[Geysers] History of Morning Geyser

[Lynn Stephens]

Response to comment that Fountain was irregular and erractic for the last week--Data for Fountain for the preceding week shows 3 closed intervals of 11h00m to 11h29m.  Double intervals varied from 20h34m to 25h04m. Overall average was 11h23m.  Hopefully the table comes through at the end of this message.  In my opinion, Fountain was actually fairly regular, just operating at 11-13 hour intervals, with a few 10's thrown in.  Sometime over the winter season it switched from the 6 hour interval mode to a 10-12 hour interval mode.  Comparable breaks in Fountain's routine prior to other episodes of Morning's activity--Difficult question to answer since Fountain's 6 hour intervals over the past 15 or so years are actually the exception rather than the rule when Fountain's historical activity is considered.  Also, during the 1940's and 1950's, Fountain was generally dormant except following eruptions of Morning. In 1948 and 1949, the only known eruptions of Fountain occurred after Morning erupted.  Both were dormant in 1950 and 1951.  Fountain activated in spring of 1952.  Marler doesn't give any information about intervals.  Morning erupted on April 18, then both went dormant, until Morning started erupting in June, at which time Fountain eruptions once again occurred only after Morning erupted.1954 and 1955 the only eruptions of Fountain were after Morning.1956 Fountain and Clepsydra usually erupted after Morning, but began having a few independent eruptions as well.1957:  Same as 1956 with Morning preceding Fountain.1958:  Fountain and Morning listed as active in geyser table, but Marler didn't write anything about them in the 1958 report.1959:  Prior to the earthquake, Morning was active but Fountain only had one eruption during that time.  A couple weeks after the earthquake, Fountain and Morning both went dormant. 1973:  According to Rick's 1973 annual report, Fountain was dormant all year. I don't have any information here with me about 1978 and 1981-1983. 1991--Not enough data on Fountain prior to May activity of Morning to determine when Fountain intervals had changed from the 12+ hour intervals in 1990 (see Gordon Bower's Transactions article on 1990 activity) to the 7 1/2 hour intervals that were occurring starting in May.  Duals on 7/4 and 8/9 were preceded by a long Fountain interval.  I watched Fountain for a little over 3 weeks in July-August prior to the dual that started Morning's activity.  Fountain's interval was averaging ABOUT 7 1/2 hours during that time (and had been during June, as I remember, also).  Fountain did have a couple "stalls" during that time, but overall was fairly "regular."  Morning had a long interval prior to the eruption of Fountain that ended the May activity, and also had a long interval prior to the two dual eruptions that ended Morning's August activity.  When Fountain resumed in late August, intervals were fairly short and had greater variability than they had had during June and July. 1994--Tempmeter data from February showed 4 3/4 to 7 hour intervals for Fountain, with a few exceptions of 10-11 hours.  Tempmeter data ended February 19.  Morning discovered active 3/31; activity ended 4/6.   Fountain Activity 2012:

 
 
 
 
 
  Date
  Time
  Closed Interval
  Average for 2
  intervals
 
 
  10-Jun
  20:53
  
  
  Double interval
 
 
  
  
  
  10:52
  
 
 
  11-Jun
  18:38
  
  10:53
  21:45
 
 
  
  
  
  11:06
   
 
 
  12-Jun
  16:51
  
  11:07
  22:13
 
 
  
  
  
  11:03
  
 
 
  13-Jun
  14:58
  
  11:04
  22:07
 
 
  
  
  
  11:57
  
 
 
  14-Jun
  14:52
  
  11:57
  23:54
 
 
  
  
  
  10:46
  
 
 
  15-Jun
  12:24
  
  10:46
  21:32
 
 
  
  
  
  10:17:00
  
 
 
  16-Jun
  8:58
  
  10:17:00
  20:34
 
 
  16-Jun
  20:27
  11:29:00
  
  
 
 
  17-Jun
  7:27
  11:00:00
  
  
 
 
  17-Jun
  18:27
  11:00
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
  13:32
  
 
 
  18-Jun
  19:31
  
  13:32
  25:04:00
 
 
  19-Jun
  4:36ie
  
  11:52
  
 
 
  19-Jun
  18:04
  
  11:51
  23:43
 


Lynn Stephens Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2012 18:08:35 -0600
From: canbelto at gmail.com
To: geysers at lists.wallawalla.edu
Subject: Re: [Geysers] History of Morning Geyser

Exciting news!  (Although I do wish it had happened a week earlier, when I was in the park. :-) )

My wife asks a good question: is there any possible connection between this activity and the recent irregularity of Fountain Geyser?  One thing I didn't report from last week's visit was that Fountain intervals were apparently rather erratic -- again, those with more complete times than I can tell that story better, but it wasn't its old reliable 6- or 12-hour self.  Is there enough on Morning's past history to know whether comparable breaks in Fountain's routine preceded its previous eruptions?  That's probably all the "connection" that one can hope for, but it would be interesting if the answer was yes.


-- Bill Johnson


On Wed, Jun 20, 2012 at 4:46 PM, Lynn Stephens <lstephens2006 at hotmail.com> wrote:








People have asked about Morning Geyser's eruptive history:
 
Per Whittlesey's Nomenclature:
 
            "Turn of the
century guidebooks stated that Fountain Geyser ceased operation in July, 1899,
and remained inactive until October (when Morning Geyser quit?) at which time
it resumed its usual displays.  This
source mentioned the large 1899 eruptions of present Morning Geyser saying that
at times they lasted for fully one hour. 
Later editions described activity of Morning in July, 1909, when
"Fountain abandoned its crater for the one adjoining and threw out jagged
masses of geyserite more than 200 feet. 
The water was muddy and full of rock fragments."  These 1909 eruptions continued at least into
September.  There is apparently no record
of activity for 1900-1908.

            Eruptive
activity of present Morning Geyser occurred twice in the 1920s.  One spectacular eruption is known for August
of 1921, when Ranger Troutman saw it play to 250 feet in height and holding its
height no lower than 200 feet for one hour and ten minutes.  Another eruption is known for July of 1922.
            After this,
no further activity appears to have occurred until 1944, when the geyser
erupted once.  Two eruptions are known
for 1946, and then in 1947, eleven eruptions were recorded.  Of those eruptions, all but two occurred
during the morning hours, hence geologist George Marler's name (suggested in
1947-48) of Morning Geyser.
            These
eruptions were followed by 36 more in 1948, and eleven in 1949.  Morning Geyser was dormant 1950-51, and again
rejuvenated in 1952.  It was active
1952-59, 1974, 1978, and 1981-83."


Additional activity occurred in May 1991 for a few days, August 1991 for 3 weeks, and for about a week at the end of March/beginning of April 1994.
 Lynn Stephens






 		 	   		  

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