The Hartford republican., 1919-01-03
MOUNT KATMApS
ENORMOUS ABYSS
Great Volcano And Steam
ing Valleys-National
Monument
EXPLOSIVE ERUPTIONS
valley OF Ten Thousand
Smokes" Beginning OF
Geyser Field.

At the end of September last Presi-
dent Wilson created by proclamation
the Katmai National Monument.
This reservation incloses what the
explosive eruption of June, 1912, left
of Mount Katmai, on the southern
shore of Alaska, together with several
neighboring valleys of steaming
vents, the largest of which the Ma
tional Geographic Society, which ex-
plored it in June, 1917. named the
Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes"
The two features are intimately re-
lated. Rock strata superheated since
the great eruption underlie Katmai
near enough to the surface to turn to
instant steam the spring and drain
age waters of many surrounding mile
of foothills. Thus originates the
steam which bursts from the myriad
valley vents. The phenomenon is
familiar in the neighborhood of most
volcanoes which still are classed as
active. Steaming springs, a later
stage of the vents in this valley, are
found upon the flanks of several of
the most prominent of our Cascade
volcanoes, and are numerous around
the base of Lassen Peak.
The comparison, however, between
Katmai's steaming valleys and the
geyser basins of Yellowstone is espe-
cially instructive because Yellow
stones basins once were what Katmi's
steaming valleys are now. The Val
ley of Ten Thousand Smokes" is pro-
badly a coming geyser field of enor-
nous size. The explanation is sim
pie. Bunsen's geyser theory, now
generally accepted, presupposes
column of water filling the geyser
vent above deep rocky superheated
chamber in which trickling spring
water is being rapidly turned into
steam. When this steam becomes
plentiful enough and sufficiently COM
, pressed to overcome the weight of
the water in the vent, it suddenly ex
pands and hurls the water out. That
is what makes the geyser play.
Growth OF Gcyser Basin.
Now the difference between the
Yellowstone geyser fields and Kat
mails steaming valleys is just a diff
ference in the temperature. The en-
tire depth of the earth under these
valleys is heated far above boiling
point, so that it is not possible for
water to remain in the vents;it turns
to steam as fast as it collects and
rushes out at the top in continuous
flow. But when centuries or hun
dreds of centuries enough elapse for
the rocks between the surface and
the deep internal pockets to cool, the
water will remain in many vents as
water until, at regular intervals,
enough steam gathers below to hurl
it out. Then these valleys will be-
come basins of geysers and hot
springs like YellOwstone's.
The crater of Katmai is very large.
It's circumference says Robert F.
Griggs, who headed the expeditions
which explored the entire area, is
S.4 miles, measured along the highest
point of the rim. THE area is as
miles. The precipitous abyss, which
does not extend to the rim of the
southwest side, is somewhat shorter,
measuring 2,6 miles in length,7.6
miles in circumference. and Az
squar miles in area. The milky blue
lake at the bottom Is IA miles long
and nine tenths of mile wide, with
an area of IL square miles. The lit
tie cTesent-shaped island in the lake
measures 400 feet from point to
point. The precipice from the lake
to the highest point of the rim is
3,7OO feet"
Mr. Griggs estimates the capacity
of the hole at $500, 100000 cubic
yards. If this hole were filled with
water, there would be enough to sup
ply New York City for /, 635 days.
The great eruption blew out 11,0OO,-
100000 cubic yards Of material, more
than forty times the amount removed
in the construction of the Panama
Canal.
-
The liver IOspc ite activifv at tinles