Re-awakening of Geysir at Hawkdale, Iceland

Abstract

AFTER a sleep of nineteen years, Geysir, the hot spring in Iceland from the name of which the term ‘geyser’ was derived, has been awakened to renewed activity by three research workers, Trausti Einarason, Jon Jénsson of Lang (Bath) and Gudmundur Gislason. The report of the revival of Geysir appeared in the Margunblad of July 30, announcing the fact that magnificent jets were thrown up 40–50 metres high. Later, however, comes another account stating that Geysir spouted fifteen times on that day, that as of old the highest jets were delivered in the morning and about cloven o'clock at night. Eruptions aro very sudden, preceded by bursts of steam, and, as it is dangerous to be near, sketches of these are more or less guess-work. Following the steam, water ‘cascades’ all around the crater, and the accompany-ing steam renders photographs or measurements useless. None of the jets has actually been measured. It was Dr. T. Einarsson who conceived the idea of awakening Geysir. He realised that the ‘saucer’ of the geysir was the most important factor concerned, providing a large surface of water from which heat was radiated as fast as it was supplied from below, thus preventing the accumulation of heat in the pipe below necessary to produce the outburst. Consequently a gap was made in the lip of the saucer to provent the water spreading out. The experiment was justified, and Geysir continues its old activity. The road from Parliament Fields to Geysir, 118 kilometres in length, is to be improved, so that motor-cars may be able to undertake the journey.