Although you may not realize it, Yellowstone and its thermal features are ever changing . In fact, one popular spot may be a ticking time bomb.
I'm talking of course about the Abyss Pool, one of the deepest hot springs at the park. The pool reaches 53 feet deep. It's located in West Thumb Geyser Basin and has began to change in color the past few months. It's a sign that the pool is heating up and may explode in the near future.
"This is Yellowstone being Yellowstone," said Mike Poland, the scientist in charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. "They're some of the most dynamic features on the planet, and Abyss Pool is demonstrating that."
The news about the Abyss Pool's future eruption comes after someone found a human foot floating in the pool. They identified it as belonging to missing tourist Il Hun Ro. Of course, you shouldn't worry too much. The Abyss Pool has a history of eruptions. In the past, its sent burning hot water 100 feet high as well as peltered the area with mud and rock. But eventually it settled back down.
For instance, the Abyss Pool exploded several times between September 1991 to May 1992
Yellowstone Tourist Spot
"It's possible that this will have some eruptions," he said. "It's also possible that the temperature will start to go down. It's impossible to say how these things will come out."
Scientists are keeping a close eye on the pool. So Yellowstone visitors shouldn't worry too much about visiting the area. Color change suggests that temperatures are rising. "The temperature of Abyss Pool is somewhere in the range of about 180 degrees Fahrenheit right now," Poland said. "Why that's happening? We don't know."
However, he said that he doesn't believe the area may be coming more active.
"It's more likely to do with the shallow plumbing system and how heat is being distributed in the area," he said. "Water is constantly moving around in the area, and that sort of activity changes all the time."
"The temperature could plateau and start to go down as snow melts and starts to inundate the area in the spring," he also said. "It's very interesting and something that certainly bears watching, but we don't really know what the outcome of this will be."
