[Geysers] Steamboat Steam Phases

[Paul Strasser]

Agree with Mike.

 

Steamboat's steam phase is so much bigger than anything else it's like a
different geological phenomena.  The violence of the early steam phase is
shattering.  One of the ones I saw was literally (LITERALLY) painful to my
ears.  And it pounded on my chest.  Beehive is very, very cool, but there is
simply no comparison.  A really phenomenally good Giantess steam phase - and
I haven't heard one of them since the mid-80s - is at least marginally
similar.  Mike was right - the first 20-30 minutes showed little diminishing
of power, but after about 30-40 minutes it was definitely lessened.

 

In August 78 Steamboat erupted about 8 AM.  I got there around 11, and
lowered the window at the intersection on the Grand Loop road.  Lots of
traffic, but the roar of Steamboat was huge and obvious.

 

Paul Strasser

 

  _____  

From: geysers-bounces at lists.wallawalla.edu
[mailto:geysers-bounces at lists.wallawalla.edu] On Behalf Of Mike Keller
Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 11:23 AM
To: 'Geyser Observation Reports'
Subject: RE: [Geysers] Steamboat Steam Phases

 

>From my personal experience of seeing Steamboat, the violent part of the
steam phase started about 12 minutes into the water phase and was *violent*
for a good hour or so, but, to be fair, by 30 minutes you could tell it was
already "weakening" compared to when it first went into steam phase.  From
about 12 minutes to about 18 minutes it went back and forth between water
and steam, and by 25 minutes or so was mostly steam although there were some
wispy jets still coming from it for a couple of hours.  I have seen
Steamboat in steam phase for 2-3 days, but by the end, it is really forced
rolling steam with occasional grumbles.  The best part of the steam phase is
the first 30-60 minutes.  It is still better than most geysers several hours
later.

 

Nothing about the Steamboat major made me think of Beehive.  If Beehive's
cone ever exploded one day and sent rocks and silica muck across the trail
it would be a start, but still not even close.

 

MK

 

-----Original Message-----
From: geysers-bounces at lists.wallawalla.edu
[mailto:geysers-bounces at lists.wallawalla.edu] On Behalf Of Jeff Cross
Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2008 11:51 PM
To: Geyser Observation Reports
Subject: [Geysers] Steamboat Steam Phases

 

In my continuing quest to better understand Steamboat Geyser, I have another
set of questions:

 

How long does Steamboat's steam phase last?

 

One might qualify this by asking:

 

1)      How long does the *violent* part of the steam phase last-the part
that is deafening?  10 minutes?  30 minutes?  100 minutes?

2)      How long does the rest of the steam phase last?  1 hour?  3 hours?
6 hours?  24 hours?

 

I have always had a hunch that the progress of a Steamboat eruption might
most closely resemble that of Beehive, although at twice the height, 10-20
times the power, and perhaps 3 times the duration.

 

Hopefully, I will someday know these answers from personal experience, but
until then, thank you for filling me in.

 

Jeff Cross

Jeff.cross at wallawalla.edu

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