Castle Geyser facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Castle Geyser |
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Steam phase of Castle Geyser
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| Name origin | Named on September 18, 1870 by members of the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition |
| Location | Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Teton County, Wyoming |
| Coordinates | 44°27′48″N 110°50′12″W / 44.463445°N 110.83666°W |
| Elevation | 7,333 feet (2,235 m) |
| Type | Cone geyser |
| Eruption height | 90 feet (27 m) |
| Frequency | 10 to 12 hours |
| Duration | 20 minutes |
Southern section of Upper Geyser Basin
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Castle Geyser is a famous geyser found in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. It is known for its unique shape. The geyser has a large cone made from mineral deposits called geyserite.
These deposits have built up over time, making the cone look like a castle. When it was named in 1870, the top of the cone looked like a castle with towers and battlements. The shape of the cone slowly changes as more minerals are added with each eruption.
Discovering Castle Geyser
On September 18, 1870, a group of explorers arrived at the Upper Geyser Basin. This group was part of the Washburn–Langford–Doane Expedition. They explored the area and named seven geysers they saw.
One of the explorers, Lieutenant Gustavus Cheyney Doane, thought this geyser looked like a castle. So, he named it Castle Geyser. Another member, Nathaniel P. Langford, wrote about it in 1871:
- The geyser was called "The Castle" because it sat on a mound.
- It had a crater that looked like a tower.
- Water shot up about 50 feet (15 m) high.
- This happened every two or three hours.
- The rocky cone around it looked like a building.
- This made them think that long ago, even more water might have flowed from it.
- A nearby vent always had boiling water.
- When the geyser erupted, this vent also boiled very strongly.
How Castle Geyser Erupts
Castle Geyser erupts about every 10 to 12 hours. First, hot water shoots up into the air. This water column can reach heights of 90 ft (27 m). This part of the eruption lasts for about 20 minutes.
After the water phase, the geyser enters a noisy steam phase. During this time, a lot of steam comes out. The steam phase lasts for about 30 to 40 minutes.
Scientists have studied the cone of Castle Geyser. They used a method called carbon-14 dating to find its age. They learned that the cone is about 1022 years old. Before this, people thought it was much older, perhaps 5,000 to 15,000 years old.
A special 3-D laser scan showed how the cone has changed. It looks like the geyser has gone through four or five different stages to get its current shape.
In November 2002, a large earthquake happened in Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska. This earthquake affected many geysers in Yellowstone, including Castle Geyser. For a while, they erupted less often. However, the geysers have since returned to their normal eruption patterns.
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