Overview
- Park and USGS records show eruptions on Feb. 7, 9, 12, and 15, followed by a 2–5 hour cycle beginning Feb. 16 with roughly 40 events by late February.
- Temperature sensors in the outflow channel are timing eruptions via sharp heat spikes, and recent graphs show spikes without eruptions in the past few days.
- Recent bursts have typically reached 20–30 feet and lasted two to three minutes, smaller than some late‑20th‑century displays that topped 75 feet.
- Echinus’s acidity comes from acidic gases mixing with neutral waters, with a strength comparable to orange juice or vinegar that colors the rocks and builds spiny silica rims.
- USGS reports background seismicity and no signs of volcanic unrest, and the park says the current run likely will not last into summer though the outlook remains uncertain.