[Geysers] Data Collection

[Stephen Eide]

Greetings and Salutations,

I too have enjoyed the discussion on gathering geyser stats.  But several
people have said something I feel I must disagree with.  They said some
variation on "collecting data on geyser activity probably not important
or has no use in the long run".  Science lives and dies on proper data
collection.  And science has many instances where old "useless" data is
later found to be very useful and even essential.  Of course, it also may
turn out to have very little benefit in the future, but no one knows one
way or the other.  I believe it is important to collect the data as
accurately as possible because I do not know when, where, or how it may be
useful in the future (or present) but there is always the chance it will
be.  But it can only be useful if it is collected and recorded. I am quite
sure when the first bacteria were pulled out of Mushroom Pool no one had
any idea the effect it would have on genetic research.  All data is
essential for the progress of science.

Which brings me to the other reason why the data should be recorded.  For
the same reasons we record all of history.  Ten years from now I (and I am
sure others) be interested in what the activity was in 2010 at Fan and
Mortar, Grotto, Jet, Bead, or what ever geyser you can name  A hundred
years from now will there be people who would want to know about the
eruptions of Fan and Mortar in 2010?  I hope so, I do believe geyser geeks
will live on.  And I think the same will be true a thousand years from
now.  Beyond the realm of science the data would be important to record if
just for the historical information it contains.  Historians always moan
about the huge amounts of information that has been lost forever because no
one thought it was important to record at the time it was happening.  If
you spend much time looking into the history of a geyser or thermal area I
think you will be amazed by how little of the "commonly known" data was
recorded for posterity.  If I am dismayed by that loss of past data, then I
must have a duty to help record and preserve the current data.

Of course, this is just my personal credo.

Stephen Eide
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