[Geysers] naming the Dwarfs

[Stjohn, James]

Here's my take on things in the Dwarfs:

TSB's book mentions 2 informal names - one of them (North) has locality info. - the farthest-to-the-right vent (while looking west; plus the name "North" says it - it is indeed the northernmost feature).  The photos and videos linked to earlier in this thread included what I take to be "Red" - the near-perpetual spouter - because it has a mottled deep orangish-red to reddish-brown border area (albeit from microbes).  I don't know if that vent is what was intended by the name "Red".

I'm not married to these two informal names applied to these two features.

In general, I do advocate naming objects and phenomena in nature, regardless of their ephemeral nature.

Catalog names are better than nothing, and do seem suitable for non-erupting, "minor" features (e.g., see the RCN database).  I do find myself wishing that a particular geyser I'm watching did have a name (for example, UNNG-TGG-1 and UNNG-KLD-13), and I sometimes just make one up while taking field notes (I call the former "East Tangled Geyser").

Psychologists have determined that the human mind processes information more efficiently when a name is applied to something.  I've observed some geologists referring to this as "name magic" - students automatically understand something better if a name is applied to it.  Efficient, umambiguous communication & understanding of nature and science matters is something that we can all agree is desirable.

Names are generated for all passages and practically every other feature in significant caves (see Mammoth Cave in Kentucky or Lechuguilla Cave in New Mexico).  This makes it so much easier to discuss localities and observations and discoveries.  Many astronomical features only have catalog designations.  Considering the sheer volume of features (moons of Jupiter, dwarf planets beyond Pluto, galaxies beyond the Local Cluster), that seems unavoidable.

As to the Dwarfs, may I suggest for consideration a solution similar to the Terra Cotta Geysers?  With the available literature and published photos, plus a pair of binoculars or zoomed-in camcorder footage, and with practice, most of the lettered vents can be readily discerned and identified, in terms of what's erupting and what's not.  The vents of the Dwarfs Complex are obviously far closer to the boardwalk, making things easier.  A first step may be to make available a detailed, labeled, dated map of just the Dwarfs.

James St. John

stjohn.2 at osu.edu

http://www2.newark.ohio-state.edu/facultystaff/personal/jstjohn/Documents/Home-page.htm
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