TY - JOUR A1 - Eibl, Eva P. S. A1 - Hainzl, Sebastian A1 - Vesely, Nele I. K. A1 - Walter, Thomas R. A1 - Jousset, Philippe A1 - Hersir, Gylfi Pall A1 - Dahm, Torsten T1 - Eruption interval monitoring at strokkur Geyser, Iceland JF - Geophysical research letters N2 - Geysers are hot springs whose frequency of water eruptions remain poorly understood. We set up a local broadband seismic network for 1 year at Strokkur geyser, Iceland, and developed an unprecedented catalog of 73,466 eruptions. We detected 50,135 single eruptions but find that the geyser is also characterized by sets of up to six eruptions in quick succession. The number of single to sextuple eruptions exponentially decreased, while the mean waiting time after an eruption linearly increased (3.7 to 16.4 min). While secondary eruptions within double to sextuple eruptions have a smaller mean seismic amplitude, the amplitude of the first eruption is comparable for all eruption types. We statistically model the eruption frequency assuming discharges proportional to the eruption multiplicity and a constant probability for subsequent events within a multituple eruption. The waiting time after an eruption is predictable but not the type or amplitude of the next one.
Plain Language Summary Geysers are springs that often erupt in hot water fountains. They erupt more often than volcanoes but are quite similar. Nevertheless, it is poorly understood how often volcanoes and also geysers erupt. We created a list of 73,466 eruption times of Strokkur geyser, Iceland, from 1 year of seismic data. The geyser erupted one to six times in quick succession. We found 50,135 single eruptions but only 1 sextuple eruption, while the mean waiting time increased from 3.7 min after single eruptions to 16.4 min after sextuple eruptions. Mean amplitudes of each eruption type were higher for single eruptions, but all first eruptions in a succession were similar in height. Assuming a constant heat inflow at depth, we can predict the waiting time after an eruption but not the type or amplitude of the next one. Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL085266 SN - 0094-8276 SN - 1944-8007 VL - 47 IS - 1 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Eibl, Eva P. S. A1 - Müller, Daniel A1 - Walter, Thomas R. A1 - Allahbakhshi, Masoud A1 - Jousset, Philippe A1 - Hersir, Gylfi Páll A1 - Dahm, Torsten T1 - Eruptive cycle and bubble trap of Strokkur Geyser, Iceland JF - Journal of geophysical research : JGR. B: Solid earth N2 - The eruption frequency of geysers can be studied easily on the surface. However, details of the internal structure including possible water and gas filled chambers feeding eruptions and the driving mechanisms often remain elusive. We used a multidisciplinary network of seismometers, video cameras, water pressure sensors and one tiltmeter to study the eruptive cycle, internal structure, and mechanisms driving the eruptive cycle of Strokkur geyser in June 2018. An eruptive cycle at Strokkur always consists of four phases: (1) Eruption, (2) post-eruptive conduit refilling, (3) gas filling of the bubble trap, and (4) regular bubble collapse at shallow depth in the conduit. For a typical single eruption 19 +/- 4 bubble collapses occur in Phase 3 and 8 +/- 2 collapses in Phase 4 at a mean spacing of 1.52 +/- 0.29 and 24.5 +/- 5.9 s, respectively. These collapses release latent heat to the fluid in the bubble trap (Phase 3) and later to the fluid in the conduit (Phase 4). The latter eventually reaches thermodynamic conditions for an eruption. Single to sextuple eruptions have similar spacings between bubble collapses and are likely fed from the same bubble trap at 23.7 +/- 4.4 m depth, 13-23 m west of the conduit. However, the duration of the eruption and recharging phase linearly increases likely due to a larger water, gas and heat loss from the system. Our tremor data provides documented evidence for a bubble trap beneath a pool geyser. KW - bubble trap KW - eruptive cycle KW - geyser KW - hydrothermal systems KW - source KW - location KW - tremor Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JB020769 SN - 2169-9313 SN - 2169-9356 VL - 126 IS - 4 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken, NJ ER -