<html xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"/>  <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> I finally made it home after my flight was canceled from <st1:City w:st="on">Jackson</st1:City> to <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Salt</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Lake</st1:PlaceType>, about 24 hours from Old Faithful to my home in <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Virginia</st1:place></st1:State>.  But of course with Giant having erupted I didn’t care about it too much!<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Giant was watched fairly closely over its last interval and I got to see many of the hot periods as well as worrying about missing a strong hot period overnight so I didn’t get much sleep some nights.  The main thing of note the day before Giant erupted was that it had 3 strong hot periods and all were over 9 minutes long and Mastiff was surging 4’.  Mastiff also depth charged for 1.5 hours after one strong hot period.  Earlier in my two week trip it was having shorter hot periods and not as much surging.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Some definitions:  <o:p></o:p> Weak hot period = less than 5 minutes, no overflow or minor overflow from Mastiff that didn’t wet <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> much if at all<o:p></o:p> Strong hot period = 7 or more minutes long with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> 70% covered or more<o:p></o:p> GHP = Giant hot period<o:p></o:p> FS = Feather Satellite<o:p></o:p> MOF = Mastiff overflow<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Most hot periods fell into the weak or strong categories with the exception of a couple that were late in Grotto Marathons and one earlier on the day it erupted.  Strong hot periods were mainly 5-7 hours apart but some were from 3h45m to 8 hours apart (excluding <st1:place w:st="on">Marathon</st1:place> activity).  Here is the data from my notes, the OF logbook and key information from Dave Leeking and Suzanne Getter close to the eruption.  You can skip down to the bottom for the eruption hot period if you don’t want all the details.  There were patterns in the hot periods, Sept 13th and 15th had similar sequences and intervals (strong, weak, weak, strong, SW vent bathtub).<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> August 29<o:p></o:p> 1100 Giant<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Aug 31<o:p></o:p> 0816 Grotto<o:p></o:p> 0847ie GHP d >2.5m<o:p></o:p> 1405ns Grotto<o:p></o:p> 1708 GHP d=3m55s <o:p></o:p> 1821 Grotto<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sept 1<o:p></o:p> 0911 GHP d~1m25s<o:p></o:p> 1055ie GHP d>= 4m<o:p></o:p> 1119 Grotto still ie 1546 (marathon?)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sept 2<o:p></o:p> 1203ie GHP d >=7m<o:p></o:p> 1531 GHP d~2m43s<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sept 3<o:p></o:p> 0723 GHP d<2m<o:p></o:p> 0848 GHP d~7m<o:p></o:p> ~1043 GHP<o:p></o:p> 1108 Grotto<o:p></o:p> 1222 GHP d>5m<o:p></o:p> 1400 GHP d~4m26s<o:p></o:p> 1527 GHP d=1m31s<o:p></o:p> 1646 Grotto<o:p></o:p> 1704 GHP d=8m53s<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sept 4<o:p></o:p> 0433ie Grotto marathon<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sept 5<o:p></o:p> 0806 GHP d=3m45s, FS, MOF<o:p></o:p> ~1044 GHP d~2m<o:p></o:p> 1309 GHP d=3m19s, FS<o:p></o:p> 1434 Grotto (first post marathon)<o:p></o:p> ~1443 GHP<o:p></o:p> 1626 GHP d=7m45s, FS, MOF bit not very strong, Mastiff 2’, India mostly covered, Cave 2”<o:p></o:p> 1942 GHP d=3m15s, FS, MOF but not much<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sept 6<o:p></o:p> Before 0440 GHP, weak, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> dry but water running off platform<o:p></o:p> 0611 GHP d~9m FS, MOF heavy, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> covered<o:p></o:p> 0830 Grotto (3rd?)