Atomizer Geyser
Encyclopedia
Atomizer Geyser is a cone geyser
in the Upper Geyser Basin (Old Faithful
area) of Yellowstone National Park
in the United States
. Atomizer Geyser is part of the Old Road Group which includes Artemisia Geyser
, a short distance down the Firehole River
from Old Faithful
and other major Upper Basin geysers. The geyser is named for a fine mist resembling the spray from an atomizer that is ejected during major eruptions.
Atomizer overflows its pool every few minutes for 2 to 4 hours until the first minor eruption occurs. 6 to 8 minor eruptions occur about 1 hour apart. Between 15 minutes and 1½ hours after the last minor eruption, the major eruption will begin. After a major eruption, the water pool takes 4 hours to refill.
Geyser
A geyser is a spring characterized by intermittent discharge of water ejected turbulently and accompanied by a vapour phase . The word geyser comes from Geysir, the name of an erupting spring at Haukadalur, Iceland; that name, in turn, comes from the Icelandic verb geysa, "to gush", the verb...
in the Upper Geyser Basin (Old Faithful
Old Faithful Geyser
Old Faithful is a cone geyser located in Wyoming, in Yellowstone National Park in the United States. Old Faithful was named in 1870 during the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition and was the first geyser in the park to receive a name...
area) of Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Atomizer Geyser is part of the Old Road Group which includes Artemisia Geyser
Artemisia Geyser
Artemisia Geyser is a geyser in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park in the United States.- Geology :Artemisia Geyser is part of the Cascade Group which includes the Atomizer Geyser. It erupts for a duration of 15 to 25 minutes once or twice per day. The fountain reaches a height of...
, a short distance down the Firehole River
Firehole River
The Firehole River is one of two major tributaries of the Madison River. It flows north approximately from its source in Madison Lake on the Continental Divide to join the Gibbon River at Madison Junction in Yellowstone National Park...
from Old Faithful
Old Faithful Geyser
Old Faithful is a cone geyser located in Wyoming, in Yellowstone National Park in the United States. Old Faithful was named in 1870 during the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition and was the first geyser in the park to receive a name...
and other major Upper Basin geysers. The geyser is named for a fine mist resembling the spray from an atomizer that is ejected during major eruptions.
Geology
Atomizer has two 3 foot (1 m) tall cones. One of the cones is the jetting cone from which all water jets come. The other cone sprays a fine mist during major eruptions, giving the geyser its name. The geyser erupts in series. The series consists of 3 to 5 minor eruptions and one major eruption. Minor eruptions last about one minute and reach to 30 feet (9.1 m). Major eruptions last 8 to 10 minutes and reach 40 to 50 ft (12.2 to 15.2 m). Major eruptions have a steam phase following the water phase.Atomizer overflows its pool every few minutes for 2 to 4 hours until the first minor eruption occurs. 6 to 8 minor eruptions occur about 1 hour apart. Between 15 minutes and 1½ hours after the last minor eruption, the major eruption will begin. After a major eruption, the water pool takes 4 hours to refill.