Excelsior Geyser
Encyclopedia
Excelsior Geyser Crater, formerly known as Excelsior Geyser, is a hot spring
in the Midway Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park
in the United States
. Excelsior was named by the Hayden Geological Survey of 1871
. Possibly the only known photograph of Excelsior in full eruption was taken by Frank Jay Haynes
in 1888.
The Excelsior Geyser pool discharges 4,000 to 4,500 gallons (15,100–17,000 l) of 199 °F (92.8 °C). of water per minute directly into the Firehole River
. In the late 19th century (there was possibly some activity in 1901 too) it was an active geyser
that erupted frequently. Most eruptions were "only" 100 feet high, but some exceeded 300 feet (91.4 m) and were as wide as they were high. It is believed that powerful eruptions damaged its internal plumbing system, and it now boils as a productive hot spring most of the time.
In 1985, Excelsior returned to activity for a 46 hour period from September 14 to 16. These eruptions were relatively small at 30 feet (9.1 m) but a few were as much as 80 feet (24.4 m) tall and 100 feet wide, and threw water into the river. All of these eruptions lasted about 2 minutes at intervals of 5 to 66 minutes.
In the mid first decade of the 21st century Excelsior did have violent boiling strong enough to be considered as eruptions, the boiling reached between 5 to 10 ft (1.5 to 3 )and had a duration of seconds.
Hot spring
A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...
in the Midway Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Excelsior was named by the Hayden Geological Survey of 1871
Hayden Geological Survey of 1871
The Hayden Geological Survey of 1871 explored the region of northwestern Wyoming that later became Yellowstone National Park in 1872. It was led by geologist Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden...
. Possibly the only known photograph of Excelsior in full eruption was taken by Frank Jay Haynes
Frank Jay Haynes
Frank Jay Haynes , known as F. Jay or the Professor, to almost all that knew him, was a professional photographer, publisher and entrepreneur from Minnesota who played a major role in documenting through photographs, the settlement and early history of the great Northwest...
in 1888.
The Excelsior Geyser pool discharges 4,000 to 4,500 gallons (15,100–17,000 l) of 199 °F (92.8 °C). of water per minute directly into the Firehole River
Firehole River
The Firehole River is one of two major tributaries of the Madison River. It flows north approximately from its source in Madison Lake on the Continental Divide to join the Gibbon River at Madison Junction in Yellowstone National Park...
. In the late 19th century (there was possibly some activity in 1901 too) it was an active geyser
Geyser
A geyser is a spring characterized by intermittent discharge of water ejected turbulently and accompanied by a vapour phase . The word geyser comes from Geysir, the name of an erupting spring at Haukadalur, Iceland; that name, in turn, comes from the Icelandic verb geysa, "to gush", the verb...
that erupted frequently. Most eruptions were "only" 100 feet high, but some exceeded 300 feet (91.4 m) and were as wide as they were high. It is believed that powerful eruptions damaged its internal plumbing system, and it now boils as a productive hot spring most of the time.
In 1985, Excelsior returned to activity for a 46 hour period from September 14 to 16. These eruptions were relatively small at 30 feet (9.1 m) but a few were as much as 80 feet (24.4 m) tall and 100 feet wide, and threw water into the river. All of these eruptions lasted about 2 minutes at intervals of 5 to 66 minutes.
In the mid first decade of the 21st century Excelsior did have violent boiling strong enough to be considered as eruptions, the boiling reached between 5 to 10 ft (1.5 to 3 )and had a duration of seconds.