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Geysirs
 The
Great Geysir first erupted in the 14th century in
Iceland. It subsequently erupted every 60 minutes
until the 1900's, when it became dormant until
June of 2000, when, during a series of
earthquakes, it became active once again. Today,
the Great Geysir erupts approximately once every
eight to ten hours. All other such anomalies the
world over were subsequently named "Geysir's"
after the Great Geysir.
Strokkur is the second most famous geysir in
Iceland. It erupts approximately every eight
minutes and reaches a height of up to twenty
metres. The Great Geysir usually only reaches a
height of around ten metres, but it is believed to
have once reached up to sixty.
 Geysir's
are generally found in regions with active
volcanoes and areas prone to earthquakes. Most
geysir areas also feature thermal hot springs and
boiling mud pools, which tend to be rich in
minerals and very therapeutic. They are caused by
surface water seeping into underground caverns,
which is then heated by volcanic rock (usually
around 200 degrees Celsius), causing the steam to
collect and eventually force its way back up the
the surface at astonishing force. Occasionally,
you can feel the ground shake, or hear a distant
rumble right before a geysir erupts. An eruption
is always accompanied by the smell of sulpher.
The timing of an eruption can be figured out to
the exact minute, as it generally takes the same amount of time for the water to seep back into the
ground and heat up once again. To prompt a geysir
to erupt off-schedule, soap or stones can be
thrown into it, however, it is not recommended, as
it can be very dangerous.
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