Scientists at Yellowstone National Park have discovered a new hydrothermal feature, which burst into view last summer near the Roadside Springs thermal area. The feature, located about 3 meters above a marshy expanse, had a temperature of 77 °C (171 °F) and was characterized by a thin veneer of grey silicious clay.
Geologists believe this new hydrothermal activity may be connected to a similar type of activity that began on the other side of a rhyolite lava flow in March 2003. The two areas are thought to be linked through faults that radiate from Norris Geyser Basin northward to Mammoth Hot Springs.
The new feature was active throughout the fall, but its steam plume disappeared as winter set in. While it remains an active site, its steam output is now diminished due to water in the vent. The return of a strong steam plume in the summer of 2025 is uncertain.
Yellowstone’s complex hydrothermal system, which sits atop a massive magma reservoir, is constantly shifting and evolving. With over 10,000 hydrothermal features mapped within the park’s boundaries, scientists are always on the lookout for new activity and connections between seemingly disparate areas.
Source: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/yellowstone-where-theres-always-something-new