My research objectives are to characterize and quantify spatial and temporal patterns of temperature, pressure, chemistry, and phase (e.g. liquid or gas) in volcano-hydrothermal systems and relate them to magmatic and/or volcanic activity.
Quantitative understanding of groundwater and gas-rich fluid dynamics in volcanic areas is important for several reasons: 1) pressure, temperature and chemical changes in the hydrothermal system might signal one of the earliest warnings of volcanic unrest, 2) Many of the geochemical, geodetic, and seismic signals measured at the volcano’s surface have hydrothermal origins or magmatic origins modulated by the intervening hydrothermal system, 3) as a major source of hazard such as propellant in steam-driven explosions, lubricant in mudflows, and transport agent for toxic constituents such as arsenic and mercury, 4) guiding exploration and mining of geothermal energy and mineral deposits. To better understand these complex systems I integrate and synthesize hydrologic, geochemical, geologic, and geophysical methods. My research is intended to support the USGS Volcano Hazards Program’s broad goal of lessening the harmful impacts of volcanic activity and the Geothermal Project's goals of exploring reservoirs of hot fluids in the Earth’s crust.
Research topics:
- Water-gas-rock interaction in volcano-hydrothermal systems using field observations, chemical and isotopic data, controlled laboratory experiments and thermodynamic models
- Numerical simulations of volcano-hydrothermal systems
- Modulation of volcanic and geyser activity by cyclic hydrological and climatic forcers and by large earthquakes
- The effects of deglaciation on Yellowstone's hydrothermal system
- Heat transport in volcanic systems
- Dynamics and chemistry of volcanic lakes
- Geyser dynamics - motivation for studying geysers
- The impact of geothermal energy production on groundwater quality
- Development of a field-portable helium isotope analyzer
Education and Certifications
PhD (1999), The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Science and Products
Continuous Volcano Monitoring Using a Field-Portable Helium Isotope Detector
The injection of magma into subvolcanic magma reservoirs is one of the most significant triggers of volcanic eruptions. It is often manifested by an increase in CO2 emissions and in the helium isotopic ratio (3He/4He) measured in discharged gases. Temporal variations of helium isotope ratios in volcanic gases preceded eruptions at Ontake Volcano in Japan (September 2014) and at Etna Volcano in...
Mineralogy, strontium (87Sr/86Sr), oxygen (18O/16O) and carbon (13C/12C) isotope composition, elemental concentrations, and U-Th disequilibrium ages for travertine deposits from various locations in Yellowstone National Park, USA
Chemical changes in hot springs, as recorded by thermal waters and their mineral deposits, provide a window into the evolution of Yellowstone’s postglacial hydrothermal system. Travertine precipitated from thermal waters provide a record of chemical changes through time because they can be dated using U-series disequilibrium geochronology. These temporal data, along with measured radiogenic 87Sr/8
Chemical and isotopic composition of gas, water, and solids from the 2019-2020 water lake in Halema’uma’u Crater, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaii
Following the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea Volcano (Neal et al, 2019) and the subsequent collapse of the Halema’uma’u crater, groundwater gradually seeped into the newly-deepened crater (Nadeau and others, 2020). Water was first observed in the crater on 7/26/2019, and the water level increased over time until 12/20/2020, when the crater again filled with lava, vaporizing the lake. In the intervening
Elemental and Strontium Isotopic Composition of Select Central Plateau and Upper Basin Member Rhyolites, Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field
The Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic field consists of lavas from the last two million years. The most recent volcanic units are the Central Plateau Member and the older Upper Basin Member rhyolites (Christiansen, 2001). Investigations into the elemental and isotopic composition of these lavas can provide insight into the recent volcanic history of the different eruptive episodes and provide constrain
