- Echinus Geyser in Yellowstone erupted after six years of dormancy since 2020
- Eruptions began February 7, with increased activity on February 16 by USGS reports
- Eruptions reach 20–30 feet, lasting 2–3 minutes, occurring every 2–5 hours
Waking from a six-year slumber, the Echinus Geyser, the world's largest acidic geyser, has roared back to life in Yellowstone National Park. After remaining dormant since 2020, the Norris Geyser Basin landmark surprised officials with an initial eruption on February 7, followed by a series of bursts on February 9, 12, and 15.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the activity shifted into high gear on February 16, with eruptions occurring every two to five hours.
"These eruptions last two to three minutes and reach about six to 10 meters (20–30 feet) in height. After eruption, the water level decreases significantly and doesn't return to normal for about an hour. Overall, this pattern resembles that of late 2017," the USGS said.
This particular geyser is made acidic because of a mix of acidic gases and neutral waters. Many acidic geysers break down the rock that forms a geyser, but the acidity at Echinus is not strong enough to eat away at the surrounding stone. The acidic nature of the water results in unusual chemistry, with the red colours caused by iron, aluminium, and arsenic compounds.
“At Echinus Geyser, however, the composition is due to mixing between acidic gases and neutral waters, and the acidity is not sufficient to eat away at the rock,” the USGS said.
Echinus erupted often in the late half of the 20th century, and viewing platforms and benches allowed visitors to get closer to the site than any other geyser in the park, according to Yellowstone.
The geyser is about 66 feet wide and is surrounded by rocks that resemble sea urchins. The geyser was named for those rocks, after mineralogist Albert Charles Peale noted the resemblance during a visit to the site in 1878.
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Will the Geyser Continue To Erupt?
USGS said it is 'not too likely' that the eruptions will continue into the summertime. The agency highlighted the geyser's tendency to wake up for a month or two before going back to sleep.
Since there were no eruptions in the last few days of February, the scientists claimed that it may have gone dormant already, allowing visitors access to the surroundings.
