Tuesday, February 5, 2019

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Fumaroles


Fumaroles, also known as steam vents, are the hottest of Yellowstone's geothermal wonders. Usually located on hillsides well above a basin's water supply, any moisture a fumarole receives is instantly boiled away into a steamy eruption, accompanied by a whooshing roar as the water vapor is forcefully ejected from the vent. You can always hear a fumarole before you see it, though the cloude of steam issuing from the ground is also a giveaway. We saw so much neat geothermal activity while at Yellowstone, and it only served as a reminder that we were literally standing in the cauldera of a massive active volcano. How cool is that??

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