RAPID: Geochemical and microbial response to hydrothermal explosions in Biscuit Basin, Yellowstone National Park

A hydrothermal explosion rocked Black Diamond Pool in Biscuit Basin, Yellowstone National Park (YNP) on July 23, 2024, spewing rock and debris tens of meters into the air, damaging the boardwalk, and sending visitors scrambling away. The area has since been closed to the public. Another smaller explosion occurred on November 5 causing the spring to erupt ~ seven meters high.

This project will collect samples to establish the geochemical and microbial changes in Black Diamond and surrounding springs in response to the hydrothermal explosions in order to detail the response to a steam explosion perturbation, a fundamental knowledge gap. In addition, this project will document the return to baseline normalcy for the area, advise the Biscuit Basin Emergency Response Team on their goal of safely opening the area to the public again, and perhaps lend insight into beginning to be able to help anticipate these hydrothermal explosion events in the future.

Seven to eight full aqueous geochemical and planktonic and corresponding sediment microbiological samples will be collected once a month for ten months (70-80 total) from Black Diamond Pool and nearby Biscuit Basin springs and geysers with corresponding aqueous geochemical parameters measured in the field with meters and field spectrophotometry. Data will give insight into the impact of two hydrothermal explosions at Black Diamond Pool in YNP on the aqueous geochemistry, input of major and micronutrients, and microbial diversity of the hydrothermal system.

Present knowledge of microbial responses to geologic events is limited and this hydrothermal explosion system provides a unique opportunity to detail the geochemical and microbial response especially since more explosions are unexpectedly occurring in the same location. In addition, sparse geochemical data exist for Biscuit Geyser Basin and this project will expand our knowledge of the geochemistry and microbiology in this unique geyser basin.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.