386 



EEPOKT TTNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUKVEY. 



COMPARISON OF SURFACE AND DEEP TEMPERATURES. 



The tables in Part I give the deep temperatures of ttie Yellowstone 

 springs whenever they were taken. In all the active springs an increase 

 of temperature was observed. None of the springs are well adai:)ted 

 for obtaining deep temperatures, as the tubes soon become irregular and 

 winding. The deepest temperature obtained was in the Bee Hive at a 

 depth of 15 feet, which is small when compared with the Great Geyser 

 of Iceland, where temperatures have been taken at a depth of 77 feet 

 from the top of the basin. The Bee Hive would be one of the best gey- 

 sers in the Park uj)on which to make comparative temperature obser- 

 vations. We had more time, however, at the Union Geyser. In this, 

 as in all the geysers noted, there is a gradual increase in the surface 

 temperature as the time for an eruption approaches. 



In the case of the Union the increase was from 196° F. to 200° F. 

 The deep temperature also increased gradually until, at 6 feet, a tempera- 

 ture of 208° F. was attained, which remained constant for a couple of days 

 before the eruption. The gradual increase in temperature as the time 

 of an eruption approaches was noted also in the Great Geyser of Ice- 

 land, by Bunsen and Descloizeaux. The following table will show this. 

 The temperatures were taken at about 44 feet. (See diagram, Fig. 22.) 



Date. 



Time. 



Time in relation to the- eruptions. 



Temper- 

 ature. 



Curve as 



plotted on 



diagram, 



Fig. 31. 



July 0,1846 



h. m. 



8 20 a.m.. 

 03 a. m . . 



9 45 p. m . . 

 6 58 p.m.. 





O J', 



235.'4 

 249 

 249.8 

 251. 24 





July 6 1846 







July 7,1846 



2 hours after 





July 7 1846 











The calculated boiling point at this depth is 257° F. 



This increase of temperature will be referred to again in a succeeding 

 chapter, when we come to speak of the theory of the geyser. 



In the table we give now are the surface temperatures before and at 

 the time of action of some of the geysers of the Yellowstone JNational 

 Park. 









4^^ 















©"rt 



(D » 







B% 





Name of geyser. 



Location. 



S^ 



ss-l 







P-to 



%.^^ 







B-^ 



S fn H 















H 



H 







°F. 



o J', 







176 



185 



Tardy 



do 



163 



169 





do 



156 

 196 



169 



Union 



Shoshone Basin 



208+ 



Little Bulger 



do 



165 



185 



Little Giant 



do 



192 



200+ 







There are several interesting questions in regard to the question of 

 temperature that present themselves, but we have not the space to take 

 them up here. Oue, however, we must mention, and that is in regard 

 to the boiling point being exceeded in some of the springs. The ex- 



