[Geysers] more on Giantess 1/30

[Lynn Stephens]

Just a note about water levels in Vault and Giantess.  Vault starts draining with the start of Giantess.  The initial eruption comes from an "empty" crater.  Just before the Vault initial, audible thumping is heard before you can see the rising water level.  The water level pulsates up and down once it starts coming into view.  With each pulse it seems to rise a little higher.  Within a couple minutes it reaches overflow and then the eruption starts.  

 

Carolyn asked How it compares for short intervals--That depends on what year you want to consider.  For example, Hutchinson [1975] reported in 1975 when Giantess erupted 12 times, the shortest interval was 10 2/3 days.  In 1976 Hutchinson reported it erupted 13 times the shortest interval was~ 10 days.  Koenig [1998] listed eruptions from 1864 through 1997.  There were several intervals in 1982 under a week with one interval of 1d15h.  There were also several intervals under a week in 1983.  

 

More recently, the best series was late 1999 through early 2000:  11/22/99, 12/5, 12/13, 12/28, 1/7/00, 1/20/00, 1/26/00, then not reported again until 3/9/00.  In the fall of 2001 there were eruptions in early September, early October, abnd early November with intervals of about 34 days and 26 days.  

 

I'll include an update from Heinrich's table of Giantess eruptions from 1998 through 2009 in the article I'm writing and I'll email you (Carolyn) a copy of the update tonight so you can have it for the VC staff.

 

Lynn Stephens


From: caroloren98 at hotmail.com
To: geysers at lists.wallawalla.edu
Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 15:52:15 +0000
Subject: [Geysers] more on Giantess 1/30



Katy Duffy and friends were on Geyser Hill for the start (the logbook shows 1349 n.s.); she heard the thumps and turned around to see it.  After a time they walked to Oblong and back, and missed Vault in the interim.  It was empty by 1600 or before.  
 
When I got there about 1615, Giantess was doing steam depthcharges, fun to hear as well as see.
 
How does this compare for short intervals?  (I'm at Madison Warming Hut today...)
 
Carolyn Loren



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