World's tallest active geyser erupts 3 times in past 6 weeks in Yellowstone
The world’s tallest active geyser has erupted three times since March, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The Steamboat geyser in Yellowstone National Park has not been active since September 2014.
The three most recent eruptions took place on March 15, April 19 and April 27, USGS said.
“[Steamboat] doesn't erupt that often, sometimes going decades between activity,” USGS said. These eruptions were small compared to previous events, according to USGS.
Michael Poland, a scientist at the USGS Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, told ABC News these recent eruptions are not unprecedented.
“Most geysers are unpredictable, unlike Old Faithful and a few other well-known examples,” Poland noted. “Geysers tend to be random, so this is not at all unexpected behavior.”
Poland also said these events have “no bearing on volcanic activity at Yellowstone.”
“A volcanic eruption will occur when there is sufficient eruptible magma beneath the ground, and pressure exists to move that magma toward the surface. Right now, neither of those conditions are in place,” Poland said.
Yellowstone has not had a volcanic eruption in over 70,000 years, Poland said.
