Yellowstone ThermopilesAugust 18-21, 2007. We are staying in Grizzly RV-Park in West Yellowstone, Montana just out the west gate of Yellowstone National Park. We had reservations this time for a back in FHU backin site for $37. Grizzly is a nice park, the nicest campground in the area. Bottom line is if you are planning to visit WEST YELLOWSTONE during July thru Aug-15 you need a reservation as every campground in the area is FULL. After August 15 you can have your choice of campgrounds with no reservations. Keep in mind that while Grizzly RV-Park is the nicest RV-Park in West Yellowstone it is also the most expensive. For a MUCH cheaper alternative consider the PPA (Pass Port America) Campground a few miles west of West Yellowstone. It is a nice campground with great views and since it is a PPA Campground it will be less than half what you will pay at Grizzly.
Our son and grandson are spending the week with us touring Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone. Come join us for some fun.
The color on the bank is thermopiles (heat-loving microorganisms) living in super heated water from hot springs
Joyce took this picture of Jeff and Stephen on a bridge over the Firehole River in an area with numerous hot springs fumerals paint pots and geysers.
Here are some links to geologic wonders in the immediate area:
The color surrounding that hot water is thermopiles (heat-loving microorganisms) living in the super heated water
Hot water from one of the hot springs flowing into the Firehole River. The brown and green areas beside the water are living organisms called thermopiles.
Jeff & Stephen discussing the colorful thermopiles (heat-loving microorganisms) living in the super heated water
This is Excelsior Geyser Crater. Again the brown and green you see in this picture are living organisms called thermopiles (heat-loving microorganisms) living in the super heated water .
In the 1880s Excelsior Geyser erupted in bursts 50 to 300 feet high. The thermal violence formed the jagged crater and apparently ruptured the geyser's underground plumbing system, causing eruptions to cease after 1890. Though its eruptions have been erratic, the geyser's outflow is nearly constant, pumping more than 4,000 gallons of boiling water per-minute over the crater rim into the Firehole River. While Excelsior Geyser's rugged crater was created by massive geyser eruptions it also preserves a record of past life. For thousands of years, microbes have grown in the runoff channels extending from nearby Grand Prismatic Spring. These vast communities were buried alive as the flowing hot water deposited a crust of silica minerals. The resulting deposit, called sinter, preserved the shape of the microbial mat it entombed. As new mats grew, more layers developed. Today's formation is the result of this interplay between its living and nonliving components. Yellowstone's hydrothermal features provide a glimpse into the distant past when intense volcanism was widespread on the young Earth. The lifeforms found here help scientist understand the type of life that likely arose and diversified billions of years ago on our planet.
Formations like this that entomb microbes may offer clues in the search for life on other worlds. Volcanic hot spring systems are believed to have existed on other planets in our solar system. If similar formations are found, they may contain evidence that life existed elsewhere in the universe.
Thermopiles (heat-loving microorganisms) living in super heated water
Speaking of other worlds, this place reminds me of "another world".
This is a hot spring with thermopiles (heat-loving microorganisms) living and growing around the edges.
Thermopiles (heat-loving microorganisms) living in super heated water
This hot spring has a large mat of thermopiles (heat-loving microorganisms) living in the super heated water around it.
Thermopiles (heat-loving microorganisms) living in super heated water
In this picture you can see the extent of this microbial mat or thermopiles (heat-loving microorganisms) living in the super heated water of this hot spring.
The yellow, orange, and brown colors encircling the hot spring and lining the runoff channels are caused by these thermopiles--heat-loving microorganisms. These microbes contain colorful pigments that allow them to make energy from sunlight ad thrive in the harsh conditions of hot springs.
Yellowstone National Park is one of the most accessible places to study extreme environments and the organisms that inhabit them. Understanding the lifeforms here provides clues for scientists searching for life elsewhere in the universe. Because conditions on other planets in our solar system are harsh, if life exists elsewhere it is probably as some form of microscopic extremophile.
Thermopiles (heat-loving microorganisms) living in super heated water
This is a closer look at the thermopiles living in these harsh conditions at the edge of this hot spring.
Sunset over Madison River in Yellowstone National Park
And this was the end of a wonderful day in Yellowstone as the sun sets over the Madison River as we were heading back to our motorhome in West Yellowstone, Montana.
Mud Pots are colored by Thermopiles and minerals
This is one of the Fountain Paint Pots. Year after year, this huge mudpot has chanted with the seasons. Fountain Paint Pot spits thin, sloppy mud in spring. In dryer conditions, thick bubbles of mud and gas ooze through cracks, then burst and collapse, forming cone-shaped mounds.
Paint Pots are created by: Heat (derived from Yellowstone's volcano) ---- in the form of hot magma welling up in a dome beneath Yellowstone. Water A thick layer of rhyolite (volcanic rock) Thermopiles (heat-loving microorganisms) The volcanic heat and gases rise through the Earth's crust boiling water deep underground, creating gases. These gasses and super hot water are forced upward through cracks in the rhyolite where they simmer here on the surface. The thermophiles, simmer in this stew while they consume gasses and help turn the mixture into an acidic marinade. Eventually the rhyolite turns into clay. And there you have it --- this vat of bubbling mud contains the perfect mix of ingredients to create mudpots: The earth's extreme habitats, like this one, are studied by scientists who seek to understand life's ultimate limits. Knowledge gained from "earth-bound" studies aids scientists who search for life (and evidence of its past existence) in the extreme environments found elsewhere in our solar system. If you enjoyed this page you may like one of these: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone Click here for more Wyoming Travel AdventuresUntil next time remember how good life is. Click here for more Wyoming travellogsUntil next time remember how good life is. More Wyoming AdventuresSome Idaho Adventures ** More 2007 Travel Adventures
Mike & Joyce Hendrix
Mike & Joyce Hendrix who we are We hope you liked this page. If you do you might be interested in some of our other Travel Adventures: Mike & Joyce Hendrix's home page Travel Adventures by Year ** Travel Adventures by State ** Plants ** Marine-Boats ** Geology ** Exciting Drives ** Cute Signs ** RV Subjects ** Miscellaneous Subjects
We would love to hear from you......just put "info" in the place of "FAKE" in this address: FAKE@travellogs.us Until next time remember how good life is.
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