<o:p></o:p> 1426 GHP d=2m<o:p></o:p> 1524 Grotto (4th?)<o:p></o:p> 1658 GHP d=7m43s FS, MOF, Mastiff 3’, Cave 1’<o:p></o:p> 1708 Feather restart d=4m3s, big vertical surges in Giant<o:p></o:p> 1928 GHP d=2<o:p></o:p> 2144 Grotto (6th?)<o:p></o:p> 2232 GHP d~8.5m, FS, MOF, heavy overflow<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sept 7th<o:p></o:p> 0433ie Grotto (7th?)<o:p></o:p> 0536 GHP d~7m45s, FS (started 6m after Feather), MOF<o:p></o:p> 0859 Bathtub<o:p></o:p> 0929 Grotto <st1:place w:st="on">Marathon</st1:place><o:p></o:p> 1014 GHP d=3m5s FS, very little MOF<o:p></o:p> 1129 GHP d=8m15s, FS, MOF, Mastiff 2’<o:p></o:p> 1654 GHP d~6m30s, slight MOF but no FS – unusually long for such a weak GHP but it was 7h25m into the Grotto marathon<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sept 8th<o:p></o:p> ~0645Grotto <st1:place w:st="on">Marathon</st1:place> ends <o:p></o:p> 1108 GHP d=9m25s, FS, MOF Mastiff 3’, Cave and Turtle bubbling, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> 90% wet (1st post marathon hot period)<o:p></o:p> 1120 Feather restart, d1m10s, a couple of vertical surges from Giant<o:p></o:p> 1522 GHP d=3m50s, FS, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> 50% wet<o:p></o:p> 1726 Water in Mastiff but no bathtub afterplay<o:p></o:p> 1820 GHP d~8m50s, FS, MOF Mastiff 3’, turtle splashing<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sept 9th<o:p></o:p> ~0600 GHP weak<o:p></o:p> 0822 GHP d=1m45s slight MOF<o:p></o:p> O844 Grotto (3rd?)<o:p></o:p> 1010 GHP d=8m20s, Mastiff 2’, Cave 2’<o:p></o:p> 1019 Feather restart, d=5m<o:p></o:p> 1325 Grotto (4th?)<o:p></o:p> 1447 GHP d=7m40s, FS, MOF (not very strong), Cave pulsing 0-3’, Giant showed water a lot during the hot period and surged a lot in afterplay<o:p></o:p> 1738 Southwest vents on but nothing else d=2m<o:p></o:p> ~1844 Southwest vents on but nothing else<o:p></o:p> 1849ie Grotto <st1:place w:st="on">Marathon</st1:place>?<o:p></o:p> 1948 GHP d=7m40s<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sept 10<o:p></o:p> 0450ie Grotto still in marathon<o:p></o:p> 1502 GHP d=8m35s FS, MOF (1st post marathon)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sept 11<o:p></o:p> 0443ie Grotto<o:p></o:p> 0600ie GHP d>7m FS, MOF, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> flooded<o:p></o:p> 0811 GHP D<2m FS<o:p></o:p> 1032 GHP d=3m25s, FS<o:p></o:p> 1150 Grotto<o:p></o:p> 1215 GHP d-9m30s FS, MOF Mastiff 2’<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sept 12<o:p></o:p> 0753 GHP d~9m SW, MOF <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> flooded<o:p></o:p> 1233 GHP d=4m FS, MOF Mastiff 1-2’, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> 50% wet<o:p></o:p> 1439 GHP d=2m35s FS<o:p></o:p> 1622 GHP d=9m20s FS, MOF<o:p></o:p> 1740 Grotto<o:p></o:p> 2007 GHP d=8m, FS, MOF India covered but OF didn’t seem that good.  Interval of only 3h45m between strong hot periods!)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sept 13<o:p></o:p> ~0520 GHP weak <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> dry<o:p></o:p> 0606 Grotto<o:p></o:p> 0641 GHP d=2m10s<o:p></o:p> 0925 GHP d=9m25s, FS, MOF Mastiff 1-2’, cave 2”, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> flooded<o:p></o:p> 0935 Feather restart, d=3m25s, nice vertical surging in Giant<o:p></o:p> 1324 GHP d=3m<o:p></o:p> 1447 GHP d=3m<o:p></o:p> 1458 Grotto<o:p></o:p> 1605 GHP d=8m40s FS, MOF Mastiff ~ 1.5’, no Feather restart but some good vertical surging in Giant and some right-to-left splashing, good depth charging in Mastiff that went on