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Lobby > Exhibits > Scientific Research > Hydrothermal Research > Vital Signs of the Earth > A Mountain Turning Inside Out > Lower Temperatures
Hydrothermal Research
LOWER TEMPERATURES
The Mammoth hot spring terraces are fed by water moving along an extensive fault zone that runs north from Norris Geyser Basin, 21 miles (34 km) away. The water cools somewhat en route. Extremely hot water is necessary for geysers; in Mammoth, the water isn’t even hot enough to boil. The bubbling water seen in many of the area's hot springs doesn't indicate great heat, but rather the presence of carbon dioxide gas.
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The average water temperature at Mammoth is
85° F (29° C), much cooler than the Upper Geyser Basin's average water temperature of 180° F (82° C). |
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| The terraces change constantly-and sometimes overnight. Here, as in few other places on Earth, rock forms right before your very eyes! |
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