[Geysers] Norris - Vixen Geyser 2016 synopsis

[M.A. Bellingham]

After being confused and curious about Vixen’s intervals in fall of
2015, fascinating cyclic behavior was identified in late April of
2016. Everyone said “It’s Norris, it won’t last...” But guess what, it
did.  It wasn’t easy to get 2900 eruptions condensed into 5 sentences,
but here's most of what you need to know, for posterity.

Following Disturbance in September of 2015, Vixen began exhibiting
cyclic behavior with four observable phases which continued through
closing weekend of 2016.  During Disturbance events (one in May: when
Emerald Spring began the heavy roiling with murky brown water,
Porkchop drained, & etc. and a mini-disturbance in Sept.), there were
changes in the known total cycle time and/or length of cycle phases;
after both of these Vixen returned to the ‘normal’ cyclic pattern.

During the 2016 summer season the longest observed Majors were just
over 20 minutes in duration; the shortest durations were less than 15
seconds.  The longest observed closed interval prior to an Initial was
2h12m; the shortest intervals ranged from ~1-2 minutes, with as little
as 30-45 seconds quiet time on occasion. Rapid deposition in a wider
splash-zone is building a new platform with a larger circumference
than the platform remnant we have known for decades.

Vixen in 2016 was fascinating! Here’s to 2017.
See you on the boardwalks,
MA

M.A. Bellingham