Book Description

Waters from hot springs, pools, and geysers have been analyzed by numerous investigators throughout the history of Yellowstone National Park. The chemistry of the more easily accessible major geyser basins and a significant number of Yellowstone thermal waters on the eastern side of the Yellowstone River has been compiled by Gooch and Whitfield (1888), Allen and Day (1935), Rowe andothers (1973), Thompson and others (1975), Thompson and Yadav (1979), and Kharaka and others (1992). The first comprehensive study of Shoshone Geyser Basin was made by A.H. Truesdell in 1972-73 (Truesdell and Thompson, 1982). Many of the concepts presented in that report are applicable to other Yellowstone thermal areas. Locations of the major thermal water basins mentioned in this report can be found in Figure 1. The collection of data on the hot and cold springs of Yellowstone National Park is important in understanding the geothermal chemistry of this system. Geochemical changes that occur over time, the disappearance of existing springs, the appearance of new ones and geochemical changes in spring waters prior to earthquakes, can be monitored. Especially important are those springs for which there is little or no data.-Introduction.