In the afternoon of September 18, 1870, the members of the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition traveled down the Firehole River from the Kepler Cascades and entered the Upper Geyser Basin. The first geyser that they saw was Old Faithful. Nathaniel P. Langford wrote in his 1871 Scribner's account of the expedition:
It spouted at regular intervals nine times during our stay, the columns of boiling water being thrown from ninety to one hundred and twenty-five feet at each discharge, which lasted from fifteen to twenty minutes. We gave it the name of "Old Faithful."
In the early days of the park, Old Faithful was often used as a laundry:
Old Faithful is sometimes degraded by being made a laundry. Garments placed in the crater during quiescence are ejected thoroughly washed when the eruption takes place. Gen. Sheridan's men, in 1882, found that linen and cotton fabrics were uninjured by the action of the water, but woolen clothes were torn to shreds.[7]
Eruptionsedit
16-second video clip of an eruption
More than 1,000,000 eruptions have been recorded. Harry Woodward first described a mathematical relationship between the duration and intervals of the eruptions in 1938.[8][9] Old Faithful is not the tallest or largest geyser in the park; those titles belong to the less predictable Steamboat Geyser.[4] The reliability of Old Faithful can be attributed to the fact that it is not connected to any other thermal features of the Upper Geyser Basin.[10]
Eruptions can shoot 3,700 to 8,400 US gallons (14,000 to 32,000 L) of boiling water to a height of 106 to 185 feet (32 to 56 m) lasting from 1+1⁄2 to 5 minutes. The average height of an eruption is 145 feet (44 m).[11] Intervals between eruptions can range from 60 to 110 minutes, averaging 66.5 minutes in 1939,[8] slowly increasing to an average of 90 minutes apart since 2000, which may be the result of earthquakes affecting subterranean water levels.[12] The disruptions have made earlier mathematical relationships inaccurate, but have actually made Old Faithful more predictable in terms of its next eruption.[citation needed] After the Borah Peak earthquake in central Idaho in October 1983, the eruption intervals of Old Faithful were noticeably lengthened.[13]
Waiting time between eruptions and the duration of the eruption for Old Faithful.
The time between eruptions has a bimodal distribution, with the mean interval being either 65 or 91 minutes, and is dependent on the length of the prior eruption. Within a margin of error of ±10 minutes, Old Faithful will erupt either 65 minutes after an eruption lasting less than 2+1⁄2 minutes, or 91 minutes after an eruption lasting more than 2+1⁄2 minutes.[14]
Measurementedit
Between 1983 and 1994, four probes containing temperature and pressure measurement devices and video equipment were lowered into Old Faithful. The probes were lowered as deep as 72 feet (22 m). Temperature measurements of the water at this depth were 244 °F (118 °C), the same as was measured in 1942. The video probes were lowered to a maximum depth of 42 feet (13 m) to observe the conduit formation and the processes that took place in the conduit. Some of the processes observed include fog formation from the interaction of cool air from above mixing with heated air from below, the recharge processes of water entering into the conduit and expanding from below, and entry of superheated steam measuring as high as 265 °F (129 °C) into the conduit.[15]
See alsoedit
Strokkur, another naturally-occurring geyser known for erupting frequently and predictably.
^Bauer, Clyde Max (1947). Yellowstone Geysers. Yellowstone Park, Wyoming: Haynes, Inc. OCLC 1517713.
^ ab"Old Faithful Geyser". Old Faithful Area Tour. National Park Service.
^Old Faithful February 21, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Geyser Observation and Study Association, August 17, 2011; "National Park Service Webcam". www.nps.gov. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
^Langford, Nathaniel P. (May–June 1871). "The Wonders of the Yellowstone". Scribner's Monthly. II (1–2): 123.
^Winser, Henry J. (1883). The Yellowstone National Park-A Manual for Tourists. New York: G.P. Putnam Sons. p. 46.
