Steamboat Geyser

Steamboat Geyser
Major eruption, Steamboat Geyser, circa 1960s
Location Norris Geyser Basin,
Yellowstone National Park,
Park County, Wyoming
Coordinates 44°43′25″N 110°42′11″W / 44.7236795°N 110.7031823°W / 44.7236795; -110.7031823Coordinates: 44°43′25″N 110°42′11″W / 44.7236795°N 110.7031823°W / 44.7236795; -110.7031823[1]
Elevation 7,598 feet (2,316 m)[2]
Type Cone geyser
Eruption height 10 to 300 feet (3.0 to 91.4 m)
Frequency 4 days to 10 years
Duration 3 to 40 minutes
Temperature 71.3 °C (160.3 °F) on 1998-06-26[1]
Norris Geyser Basin

Steamboat Geyser, in Yellowstone National Park's Norris Geyser Basin, is the world's tallest currently-active geyser. During major eruptions, water may be thrown more than 300 feet (91 m) into the air.[3] Steamboat Geyser has two vents, a northern and a southern, approximately 20 feet (6.1 m) apart.

Steamboat's major eruptions last from 3 to 40 minutes, and are followed by powerful jets of steam. Steamboat does not erupt on a predictable schedule, with recorded intervals between major eruptions ranging from four days to fifty years. The geyser was dormant from 1911 to 1961. Minor eruptions of 10 to 15 feet (3.0 to 4.6 m) are much more frequent. After an eruption, the geyser often vents large amounts of steam for up to 48 hours.[4] Cistern Spring, located nearby, will drain completely during a major eruption of the geyser; the spring refills within a few days.

Prior to 1904, Waimangu Geyser, in New Zealand, had some taller eruptions capable of reaching 1,600 feet (490 m), but in 1904, a landslide changed the local water table, and since then, Waimangu has not erupted.[5] Excelsior Geyser in Yellowstone's Midway Geyser Basin likewise was taller, with eruptions reaching 300 feet (91 m). However, Excelsior has not erupted since 1985,[6] and now functions as a hot spring (though eruptions are, as in all hot springs, still a possibility).

The most recent eruption of Steamboat Geyser occurred on October 8, 2018 at 10:25 AM.

While years may pass between eruptions some years see multiple eruptions including 29 in 1964.[7] Eruptions from 1990 to current years include:

  • June 4, 1990
  • October 2, 1991 - (1 year 120 days)
  • May 2, 2000 - (8 years 213 days)
  • April 26, 2002 - (1 year 359 days)
  • September 13, 2002 - (140 days)
  • March 26, 2003 - (194 days)
  • April 27, 2003 - (32 days)
  • October 22, 2003 - (178 days)
  • May 23, 2005 - (1 year 213 days)
  • July 31, 2013 - (8 years 212 days)[7]
  • September 3, 2014 - (1 year 34 days)

2018 active phase

Steamboat Geyser, major eruption, August 4, 2018

In 2018, Steamboat Geyser entered a much more active period with twenty-two eruptions recorded between March 15 and October 8.[8][9]

Steamboat Geyser eruptions of the 2018 active phase
  • March 15, 2018 - (3 years 193 days)
  • April 19, 2018 - (35 days)
  • April 27, 2018 - (8 days)
  • May 4, 2018 - (7 days)
  • May 13, 2018 - (9 days)[10]
  • May 19, 2018 - (6 days)
  • May 27, 2018 - (8 days)
  • June 4, 2018 - (8 days)
  • June 11, 2018 - (7 days)
  • June 15, 2018 - (4 days)
  • July 6, 2018 - (21 days)
  • July 20, 2018 - (14 days)
  • August 4, 2018 - (15 days)
  • August 22, 2018 - (18 days)
  • August 27, 2018 - (5 days)
  • September 1, 2018 - (5 days)
  • September 7, 2018 - (6 days)
  • September 12, 2018 - (5 days)[note 1]
  • September 17, 2018 - (5 days)
  • September 24, 2018 - (7 days)
  • September 30, 2018 - (6 days)
  • October 8, 2018 - (8 days)

References

  1. 1 2 "Steamboat Geyser". Yellowstone Geothermal Features Database. Montana State University.
  2. ↑ "Steamboat Geyser". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  3. ↑ Bryan, T. Scott (May 1995). The Geysers of Yellowstone (3rd ed.). University Press of Colorado. ISBN 0-87081-365-X.
  4. ↑ "Steamboat Geyser". National Park Service.
  5. ↑ Jones, Gregory L. "Tall Geysers". WyoJones' Geyser Pages. Retrieved May 24, 2006.
  6. ↑ "Excelsior Geyser". Geyser Observation and Study Association (GOSA).
  7. 1 2 "Steamboat Geyser" (PDF). National Park Service. August 2013. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
  8. ↑ "Steamboat Counter". Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. May 14, 2018. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  9. ↑ Various observers. "Steamboat Geyser". GeyserTimes.org. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Yellowstone's Steamboat Geyser erupts for 5th time this year". The Washington Post. May 13, 2018. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Steamboat Geyser in-basin report September 12, 2018". GeyserTimes.org. September 12, 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Seismogram Reporting Wrapper (YNM SHZ WY 01)". isthisthingon.org. September 12, 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2018.

Notes

  1. ↑ USGS' Steamboat counter lists this eruption as 3:23 AM, though in-basin report and seismic signal indicate 4:23 AM as start time.[11][12] This has since been corrected to 4:23 AM
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