Grand Prismatic Spring

The Grand Prismatic Spring of Yellowstone National Park is America's largest hot spring and third-largest in the world. Fryingpan Lake in New Zealand is second and, Boiling Lake in Dominica is first. Yellowstone National Park is located in three states: Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. However, the majority of it is found in North-West Wyoming. Montana is the largest city in West Yellowstone National Park.

Grand Prismatic Spring

World's largest Geothermal Pool

World's largest geothermal pool — Early European surveyors and explorers are the first to record the spring's existence. Early European explorers and surveyors made the first records of the spring. In 1870 the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition visited the spring, noting a 50 foot or 15-meter geyser nearby and later named it Excelsior.

Prismatic Spring — A little later, President Grant declared Yellow stone Wyoming the first national park in the world (born on March 1, 1872). Grant once governed an area of 888.708 hectares. Millions of tourists visit Yellowstone every year. The park's main attraction is its huge lake with its many geysers and hot springs. Bears, moose, and bison are the park's main inhabitants, along with bighorn sheep and many other animals.

Rainbow pool Yellowstone — The vibrant colors of the spring are due to pigmented bacteria found in the microbial mats around the mineral-rich waters. Due to extreme heat, the center of the pool becomes sterile. The deep blue color of the water in the center of the pool results from the intrinsic blue color of the water. However, it is particularly intense in Grand Prismatic Spring because of the high purity and depth of the water in the middle of the spring.

Grand prismatic Yellowstone — Everybody who sees the Grand Prismatic Spring is fascinated by the visible rings of color. Living organisms give spring its colors. Each layer can heat or cool to a different temperature. Different bacteria types can survive in different temperatures. The water is cooler the further you are from the center of the pool.

Hot springs in Yellowstone

Yellowstone national park hot springs — The spring is hot and deep. The spring is 160 feet deep, and the water temperature is 160 degrees Fahrenheit. The spring's natural color is Grand Prismatic Spring. The spring's middle can reach temperatures of 189 degrees Fahrenheit. Only a few organisms can survive at that temperature. The water appears very clear, with a deep blue hue at the "sterile center". The water flows through a crack at 121 feet below the earth's crust. The extreme temperature within the earth heats it.

Bacteria in Grand Prismatic Spring

Yellowstone grand prismatic spring — The water edges are dotted with "cyanobacteria or microbiological" mats, creating vivid orange colors. These organisms are more likely to be found near hot springs, where temperatures can only reach 121 degrees Fahrenheit.

Yellowstone springs — In a less stressful environment, the bacteria in the lake would look similar to blue-green algae found in many US ponds. It appears more orange in spring. It is deprived of the chlorophyll it would have produced in a more harsh environment. This is a remarkable event because bacteria can survive and grow in hot springs.

Every minute of every year, 560 gallons of water are released from the prismatic spring. The temperature differences between the water and the very hot water cause the steam vapor that radiates from the water.

Grand Prismatic Spring occurs naturally. It was not created for our enjoyment. It is not intended to be enjoyed by the public. Every person should visit Yellowstone springs at least once in their life. The word of the day is caution. The hot spring waters are too hot for us to survive. This area is truly a wilderness and can reflect on our small place in the environment.

Image Credit © Doc Gibson