Why do some volcanoes have hot springs and geysers nearby?
Quick Answer
Magma heats underground water, which can circulate through cracks and emerge as hot springs or erupt as geysers. The heat source does not have to be an active lava flow at the surface.
The Full Story
Geothermal features often occur in volcanic regions because magma or hot rock lies relatively close to the surface. Groundwater seeps downward, is heated, and then rises through fractures because hot water is less dense. If pressure builds in a confined plumbing system, the water can erupt periodically as a geyser. Yellowstone is the best-known example, with more geysers than any other place on Earth. These features are signs of an active subsurface heat engine, even when no eruption is occurring.
Key Facts
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"Why does a volcano sometimes shoot boiling water instead of lava?"
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