^ abBauer, Clyde Max; Marler, George (1939). (PDF). Northwest Science. 13: 50–5. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 10, 2011.
^Woodward, Harry R. (1939). "Season Report on the Naturalist Activities at Old Faithful Station".
^Milstein, Michael (September 14, 1999). . The Billings Gazette. Archived from the original on October 9, 2007. Retrieved July 21, 2007.
^Chapple, Janet (2013). Yellowstone Treasures. Lake Forest Park, WA: Granite Peak Publications. p. 79. ISBN978-0-9706873-8-8.
^"Old Faithful". Geyser Observation and Study Association.
"Full eruption of Old Faithful Geyser". YouTube.com. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021.
January 01, 1970
faithful, other, uses, disambiguation, cone, geyser, yellowstone, national, park, wyoming, united, states, named, 1870, during, washburn, langford, doane, expedition, first, geyser, park, named, highly, predictable, geothermal, feature, erupted, every, minutes. For other uses see Old Faithful disambiguation Old Faithful is a cone geyser in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming United States It was named in 1870 during the Washburn Langford Doane Expedition and was the first geyser in the park to be named 3 4 It is a highly predictable geothermal feature and has erupted every 44 minutes to two hours since 2000 5 The geyser and the nearby Old Faithful Inn are part of the Old Faithful Historic District Old FaithfulEruption of Old Faithful in 1948Name originNamed by Henry D WashburnSeptember 18 1870 153 years ago 1870 09 18 LocationUpper Geyser BasinYellowstone National ParkTeton County Wyoming U S Coordinates44 27 38 N 110 49 41 W 44 46046 N 110 82815 W 44 46046 110 82815 1 Elevation7 349 ft 2 240 m 2 TypeCone geyserEruption height106 to 185 ft 32 to 56 m Frequency60 to 90 minutesDuration1 to 5 minutesDischarge3 700 8 400 US gal 14 000 32 000 L Contents 1 History 2 Eruptions 3 Measurement 4 See also 5 Images 6 References 7 External linksHistory editIn the afternoon of September 18 1870 the members of the Washburn Langford Doane Expedition traveled down the Firehole River from the Kepler Cascades and entered the Upper Geyser Basin The first geyser that they saw was Old Faithful Nathaniel P Langford wrote in his 1871 Scribner s account of the expedition It spouted at regular intervals nine times during our stay the columns of boiling water being thrown from ninety to one hundred and twenty five feet at each discharge which lasted from fifteen to twenty minutes We gave it the name of Old Faithful Nathaniel P Langford 1871 6 In the early days of the park Old Faithful was often used as a laundry Old Faithful is sometimes degraded by being made a laundry Garments placed in the crater during quiescence are ejected thoroughly washed when the eruption takes place Gen Sheridan s men in 1882 found that linen and cotton fabrics were uninjured by the action of the water but woolen clothes were torn to shreds 7 Eruptions edit source source source source 16 second video clip of an eruption More than 1 000 000 eruptions have been recorded Harry Woodward first described a mathematical relationship between the duration and intervals of the eruptions in 1938 8 9 Old Faithful is not the tallest or largest geyser in the park those titles belong to the less predictable Steamboat Geyser 4 The reliability of Old Faithful can be attributed to the fact that it is not connected to any other thermal features of the Upper Geyser Basin 10 Eruptions can shoot 3 700 to 8 400 US gallons 14 000 to 32 000 L of boiling water to a height of 106 to 185 feet 32 to 56 m lasting from 1 1 2 to 5 minutes The average height of an eruption is 145 feet 44 m 11 Intervals between eruptions can range from 60 to 110 minutes averaging 66 5 minutes in 1939 8 slowly increasing to an average of 90 minutes apart since 2000 which may be the result of earthquakes affecting subterranean water levels 12 The disruptions have made earlier mathematical relationships inaccurate but have actually made Old Faithful more predictable in terms of its next eruption citation needed After the Borah Peak earthquake in central Idaho in October 