A Review of Progress in Understanding Geysers

Abstract

There has been a longstanding and widespread interest in preserving geysers, which can best be achieved by understanding how they function. There is current interest in geysers on other planets. Recent measurements on a low temperature geysering well discharging an aqueous solution of carbon dioxide are presented, to demonstrate that the typical periodic flow that characterizes a geyser can occur in a single duct of uniform cross sectional area. Past research on geysers is reviewed in an attempt to determine whether there is clear evidence that other geysering mechanisms exist, for example through the interaction of connected chambers. Numerical models of geysers are discussed.