[Geysers] Geyser Report (May 25-27) Stephens

[Lynn Stephens]

The infor.mation provided in this report is for the use of the readers of this listserv and is not to be reproduced for any other purpose, including publication in The Sput.
 
Firehole Lake Drive doesn't open until tomorrow and i haven't spent any time in the Upper Geyser Basin, so my report is a quick summary of some of the things I have observed in Black Sand Basin, Midway, and the Fountain Paint Pot area.
 
Black Sand Basin:  Cliff full pool to full pool eruptions--I spent two hours watching Cliff on Thursday, 5/26.  I was there for 55 minutes before the first full pool eruption started.  The eruption lasted about 11 minutes.  The next eruption, which also had a duration of 11 minutes started after a 61 minute interval.  This morning (5/27) I spent another 2 1/2 hours at Black Sand Basin watching Cliff and once again I only got one closed interval.  The first eruption had a duration of 6 minutes.  The next eruption, which lasted 16 minutes, started after an interval of 90 minutes.  Very small sample size I >=55 minutes, I = 61 minutes, I>=36 minutes, and I = 90 minutes.  Based on this very small sample size, I think intervals from full pool to full pool eruptions have increased compared with intervals I've recorded since 1991.  (In 1991 Rick Hutchinson asked me to define the start of a full pool eruption as consistent overflow from the southeast notch.  Rick made the request so my visual obsrvations could be used to ground-truth the electronic monitor that Tim Thompson had placed to record eruptions.  My observations are internally consistent from 1991 through now, although they may not be consistent with observations record by other people who might not be using the same definition of "full pool start" that Rick had me use.)
 
Spouter is active--I've seen two starts, but don't have any durations and don't have any intervals.
 
Midway:
 
Till Geyser:  I got a closed major to major interval of 10h55m on 5/25.  I stayed for the durations of both eruptions and also stayed for the first two minor eruptions.  Both eruptions had a duration of 35 minutes, a slight increase compared with those I've recorded in prior years.  One "quiet period" (time from end of the major eruption to start of the first minor eruption) was 20 minutes, the other was 22 minutes.  (When I first started studing Till in 1988 the "quiet period" was 16-17 minutes long.)  For both eruptions the initial minor lasted 8 minutes.  This is a substantial change from when I first started studying Till and an increase from when I first started seeing occasional initial minors lasting 5 minutes a few years ago.  I stayed for the second minor and in both cases the interval between the first minor and the second minor was a little over 19 minutes.  In prior years intervals between the first and second minors have generally been about 7-8 minutes.  I believe the increase in interval is related to the increase in duration.  
    This afternoon (5/27) I left the Till major eruption before it ended so I could go watch Fountain's eruption.  I returned later so I could get the end of the minor series.  I arrived in time to watch the last four minors of the series.  All four of the minors lasted just about 60 seconds.  Intervals were 18 1/2 minutes, 12 3/4 minutes, and 35 1/2 minutes.  This is the first time I have ever seen a series where the last three intervals didn't show a consistent increase.  Total elapsed time of 3h24 minutes from start of the major to end of the last minor is not inconsistent with what I've observed in other years despite changes in the initial minor.
    Intervals major to major:  Closed interval of 10h55m; followed by quadruple interval that averated 10h19 minutes
 
Flood Geyser:  The seven eruptions I've timed have had durations of about 6 minutes.  I only have four intervals--47, 48, 49, and 50 minutes.  
 
Fountain Complex:
    I've seen eight eruptions of Fountain in the three days I've been here.  Fountain is erupting from a very low pool.  At 5'2" in height, I have not been able to see any water in Fountain's crater prior to the eruptions. Intervals while I've been here have varied from a short of 4h48m to a maximum of 5h22m (average for a double interval).  All eruptions of Fountain have been accompanied by 2-3 eruptions of Morning's Thief.  Jet is usually active prior to and during Fountain's eruption, although I have seen one eruption where Jet did not activate during Fountain's eruption, and two eruptions where Jet was not active prior to the start of Fountain but did start eruption during Fountain's eruption.  I've only seen one eruption of Spasm Geyser.  The only correlation between Twig and Fountain I've seen is that the only time I've seen Twig have an eruption has been Twig starting during Fountain's eruption, which has happened for three of the eight eruptions I've seen.  "Bearclaw" has periodic puffs of steam but I haven't heard any gurgling and haven't seen any above ground eruptive activity.  I've seen two eruptions of Super Frying Pan--both with durations of about 11 minutes.  One eruption occurred during an eruption of Fountain Geyser and had no impact on Jet's intervals.  The other one started seven minutes after Fountain ended and caused Jet to have a 16 minute interval.
 
Out in the Kaleidoscope Group I've seen eruptions from both Honeycomb and Honey's Vent.  I haven't seen any activity from Kaleidoscope or Drain and haven't seen any activity from any of the vents in Deep Blue, although other people have seen activity earlier in May.
 
I intend to be here in Yellowstone through June 23.  I'll have Cassidy and Connor with me for two weeks.  Although they both like to watch geysers, it will impact the amount of time I have to collect data on the features I normally monitor.  I plan to write up trip reports for the June and/or August issues of The Sput.
 
Genean:  When do I have to have an article in to you for the June Sput?
 
Lynn
 		 	   		  
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