Radiocarbon dating of silicified wood from around Steamboat Geyser in Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, 2021-2022
In the past century, eruptions of Steamboat Geyser in Yellowstone’s Norris Geyser Basin were mainly clustered in three episodes: between 1961 and 1969, between 1982 and 1984, and in a sequence of eruptions that began in 2018 (Reed et al., 2021) and resulted in extensive damage to, and mortality of the surrounding trees. To characterize tree response to geyser activity over time, and the response o
Sr and U concentrations and radiogenic isotope compositions (87Sr/86Sr, 234U/238U) of thermal waters, streamflow, travertine, and rock samples along with U-Th disequilibrium ages for travertine deposits from various locations in Yellowstone National Park,
The radiogenic isotope ratios of strontium (Sr) and uranium (U), specifically 87Sr/86Sr and 234U/238U, are useful tracers of water-rock interactions. Sr isotopic compositions in groundwater are mostly controlled by dissolution or exchange with Sr contained in aquifer rocks whereas the U isotopic compositions are more controlled by chemical and kinetic processes during groundwater flow. Insights
Water-Chemistry and Isotope Data for Selected Springs, Geysers, Streams, and Rivers in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
There are over 10,000 hydrothermal features in Yellowstone National Park (YNP), where waters have pH values ranging from about 1 to 10 and surface temperatures up to 95 °C. Active geothermal areas in YNP provide insight into a variety of processes occurring at depth, such as water-rock and oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions, the formation of alteration minerals, and microbial (thermophile) meta
Groundwater chemistry in the Lower East Rift Zone and summit of Kilauea Volcano, Hawai'i
Chemical and isotopic analyses are reported for water samples collected from water supply wells, a geothermal well in the Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV) power plant, a hot spring in the Puna District, a research well on the summit of Kilauea Volcano (informally called "NSF Well", or "Keller Well "), and a water catchment in the headquarters area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, Hawai'i. These wa
Water chemistry data for selected hot springs and rivers in Southwest Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Water analyses are reported for 66 samples collected from numerous thermal and non-thermal (rivers and streams) features in the southwestern areas of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) during 2009, 2017, and 2018. Water samples were collected from sources near Boundary Creek, Bechler River, Falls River, Mountain Ash Creek, Upper Snake River, Spirea Creek, and Lewis Lake. These water samples were coll
Water level, temperature and chemistry in a deep well on the summit of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii
Kilauea, on the Island of Hawaii is one of the world's most active volcanoes and it hosts one of the densest volcano monitoring networks. A deep well on the southwest rim of Kilauea's caldera, often referred to informally as the "NSF Well" or the "Keller Well" was drilled in 1973 to a depth of 1,262 meters from an elevation of 1,103 meters. The ultimate goal of the drilling project was to "test pr
Groundwater levels and temperatures in well CH-10b near Hot Creek, Long Valley Caldera, eastern California
Hot Creek Gorge contains the most obvious surface expression of the hydrothermal system in Long Valley Caldera, California, discharging 200-300 L/s of thermal water according to USGS measurements made since 1988. Formerly, Hot Creek was a popular public swimming area, but it was closed in 2006 due to unpredictable temperature fluctuations and sporadic geysering of thermal water within the creek (E
River Chemistry in Yellowstone National Park
The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) was established as a collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey and Yellowstone National Park to "To strengthen the long-term monitoring of volcanic and earthquake unrest in the Yellowstone National Park region". Yellowstone National Park is underlain by a voluminous magmatic system overlain by the most active hydrothermal system on Earth. Tracking