for a long time<o:p></o:p> 1949 Southwest vents on but nothing else d=4m30s<o:p></o:p> 2120 Grotto Marathon starts<o:p></o:p> 2131 GHP d~2m, FS<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sept 14<o:p></o:p> 0100 GHP strong, <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> covered, strong surging in afterplay, <st1:place w:st="on">Marathon</st1:place> recovery hot period<o:p></o:p> 0621ie GHP d>4m FS, MOF, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> 50% wet<o:p></o:p> ~2019 Grotto marathon ends<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sept 15<o:p></o:p> 0232 GHP d=10m, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> covered<o:p></o:p> 0750 GHP d=4m25s, FS, MOF, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> ~ 70% wet<o:p></o:p> 0948 GHP d=3m40s, FS, MOF but not much<o:p></o:p> 1149 GHP d=9m30s, FS, MOF mastiff to 2’ and later 2-4’, Turtle~6”, Cave boiled, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> covered<o:p></o:p> 1156 Grotto (1st)<o:p></o:p> 1520 GHP d=2m<o:p></o:p> 1639 GHP d=1m50s<o:p></o:p> 1723 Grotto (2nd) d>4h (I thought this was going to be a marathon but it was not)<o:p></o:p> 1808 GHP d=9m5s, FS, MOF mastiff ~3-4’, good boiling and surging in Giant during the hot period, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> wet<o:p></o:p> 1820 Feather restart d=2m20s, 1.5 hours of depth charging in Mastiff that ended with a bathtub<o:p></o:p> 2039 Southwest vents on but nothing else d~1m<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sept 16<o:p></o:p> Before 0550 GHP – <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> damp<o:p></o:p> Grotto 0605, off before 0915<o:p></o:p> 0632 GHP d=6m30s, FS, MOF but not much, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> dry, feather strong to the top of Giants cone but overall a weak but long hot period<o:p></o:p> 0805 GHP d<3.5m, FS, little MOF<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> ….and then…<o:p></o:p> ~0941 Bijou Pause<o:p></o:p> 0943 Water visible in Mastiff (me standing on the lower rail, I don’t have the balance for top rail)<o:p></o:p> Water rose very slowly, stopped and looked like it would drop, then came up slowly again.<o:p></o:p> 0949 GHP started, Feather and SW vents on, but this was very slow, 6 minutes after I saw water rising in Mastiff!  Mastiff starts to overflow 20 seconds later.<o:p></o:p> 0950 FS on<o:p></o:p> 0953 up to this point Mastiff had been doing some good boils but the wind was blowing steam in front of it.  Mastiff then started to surge ~4’ and Julie Thompson at Oblong could see it as large wide surging and started to scream with each surge<o:p></o:p> 0954 things moved fast - I could see Mastiff surges to the top of the cone now, lots of noise and overflow but it was not staying up all the time<o:p></o:p> 0954 Mastiff erupts continuously – late this minute….Mastiff surges over the tree line seen from the railing in the cage. I call that an eruption, not just surging.<o:p></o:p> Then the noise and water flowing off the platform was amazing with Giant spilling water out the front.<o:p></o:p> 0956 GIANT – we backed off the platform just before Giant washed it clean (and drowned my pack).  Only 7 minutes into the hot period!<o:p></o:p> Catfish started at some point but I didn’t notice when.  Very big noisy eruption.  Lots of happy gazers!<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The duration was 105m.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I noticed that Bijou was back in eruption on Sept 17 at 1800, so the recovery is on!<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> GO GIANT!<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Graham Meech.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </div> </body> </html>