[Geysers] Forward From Janet Chapple

[Jeff Cross]

Mario Durrant and David Schwarz have both commented on the vandalized state of Union Geyser's central cone.  Per Rocco Paperiello's article in Transactions v. 3, William Sanborn discovered the vandalism on August 17, 1948.  His statement is quoted: "Inspection revealed that a 'mineral pick,' or some similar tool, had been used on the north-east side of the cone.  A hole over one foot in diameter had been 'hacked' into the cone, water filled the bottom of the opening coming from a vent inside the cone shell itself.  Marks of a four sided tool were plainly visible in the sinter bordering the hole, and the pieces so removed from the feature were scattered around the base of the cone."

The size of the break was measured by me this summer.  It is 40 inches across the base, 32 inches across the top, 27 inches up the left side and 33 inches up the right side.  As you can see from Mario's photograph, the cone is formed from a resistant nucleus and a resistant outer shell.  Weathering has occurred in erodible material between the nucleus and the shell, exposing both the inside and outside faces of the shell to the elements and, presumably, causing the rapid rate of weathering of the outer shell.  This process is probably responsible for the progression of the break from "over one foot in diameter" in 1948 to its present size of about three feet by two-and-a-half.

The break has enlarged steadily over the years.  Its progress can be measured via the YNP photo archive.  Earlier pictures show a conspicuously smaller hole.

I can think of one other cone that has weathered in this way: Grotto.

How many other geyserite cones contain erodible layers that are concealed beneath resistant geyserite?  One can imagine that if any such cone were breached, even with a small hole, it might cause the cone to disintegrate.

Jeff Cross
jeff.cross at wallawalla.edu

________________________________________
From: geysers-bounces at lists.wallawalla.edu [geysers-bounces at lists.wallawalla.edu] On Behalf Of David Schwarz [david.schwarz at gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, September 27, 2009 3:36 PM
To: Geyser Observation Reports
Subject: Re: [Geysers] Forward From Janet Chapple

   I believe I've been told that at least some of the weathering of Union's cones was of the kind caused by a pickax.  Ditto the damage to Atomizer's back cone.  I think I've also been told that the damage to Union was done before its current dormancy began, and that some water and steam would come out of the gouge during eruptions, but I couldn't swear to it.

David Schwarz

On Sat, Sep 26, 2009 at 7:09 PM, Mario Durrant <yellowstone17 at bridgernet.com<mailto:yellowstone17 at bridgernet.com>> wrote:
Sorry to bring back an old topic, but I wonder how much "weathering" vs. vandalism is likely responsible for some recent comments on this listserv regarding the current state of Union geyser's cone.  I personally have only been to Shoshone a handful of times since 2003, and never saw the cone prior to that year.  The attached picture shows how the cone has always looked to me, from my first trip in August 2003.  Does the primary deterioration consist of the "missing" section on the visible (south) side of the main cone?  The recent discussion on the changes in Giant's cone over the years prompted the question.

Mario Durrant