Filter Total Items: 52
The relation between decadal droughts and eruptions of Steamboat Geyser in Yellowstone National Park, USA
In the past century, most eruptions of Steamboat Geyser in Yellowstone National Park's Norris Geyser Basin were mainly clustered in three episodes: 1961–1969, 1982–1984, and ongoing since 2018. These eruptive episodes resulted in extensive disturbance to surrounding trees. To characterize tree response over time as an indicator of geyser activity adjustments to climate variability, aerial and grou
Authors
Shaul Hurwitz, John C. King, Gregory T. Pederson, Mara H. Reed, Lauren N Harrison, Jefferson Hungerford, R. Greg Vaughan, Michael Manga
Quantifying interdependencies in geyser eruptions at the Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park
The Upper Geyser Basin at Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, USA) harbors the greatest concentration of geysers worldwide. Research suggests that individual geysers are not isolated but rather are hydraulically connected in the subsurface with other geysers and thermal springs. To quantify such connections, we combined techniques from machine learning, causal inference, and dynamical systems to c
Authors
William F. Fagan, Anshuman Swain, Amitava Banerjee, Hamir Ranade, Peter Thompson, Phillip P. A. Staniczenko, Barrett Flynn, Jefferson Hungerford, Shaul Hurwitz
Rainfall an unlikely trigger of Kilauea’s 2018 rift eruption
If volcanic eruptions could be forecast from the occurrence of some external process, it might be possible to better mitigate risk and protect lives and livelihoods. Farquharson and Amelung1 suggested that the 2018 lower East Rift Zone (ERZ) eruption of Kīlauea Volcano—the most destructive eruption in Hawai‘i in at least 200 years2—was triggered by extreme precipitation, which caused increased por
Authors
M. Poland, Shaul Hurwitz, James P. Kauahikaua, Emily Montgomery-Brown, Kyle R. Anderson, Ingrid Johanson, Matthew R. Patrick, Christina A. Neal
The source, fate, and transport of arsenic in the Yellowstone hydrothermal system - An overview
The Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field (YPVF) contains >10,000 thermal features including hot springs, pools, geysers, mud pots, and fumaroles with diverse chemical compositions. Arsenic (As) concentrations in YPVF thermal waters typically range from 0.005 to 4 mg/L, but an As concentration of 17 mg/L has been reported. Arsenic data from thermal springs, outflow drainages, rivers, and from volcani
Authors
R. Blaine McCleskey, D. Kirk Nordstrom, Shaul Hurwitz, Daniel R. Colman, David A. Roth, Madeline Oxner Johnson, Eric S. Boyd
Quantifying non-thermal silicate weathering using Ge/Si and Si isotopes in rivers draining the Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field, USA
In active volcanic regions, high-temperature chemical reactions in the hydrothermal system consume CO2 sourced from magma or from the deep crust, whereas reactions with silicates at shallow depths mainly consume atmospheric CO2. Numerous studies have quantified the load of dissolved solids in rivers that drain volcanic regions to determine chemical weathering rates and atmospheric CO2 consumption
Authors
François Gaspard, Sophie Opfergelt, Catherine Hirst, Shaul Hurwitz, R. Blaine McCleskey, Petra Zahajska, Daniel J. Conley, Pierre Delmelle
The structure and volume of large geysers in Yellowstone National Park, USA and the mineralogy and chemistry of their silica sinter deposits
Siliceous sinter is formed by biogenic and abiogenic opal deposition around hot springs and geysers. Using Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry we generated three-dimensional models of Giant and Castle Geysers from the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. We use these models to calculate an approximate mass of sinter for each (~2 and ~ 5 kton, respectively) and estimate a range of plau
Authors
Dakota Churchill, Michael Manga, Shaul Hurwitz, Sara Peek, David Damby, Richard Conrey, John R. Wood, R. Blaine McCleskey, William E. Keller, Behnaz Hosseini, Jefferson D.G. Hungerford
Why study geysers?