1983 the eruption intervals of Old Faithful were noticeably lengthened 13 nbsp Waiting time between eruptions and the duration of the eruption for Old Faithful The time between eruptions has a bimodal distribution with the mean interval being either 65 or 91 minutes and is dependent on the length of the prior eruption Within a margin of error of 10 minutes Old Faithful will erupt either 65 minutes after an eruption lasting less than 2 1 2 minutes or 91 minutes after an eruption lasting more than 2 1 2 minutes 14 Measurement editBetween 1983 and 1994 four probes containing temperature and pressure measurement devices and video equipment were lowered into Old Faithful The probes were lowered as deep as 72 feet 22 m Temperature measurements of the water at this depth were 244 F 118 C the same as was measured in 1942 The video probes were lowered to a maximum depth of 42 feet 13 m to observe the conduit formation and the processes that took place in the conduit Some of the processes observed include fog formation from the interaction of cool air from above mixing with heated air from below the recharge processes of water entering into the conduit and expanding from below and entry of superheated steam measuring as high as 265 F 129 C into the conduit 15 See also editStrokkur another naturally occurring geyser known for erupting frequently and predictably Images editImages of Old Faithful Geyser nbsp Old Faithful Crater 1872 William Henry Jackson nbsp From the 1878 U S Geological and Geographic Survey of the Territories nbsp Painting by Albert Bierstadt circa 1881 nbsp From Observation Point 2003 nbsp Spectators gathering to watch the geyser at Yellowstone National Park 2019 nbsp On rare occasions at the right point Beehive seen in the distance will synchronize eruptions with the larger nearby Old FaithfulReferences edit Old Faithful Yellowstone Geothermal Features Database Montana State University Old Faithful Geyser Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior June 5 1978 Retrieved September 18 2017 Bauer Clyde Max 1947 Yellowstone Geysers Yellowstone Park Wyoming Haynes Inc OCLC 1517713 a b Old Faithful Geyser Old Faithful Area Tour National Park Service Old Faithful Archived February 21 2012 at the Wayback Machine Geyser Observation and Study Association August 17 2011 National Park Service Webcam www nps gov Retrieved January 1 2017 Langford Nathaniel P May June 1871 The Wonders of the Yellowstone Scribner s Monthly II 1 2 123 Winser Henry J 1883 The Yellowstone National Park A Manual for Tourists New York G P Putnam Sons p 46 a b Bauer Clyde Max Marler George 1939 Old Faithful An Example of Geyser Development in Yellowstone Park PDF Northwest Science 13 50 5 Archived from the original PDF on June 10 2011 Woodward Harry R 1939 Season Report on the Naturalist Activities at Old Faithful Station Milstein Michael September 14 1999 Old Faithful slows but grows The Billings Gazette Archived from the original on October 9 2007 Retrieved July 21 2007 Chapple Janet 2013 Yellowstone Treasures Lake Forest Park WA Granite Peak Publications p 79 ISBN 978 0 9706873 8 8 Old Faithful Geyser Observation and Study Association Reid T R October 7 1984 Idaho quake upsets yet befriends Old Faithful geyser Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Washington Post p 5E Video Predicting Old Faithful National Park Service Hutchinson RA Westphal JA Kieffer SW 1997 In situ observations of Old Faithful Geyser Geology 25 10 875 878 Bibcode 1997Geo 25 875H doi 10 1130 0091 7613 1997 025 lt 0875 ISOOOF gt 2 3 CO 2 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Old Faithful Geyser Old Faithful Live streaming Webcam Webcams Yellowstone National Park U S National Park Service A day in the life of Old Faithful Geyser as timelapse video YouTube com Archived from the original on December 11 2021 Old Faithful NASA Earth Observatory November 30 2008 Full eruption of Old Faithful Geyser YouTube com Archived from the original on December 11 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Old Faithful amp oldid 1217308441, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
