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Water

AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY

  • Pressure Cooker
  • Runoff
  • Faithful Waters
  • Abundant snow and rain fall in the mountains of Yellowstone. About five percent of this precipitation will trickle into the plumbing system of a geyser or hot spring.

    Seeping into a labyrinth of cracks and fissures in the bedrock, the precipitation may descend more than 10,000 feet (3,048 m).

    At depth, this cold water becomes superheated and convection currents push the hot water upward.

    drawing shows how water circulates beneath the park

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    drawing of the OFVEC
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    This work is supported by

    National Science Foundation    Yellowstone Park Foundation


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