grotto, S Grotto Fountain active

GHP 1245, d=3m40s, FS, SW vents.  

Grotto Fountain 1346ie

Grotto started this time but I can’t find the start time in my notes (maybe
1346ie?).  It continued into the night.

GHP 1400ie, d>3m, FS, SW vents, Rust, some vertical surges in Giant

GHP 1454, d=1m30s, SW (no FS)

Oblong 1557 (interval ~5h 26m)

GHP 1616, d=3m40s, SW (no FS)

Mastiff depth charging declined as Grotto took control

 

Monday 2/18

 

Grotto was off early

GHP 0733, d=7m45s, SW, FS, recovery hot period with India 1/3 wet.

Grotto 1114ie (must have started on first Grotto Fountain and Grotto
Fountain was off at this time)

GHP 1115ie, d>3m

Bathtub 1231 with Feather in overflow and SW vents splashing

No more activity through 1430 when I left since Grotto was still going all
day long

Oblong 1517ns

 

Tuesday 2/19

 

Grotto off when I got down basin, Giant group recovering

GHP 0919

MASTIFF 0929

GIANT 0932, d=98m

CATFISH

Oblong 0947

[Note Giant erupted less than 24 hours after Grotto started its marathon]

 

Wednesday 2/20

 

Unobserved most of the day

Oblong 1615ie

 

Thursday 2/21

 

GHP ~0930, weak

Grotto Fountain 1046ie

Oblong 1120

Grotto 1121 d<105m – the only short Grotto I saw and at least 35m after
Grotto Fountain started

GHP 1131, d~4m, SW, FS, Rust

GHP 1304, d=3m15s, SW, Rust, no FS

GHP 1438ie

GHP 1550, d=2m50s, SW, no FS

Oblong 1628ie, (interval ~5h8m)

GHP 1655, d=2m50s, SW, FS

GHP 1748, d=3m10s, SW, FS, some vertical surging in Giant, Bijou into
roaring steam

 

Friday 2/22

GHP 0627, d=2m5s, SW, no FS

Grotto 0913ie (long marathon, started after 0700)

GHP before 0930, India partially wet

Oblong 0948

GHP 1005, d=3m, SW, FS, Rust, Bijou into roaring steam

Rocket Major 1024, d=10m

Grotto continued through the night

 

Saturday 2/23

Grotto ended between 0910 and 0925 – marathon was over 24 hours long (thanks
Carolyn for the Grotto off time)

Oblong 1919

GHP 2213, d~12m, very strong recovery hot period, Mastiff big surging, Giant
vertical surging – should have ended in an eruption but the interval was
only just over 4 ½ days.  13 hour recovery from a ~24 hour marathon!

 

Go Giant!

Graham Meech

 

 

 

 

 

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