Scientific research for more than two centuries has improved our understanding of Earth’s geysers. This knowledge provides insights into volcanic processes, the origin and environmental limits of life on Earth and potentially Mars, and on geysers on icy outer solar system satellites. Continued scientific research will help us understand and protect these natural wonders that attract millions of to
Authors
Shaul Hurwitz, Michael Manga, Kathleen Campbell, Carolina Munoz-Saez, Eva Eibl
Heat flux from a vapor-dominated hydrothermal field beneath Yellowstone Lake
We report results from 149 heat flux measurements made over n ∼2-year interval at sites in and around a vapor-dominated geothermal field located at water depths of ∼100–120 m in Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming. Measurements of both in situ temperature and thermal conductivity as a function of depth were made with a 1 m probe via a remotely operated vehicle, and are combined to compute the vertical condu
Authors
Julia E. Favorito, Robert N. Harris, Robert A. Sohn, Shaul Hurwitz, Karen Luttrell
The systematics of chlorine, lithium, and boron and δ37Cl, δ7Li, and δ11B in the hydrothermal system of the Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field
Chlorine, lithium, and boron are trace elements in rhyolite but are enriched in groundwater flowing through rhyolite because they tend to partition into the fluid phase during high‐temperature fluid‐rock reactions. We present a large data set of major element and δ37Cl, δ7Li, and δ11B compositions of thermal water and rhyolite from Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field (YPVF). The Cl/B, Cl/Li, δ37Cl
Authors
Jeffrey T. Cullen, Shaul Hurwitz, Jaime D. Barnes, John C Lassiter, Sarah Penniston-Dorland, Anette Meixner, Frederike Wilckens, Simone A Kasemann, R. Blaine McCleskey
Groundwater dynamics at Kīlauea Volcano and vicinity, Hawaiʻi
Kīlauea Volcano, on the Island of Hawaiʻi, is surrounded and permeated by active groundwater systems that interact dynamically with the volcanic system. A generalized conceptual model of Hawaiian hydrogeology includes high-level dike-impounded groundwater, very permeable perched and basal aquifers, and a transition (mixing) zone between freshwater and saltwater. Most high-level groundwater is asso
Authors
Shaul Hurwitz, Sara E. Peek, Martha A. Scholl, Deborah Bergfeld, William C. Evans, James P. Kauahikaua, Stephen B. Gingerich, Paul A. Hsieh, R. Lopaka Lee, Edward F. Younger, Steven E. Ingebritsen
Origin and properties of hydrothermal tremor at Lone Star Geyser, Yellowstone National Park, USA
Geysers are rare geologic features that intermittently discharge liquid water and steam driven by heating and decompression boiling. The cause of variability in eruptive styles and the associated seismic signals are not well understood. Data collected from five broadband seismometers at Lone Star Geyser, Yellowstone National Park are used to determine the properties, location, and temporal pattern
Authors
Avinash Nayak, Michael Manga, Shaul Hurwitz, Atsuko Namiki, Phillip B. Dawson
The 2018 reawakening and eruption dynamics of Steamboat Geyser, the world’s tallest active geyser
Steamboat Geyser in Yellowstone National Park’s Norris Geyser Basin began a prolific sequence of eruptions in March 2018 after 34 y of sporadic activity. We analyze a wide range of datasets to explore triggering mechanisms for Steamboat’s reactivation and controls on eruption intervals and height. Prior to Steamboat’s renewed activity, Norris Geyser Basin experienced uplift, a slight increase in r
Authors
Mara Reed, Carolina Munoz-Saez, Sahand Hajimirza, Sin-Mei Wu, Anna Barth, Tarsilo Girona, Majid Rasht-Behesht, M.S Karplus, Shaul Hurwitz, Michael Manga
Filter Total Items: 14
Science and Products
- Science
Continuous Volcano Monitoring Using a Field-Portable Helium Isotope Detector
The injection of magma into subvolcanic magma reservoirs is one of the most significant triggers of volcanic eruptions. It is often manifested by an increase in CO2 emissions and in the helium isotopic ratio (3He/4He) measured in discharged gases. Temporal variations of helium isotope ratios in volcanic gases preceded eruptions at Ontake Volcano in Japan (September 2014) and at Etna Volcano in... - Data
Mineralogy, strontium (87Sr/86Sr), oxygen (18O/16O) and carbon (13C/12C) isotope composition, elemental concentrations, and U-Th disequilibrium ages for travertine deposits from various locations in Yellowstone National Park, USA
Chemical changes in hot springs, as recorded by thermal waters and their mineral deposits, provide a window into the evolution of Yellowstone’s postglacial hydrothermal system. Travertine precipitated from thermal waters provide a record of chemical changes through time because they can be dated using U-series disequilibrium geochronology. These temporal data, along with measured radiogenic 87Sr/8Chemical and isotopic composition of gas, water, and solids from the 2019-2020 water lake in Halema’uma’u Crater, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaii
Following the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea Volcano (Neal et al, 2019) and the subsequent collapse of the Halema’uma’u crater, groundwater gradually seeped into the newly-deepened crater (Nadeau and others, 2020). Water was first observed in the crater on 7/26/2019, and the water level increased over time until 12/20/2020, when the crater again filled with lava, vaporizing the lake. In the interveningElemental and Strontium Isotopic Composition of Select Central Plateau and Upper Basin Member Rhyolites, Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field
The Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic field consists of lavas from the last two million years. The most recent volcanic units are the Central Plateau Member and the older Upper Basin Member rhyolites (Christiansen, 2001). Investigations into the elemental and isotopic composition of these lavas can provide insight into the recent volcanic history of the different eruptive episodes and provide constrainRadiocarbon dating of silicified wood from around Steamboat Geyser in Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, 2021-2022
In the past century, eruptions of Steamboat Geyser in Yellowstone’s Norris Geyser Basin were mainly clustered in three episodes: between 1961 and 1969, between 1982 and 1984, and in a sequence of eruptions that began in 2018 (Reed et al., 2021) and resulted in extensive damage to, and mortality of the surrounding trees. To characterize tree response to geyser activity over time, and the response oSr and U concentrations and radiogenic isotope compositions (87Sr/86Sr, 234U/238U) of thermal waters, streamflow, travertine, and rock samples along with U-Th disequilibrium ages for travertine deposits from various locations in Yellowstone National Park,
The radiogenic isotope ratios of strontium (Sr) and uranium (U), specifically 87Sr/86Sr and 234U/238U, are useful tracers of water-rock interactions. Sr isotopic compositions in groundwater are mostly controlled by dissolution or exchange with Sr contained in aquifer rocks whereas the U isotopic compositions are more controlled by chemical and kinetic processes during groundwater flow. InsightsWater-Chemistry and Isotope Data for Selected Springs, Geysers, Streams, and Rivers in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
There are over 10,000 hydrothermal features in Yellowstone National Park (YNP), where waters have pH values ranging from about 1 to 10 and surface temperatures up to 95 °C. Active geothermal areas in YNP provide insight into a variety of processes occurring at depth, such as water-rock and oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions, the formation of alteration minerals, and microbial (thermophile) metaGroundwater chemistry in the Lower East Rift Zone and summit of Kilauea Volcano, Hawai'i
Chemical and isotopic analyses are reported for water samples collected from water supply wells, a geothermal well in the Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV) power plant, a hot spring in the Puna District, a research well on the summit of Kilauea Volcano (informally called "NSF Well", or "Keller Well "), and a water catchment in the headquarters area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, Hawai'i. These waWater chemistry data for selected hot springs and rivers in Southwest Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Water analyses are reported for 66 samples collected from numerous thermal and non-thermal (rivers and streams) features in the southwestern areas of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) during 2009, 2017, and 2018. Water samples were collected from sources near Boundary Creek, Bechler River, Falls River, Mountain Ash Creek, Upper Snake River, Spirea Creek, and Lewis Lake. These water samples were collWater level, temperature and chemistry in a deep well on the summit of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii
Kilauea, on the Island of Hawaii is one of the world's most active volcanoes and it hosts one of the densest volcano monitoring networks. A deep well on the southwest rim of Kilauea's caldera, often referred to informally as the "NSF Well" or the "Keller Well" was drilled in 1973 to a depth of 1,262 meters from an elevation of 1,103 meters. The ultimate goal of the drilling project was to "test prGroundwater levels and temperatures in well CH-10b near Hot Creek, Long Valley Caldera, eastern California
