[Geysers] Data Sets

[Lynn Stephens]

It has come to my attention that some of the newer additions to the gazer community may not be aware of the various "data sets" describing geyser behavior that are available through the listserv and the GOSA webpage.

 

(1) The "daily" reports filed by Scott, Ben, and myself generally contain partial versions of the visual observations that are recorded in the physical copy of the Old Faithful Visitor Center logbook.  For example, I may Xerox a page for 9/20 at 5:30 in the morning on 9/21, then type the information into a report for 9/20 that is sent to the listserv.  Another gazer may go in to the Visitor Center after I have Xeroxed the page and add data to the pages for 9/20. 

 

(2)  Periodically I make new copies of the OFVC logbook to transcribe into the electronic version, which is posted on the gosa.org webpage at http://www.gosa.org/ofvclogs.aspx.  These files are Excel "tab delimited" .txt files.  I try to wait until after Jim S. and MaryBeth, as well as part-time gazers such as Graham Meech, Steve Eide, Dave Monteith, and Tara Cross (sorry if I've missed anyone's name who regularly downloads data to the logbook) have downloaded their logbooks before Xeroxing the pages a second time to use this second copy as the transcription copy.  Files for years 1994 through 2009 have been transcribed by myself.  Files for earlier years have been transcribed by MaryBeth Schwarz and Marion Powell.

 

(3)  Ralph Taylor posts the data set from the mechanical monitors on the GOSA website at http://geyserstudy.org/electronicsummary.aspx.  In addition to the summary chart, you can click on the geyser name, Beehive, for example, scroll down about a third of the way through the page and find the "Electronic Monitor Files" box to click on the year that you want.  The files are Excel "fixed width" .txt files.  I use these files to verify/question times in the OFVC logbook that appear to be anomalies.  I also use these files for some of the data analysis on interrelationships among geysers and or examinations of characteristics such as whether Beehive does/does not prefer to erupt at night and whether the "overnight" intervals are longer than the daylight intervals.

 

If I needed the most-up-to date information on a geyser's intervals, I would use the daily reports in conjunction with Ralph's "Recent Geyser Activity" charts at http://geyserstudy.org/electronicsummary.aspx.

 

When I want to get a complete picture of the behavior of a particular geyser, I go

to Ralph's files, if available.  For geysers not monitored electronically, I go to the OFVC logbook.  That is also the source for data on some characteristics of geysers that are not included in Ralph's data set--overflow and pause data for Great Fountain; Turban vs Grand starts, number of bursts, and whether Vent and Turban continued or quit, for example for Grand.

 

Lynn Stephens

 
 		 	   		  
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