In a surprising discovery last April, geologists working at Yellowstone National Park’s Norris Geyser Basin uncovered a previously undocumented thermal pool. Found during routine maintenance at temperature logging stations, the pool is located in the Porcelain Basin subbasin.
This new thermal pool, measuring about 13 feet wide, features clear blue water with a temperature of approximately 109 °F (43 °C). It sits just one foot below the rim of the pool, surrounded by light-gray mud-covered rocks, some of which are as large as a foot wide.
Hydrothermal Explosions in Yellowstone: The Likely Cause
The formation of this new pool is believed to be the result of a hydrothermal explosion. These explosions occur when underground water turns into steam due to rising temperatures and pressure, causing a violent release of energy.
Yellowstone’s Norris Geyser Basin is no stranger to such events, with the 1989 eruption of Porkchop Geyser being a well-documented example of a similar explosion. The area’s history of hydrothermal activity suggests that the new pool could have formed in a manner consistent with other past events, though in a less dramatic fashion.
Satellite Imagery Shows Rapid Development
Interestingly, satellite imagery reveals that this thermal pool didn’t exist prior to December 19, 2024. By January 6, 2025, small cavities began to appear, and by February 13, the pool had fully formed.
Despite the absence of a major explosive event detected by monitoring stations, there were several weak acoustic signals picked up by a newly installed station. These signals, although faint, indicated activity around the pool, with notable readings on December 25, 2024, January 15, 2025, and February 11, 2025.
Smaller Explosions Likely Created the Pool
The lack of a significant explosion suggests that the pool formed gradually, likely through a series of smaller explosions. As these explosions expelled rocks and silica mud, the resulting cavity filled with silica-rich water, eventually forming the thermal pool.
The process seems to have started around Christmas 2024 and continued through the early part of 2025. This new activity highlights the unpredictable nature of Yellowstone’s geothermal system, which continues to surprise both scientists and visitors alike.
Yellowstone’s Norris Geyser Basin remains the oldest and most active thermal area in the park, containing more than 10,000 geothermal features. The park’s geothermal activity is driven by a vast underground magma reservoir, which heats groundwater and sparks a variety of chemical and physical reactions. Despite decades of study, Yellowstone’s thermal features still have the power to astonish.
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