Hot Creek Gorge contains the most obvious surface expression of the hydrothermal system in Long Valley Caldera, California, discharging 200-300 L/s of thermal water according to USGS measurements made since 1988. Formerly, Hot Creek was a popular public swimming area, but it was closed in 2006 due to unpredictable temperature fluctuations and sporadic geysering of thermal water within the creek (ERiver Chemistry in Yellowstone National Park
The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) was established as a collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey and Yellowstone National Park to "To strengthen the long-term monitoring of volcanic and earthquake unrest in the Yellowstone National Park region". Yellowstone National Park is underlain by a voluminous magmatic system overlain by the most active hydrothermal system on Earth. Tracking - Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 52
The relation between decadal droughts and eruptions of Steamboat Geyser in Yellowstone National Park, USA
In the past century, most eruptions of Steamboat Geyser in Yellowstone National Park's Norris Geyser Basin were mainly clustered in three episodes: 1961–1969, 1982–1984, and ongoing since 2018. These eruptive episodes resulted in extensive disturbance to surrounding trees. To characterize tree response over time as an indicator of geyser activity adjustments to climate variability, aerial and grouAuthorsShaul Hurwitz, John C. King, Gregory T. Pederson, Mara H. Reed, Lauren N Harrison, Jefferson Hungerford, R. Greg Vaughan, Michael MangaQuantifying interdependencies in geyser eruptions at the Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park
The Upper Geyser Basin at Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, USA) harbors the greatest concentration of geysers worldwide. Research suggests that individual geysers are not isolated but rather are hydraulically connected in the subsurface with other geysers and thermal springs. To quantify such connections, we combined techniques from machine learning, causal inference, and dynamical systems to cAuthorsWilliam F. Fagan, Anshuman Swain, Amitava Banerjee, Hamir Ranade, Peter Thompson, Phillip P. A. Staniczenko, Barrett Flynn, Jefferson Hungerford, Shaul HurwitzRainfall an unlikely trigger of Kilauea’s 2018 rift eruption
If volcanic eruptions could be forecast from the occurrence of some external process, it might be possible to better mitigate risk and protect lives and livelihoods. Farquharson and Amelung1 suggested that the 2018 lower East Rift Zone (ERZ) eruption of Kīlauea Volcano—the most destructive eruption in Hawai‘i in at least 200 years2—was triggered by extreme precipitation, which caused increased porAuthorsM. Poland, Shaul Hurwitz, James P. Kauahikaua, Emily Montgomery-Brown, Kyle R. Anderson, Ingrid Johanson, Matthew R. Patrick, Christina A. NealThe source, fate, and transport of arsenic in the Yellowstone hydrothermal system - An overview
The Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field (YPVF) contains >10,000 thermal features including hot springs, pools, geysers, mud pots, and fumaroles with diverse chemical compositions. Arsenic (As) concentrations in YPVF thermal waters typically range from 0.005 to 4 mg/L, but an As concentration of 17 mg/L has been reported. Arsenic data from thermal springs, outflow drainages, rivers, and from volcaniAuthorsR. Blaine McCleskey, D. Kirk Nordstrom, Shaul Hurwitz, Daniel R. Colman, David A. Roth, Madeline Oxner Johnson, Eric S. BoydQuantifying non-thermal silicate weathering using Ge/Si and Si isotopes in rivers draining the Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field, USA
In active volcanic regions, high-temperature chemical reactions in the hydrothermal system consume CO2 sourced from magma or from the deep crust, whereas reactions with silicates at shallow depths mainly consume atmospheric CO2. Numerous studies have quantified the load of dissolved solids in rivers that drain volcanic regions to determine chemical weathering rates and atmospheric CO2 consumptionAuthorsFrançois Gaspard, Sophie Opfergelt, Catherine Hirst, Shaul Hurwitz, R. Blaine McCleskey, Petra Zahajska, Daniel J. Conley, Pierre DelmelleThe structure and volume of large geysers in Yellowstone National Park, USA and the mineralogy and chemistry of their silica sinter deposits
Siliceous sinter is formed by biogenic and abiogenic opal deposition around hot springs and geysers. Using Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry we generated three-dimensional models of Giant and Castle Geysers from the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. We use these models to calculate an approximate mass of sinter for each (~2 and ~ 5 kton, respectively) and estimate a range of plauAuthorsDakota Churchill, Michael Manga, Shaul Hurwitz, Sara Peek, David Damby, Richard Conrey, John R. Wood, R. Blaine McCleskey, William E. Keller, Behnaz Hosseini, Jefferson D.G. HungerfordWhy study geysers?
