Image:Grand prismatic spring.jpg

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Description

Aerial view of Grand Prismatic Spring; Hot Springs, Midway & Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park. The spring is approximately 250 by 300 feet (75 by 91 m) in size.

This photo shows steam rising from hot and sterile deep azure blue water (owing to the light absorbing overtone of an OH stretch which is shifted to 698 nm by hydrogen bonding ) in the centre surrounded by huge mats of brilliant orange algae and bacteria. The colour of which is due to the ratio of chlorophyll to carotenoid molecules produced by the organisms. During summertime the chlorophyll content of the organisms is low and thus the mats appear orange, red, or yellow. However during the winter, the mats are usually dark green, because sunlight is more scarce and the microbes produce more chlorophyll to compensate, thereby masking the carotenoid colors.

Source

http://www.nps.gov/yell/slidefile/thermalfeatures/hsandterraces/midwaylower/page-4.htm ; English Wikipedia, original upload 1 April 2004 by ChrisO

Date

July 2001

Author

Jim Peaco, National Park Service

Permission
( Reusing this image)

see below


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File history

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Date/Time Dimensions User Comment
current 09:08, 16 September 2005 1,999×1,277 (501 KB) Saperaud (Aerial view of Grand Prismatic Spring; Hot Springs, Midway & Lower Geyser Basin; Jim Peaco; July 2001 Yellowstone National Park Image by NPS Photo The Grand Prismatic Spring of Yellowstone National Park showing steam rising from hot and ste)
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