Morning Geyser

Morning Geyser

Map of the Fountain Paint Pots group showing the location of Morning Geyser

Location Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Coordinates 44°33′05″N 110°48′30″W / 44.5514313°N 110.8082572°W / 44.5514313; -110.8082572Coordinates: 44°33′05″N 110°48′30″W / 44.5514313°N 110.8082572°W / 44.5514313; -110.8082572
Type Fountain geyser
Eruption height 75 feet (23 m) to 200 feet (61 m), and just as wide.
Frequency 5 hours to 7 days when active, long dormancies
Duration approx. 30 minutes

Morning Geyser[1] is a fountain-type geyser located in the Fountain Paint Pots area of Lower Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. When active it is the largest geyser in the Fountain Paint Pots area, but in most years it is inactive.[2]

Eruption

Morning Geyser plays from a pool just beyond that of more frequently active Fountain Geyser, as seen from the boardwalk trail through the Fountain Paint Pots. Morning's maximum height may reach 200 feet (61 m) and just as wide, although most eruptions are smaller. Its duration is usually about 30 minutes, but durations of over one hour have been seen. Eruptions take the form of successive jets of water rather than a constant stream, many starting from a "blue bubble" resembling those observed at Fountain. Morning is sometimes observed to erupt simultaneously with Fountain, although most eruptions are independent.[2]

The first recorded eruptions of Morning Geyser were in 1899, at which time it was called "New Fountain Geyser."[2] Eruptions were rare until 1959, when a major earthquake near Hebgen Lake just outside the park caused significant changes in the activity in the Fountain Paint Pots group of springs.[3] Morning was comparatively active from 1991 through 1993 but then erupted only rarely until 2012.[2] Reactivation occurred in that year, and eruptions have been more frequent in late 2012 and 2013, with intervals as short as 6 hours, although more typical intervals have ranged from 11 hours to several days.[4]

A less powerful geyser known as "Morning's Thief" erupts from a vent adjacent to Morning's pool. Morning's Thief has erupted frequently during the last ten years, and has been thought to rob Morning of the energy necessary for an eruption.[2] However, a simultaneous eruption of Morning and Morning's Thief was observed during the former's 2013 active cycle.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "YNP Thermal Feature: Morning Geyser". YNP Research Coordination Network, Montana State University.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Bryan, T. Scott (2008). Geysers of Yellowstone, The (4th ed.). University Press of Colorado. ISBN 978-0-87081-924-7.
  3. ↑ Marler, George (1963). The Hebgen Lake, Montana, Earthquake of August 17, 1959. Government Printing Office, reprinted by the University of Michigan.
  4. ↑ "Morning Geyser Data from geysertimes.org".
  5. ↑ "geysertimes.org report of Morning eruption, 13 June 2013".
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