Scientific research for more than two centuries has improved our understanding of Earth’s geysers. This knowledge provides insights into volcanic processes, the origin and environmental limits of life on Earth and potentially Mars, and on geysers on icy outer solar system satellites. Continued scientific research will help us understand and protect these natural wonders that attract millions of toAuthorsShaul Hurwitz, Michael Manga, Kathleen Campbell, Carolina Munoz-Saez, Eva EiblHeat flux from a vapor-dominated hydrothermal field beneath Yellowstone Lake
We report results from 149 heat flux measurements made over n ∼2-year interval at sites in and around a vapor-dominated geothermal field located at water depths of ∼100–120 m in Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming. Measurements of both in situ temperature and thermal conductivity as a function of depth were made with a 1 m probe via a remotely operated vehicle, and are combined to compute the vertical conduAuthorsJulia E. Favorito, Robert N. Harris, Robert A. Sohn, Shaul Hurwitz, Karen LuttrellThe systematics of chlorine, lithium, and boron and δ37Cl, δ7Li, and δ11B in the hydrothermal system of the Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field
Chlorine, lithium, and boron are trace elements in rhyolite but are enriched in groundwater flowing through rhyolite because they tend to partition into the fluid phase during high‐temperature fluid‐rock reactions. We present a large data set of major element and δ37Cl, δ7Li, and δ11B compositions of thermal water and rhyolite from Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field (YPVF). The Cl/B, Cl/Li, δ37ClAuthorsJeffrey T. Cullen, Shaul Hurwitz, Jaime D. Barnes, John C Lassiter, Sarah Penniston-Dorland, Anette Meixner, Frederike Wilckens, Simone A Kasemann, R. Blaine McCleskeyGroundwater dynamics at Kīlauea Volcano and vicinity, Hawaiʻi
Kīlauea Volcano, on the Island of Hawaiʻi, is surrounded and permeated by active groundwater systems that interact dynamically with the volcanic system. A generalized conceptual model of Hawaiian hydrogeology includes high-level dike-impounded groundwater, very permeable perched and basal aquifers, and a transition (mixing) zone between freshwater and saltwater. Most high-level groundwater is assoAuthorsShaul Hurwitz, Sara E. Peek, Martha A. Scholl, Deborah Bergfeld, William C. Evans, James P. Kauahikaua, Stephen B. Gingerich, Paul A. Hsieh, R. Lopaka Lee, Edward F. Younger, Steven E. IngebritsenOrigin and properties of hydrothermal tremor at Lone Star Geyser, Yellowstone National Park, USA
Geysers are rare geologic features that intermittently discharge liquid water and steam driven by heating and decompression boiling. The cause of variability in eruptive styles and the associated seismic signals are not well understood. Data collected from five broadband seismometers at Lone Star Geyser, Yellowstone National Park are used to determine the properties, location, and temporal patternAuthorsAvinash Nayak, Michael Manga, Shaul Hurwitz, Atsuko Namiki, Phillip B. DawsonThe 2018 reawakening and eruption dynamics of Steamboat Geyser, the world’s tallest active geyser
Steamboat Geyser in Yellowstone National Park’s Norris Geyser Basin began a prolific sequence of eruptions in March 2018 after 34 y of sporadic activity. We analyze a wide range of datasets to explore triggering mechanisms for Steamboat’s reactivation and controls on eruption intervals and height. Prior to Steamboat’s renewed activity, Norris Geyser Basin experienced uplift, a slight increase in rAuthorsMara Reed, Carolina Munoz-Saez, Sahand Hajimirza, Sin-Mei Wu, Anna Barth, Tarsilo Girona, Majid Rasht-Behesht, M.S Karplus, Shaul Hurwitz, Michael Manga - News
Filter Total Items: 14