[Geysers] How to build a geyser, part 1?

[JEFFREY CROSS]

I've tried building some complex model geysers.  One is described in the January 2005 SPUT.  It had bimodal intervals.  Another one I built erupted in series like Atomizer or Lone Star, with minors leading to a major.  That one was written up in Transactions v. 11.

I've tried making more elaborate models, but the cold water that sits in the pipes connecting the reservoirs always gets in the way of what I'm trying to demonstrate.  The transfer of even a tiny amount of cold water into a reservoir when the pressure in the reservoir falls will squelch all chances of that reservoir having a full eruption.

There is no practical limit on the size of your model geyser, other than your budget, your electrical/gas hookup, and the size of your yard.  Model geysers that erupt more than 10-20 feet high can end up soaking your neighbor's yard, cars parked in the street, etc.

I've theorized about how geysers are connected underground in Transactions v. 10.  If two vents are connected, then boiling at or above the point of connection will cause antagonistic activity, like that of Penta vs. Sawmill, Grand vs. Rift, Daisy vs. Bonita, etc.  But if the boiling happens below the point of connection, then the two vents will act in concert.  Sometimes vents will switch from antagonistic to concerted activity prior to an eruption.  The best example of this is Grand and Turban.  Most cycles, Turban's eruption occurs during low water in Grand.  But on the final cycle, Grand stays high when Turban is due.  The same thing happened between Giant/Mastiff vs. Bijou in 2006, at Steamboat in the early 1980s (north vent mode --> south vent mode --> concerted mode --> major eruption).  Fan and Mortar seem to do this also (Main Vent/Lower Mortar vs. River/High/Gold Vents) in the early 1990s hot periods that had a pause.  The progression was River Vent --> Main Vent/Lower Mortar --> River Vent and Main Vent both high --> lock --> eruption.

Jeff Cross
jeff.cross at utah.edu


________________________________
From: geysers-bounces at lists.wallawalla.edu [geysers-bounces at lists.wallawalla.edu] on behalf of Barrett Southworth [bsouthworth at cableone.net]
Sent: Monday, September 30, 2013 4:58 AM
To: Geyser Observation Reports
Cc: Davis, Brian L.
Subject: Re: [Geysers] How to build a geyser, part 1?

I had to use the archives to get at the attachments, but the idea brings up something I'd like to ask, what's the most complex artificial geyser around?  In order to further understanding could models attempting to approximate behavior of Fan & Mortar or the Sawmill complex be built?  Is there a technical limit to the size of water resivoirs/heating elements that could be used?  How many people would be interested in attempting to set up a complex geyser model (of course i would assume such a thing would have to be set up on outside and depending scale, be from the size of a backyard to several acres)?

On 9/20/2013 12:16 PM, Davis, Brian L. wrote:
The question seem to come up, and some people have asked me... so I thought I'd drop a (rather terribly big) file here into the list serve. Please accept my apologies if this is too big (it sort of is), or unwanted, but here's a simple Word document that gives at least one way to start this process. I really need to make a follow-up that shows how to do this with CPVC plumbing and electric hot water heater elements... but if I want until I have it "the way I like", it will never be done...

Any questions, just ask!

--
Brian Davis


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Barrett Southworth
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