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Eruptive Cycle and Bubble Trap of Strokkur Geyser, Iceland
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  • Eva Patricia Silke Eibl,
  • Daniel Müller,
  • Thomas R Walter,
  • Masoud Allahbakhshi,
  • Philippe Jousset,
  • Gylfi P Hersir,
  • Torsten Dahm
Eva Patricia Silke Eibl
University of Potsdam

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Daniel Müller
GFZ
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Thomas R Walter
GFZ
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Masoud Allahbakhshi
GFZ
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Philippe Jousset
GFZ Potsdam
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Gylfi P Hersir
ISOR
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Torsten Dahm
GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences
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Abstract

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 remain elusive. We recorded eruptions at Strokkur in June 2018 with a multidisciplinary network of seismometers, tiltmeter, video cameras and water pressure sensors to study the eruptive cycle, internal geyser structure and driving mechanisms in detail. An eruptive cycle at Strokkur always consists of 4 phases: the eruption (Phase 1), post-eruptive conduit refilling (Phase 2), gas filling of the bubble trap (Phase 3) and regular bubble migration and implosion at depth in the conduit (Phase 4). For a typical single eruption Phase 1 and 2 persist for 13.1 s. Phase 3 contains a 26.1 s long eruption coda of on average 19 seismic peaks spaced 1.5 s apart generated at 25 to 30 m depth, 13 to 23 m west of the conduit when the bubble trap refills with gas. Phase 4 starts on average 0.9 minutes after the beginning of the eruption and persists for 2.3 min. In this phase on average 8 large bubbles leave the bubble trap and implode at a spacing of 24.5 s at about 7 m depth in the conduit. The duration of the eruption and recharging phase linearly increases with the number of water fountains in close succession (Phase 1), likely due to a larger water, gas and heat loss from the bubble trap and conduit.
Apr 2021Published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth volume 126 issue 4. 10.1029/2020JB020769