Geochemistry and Dynamics of the Yellowstone National Park Hydrothermal System!

The magmatic-hydrothermal system at Yellowstone National Park is unique among presently active systems in regard to its unparalleled geysers, tectonic environment, and magnitude of caldera-forming volcanic activity. However, over geologic time, systems like Yellowstone have been common and appear to have been responsible for the formation of many important basc-metal and precious-mctal ore deposits. For these reasons, Yellow­ stone has received a great amount of scientific attention. Geologic inves­ tigations in Yellowstone began with the Hague expedition in the late 1 800s, and the results of the first chcmical analyses of thermal waters from the Park's many hot springs and geysers were published in 1 888 by Gooch & Whitfield ( 1 888). Since then, numerous investigators have studied the hydrothermal system and its geologic environmcnt, and data collectcd over a span of a hundred years are available for comparison and interpretation.