August 20, 2013 /Posted in In Focus, North America, USA & Puerto Rico /By Zara

Yellowstone’s Hot Springs

Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, is one of the most geothermically active regions on Earth.

The park stands in what was once upon a time a massive volcano, so no wonder it is home to thousands of hot springs, geysers, mud pots and fumaroles.

Science aside, and from an aesthetical point of view, the hot springs a regular visitor can appreciate from specified view points and access paths are quite eye-catching. The vividness of the colors does change depending on the sun light on a given day and perception tends to vary according to the amount of fumes flowing.

No matter what, it is interesting to understand that the blue color is a reflection of the skylight, while the orange tones have been created by pigmented bacteria and microbial mats, such as this one:

Bacteria mat in Yellowstone National Park

 

Nature is amazing, isn’t it?

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