Yellowstone 黄石公园 - The Norris Area

诺里斯间歇泉盆地（Norris Geyser Basin）：是黄石公园里最热最不稳定的一系列间歇泉，世界上最大的间歇泉"蒸汽船间歇泉"也位于此区，它长期蛰伏，很久才喷发一次（上次喷发为2008年），曾创造了喷发高度的记录380英尺。此区的间歇泉颜色也颇为丰富，有清澈见底的蓝绿色，也有柔和的像牛奶一样的蓝白色，由于它的不稳定性，每年都有新的喷泉产生，也有老的喷泉死去。“海胆间歇泉”是黄石著名的喷泉，它的特点是它是酸性温泉，而黄石大部分温泉为碱性，它pH值为3， 据说像柠檬汁一样酸。此区的有名温泉还有珍珠间歇泉(Pearl Geyser)、瓷盆温泉（Porcelain Basin）、窗台间歇泉（Ledge Geyser）、胶体池（Colloidal Pool）等。此外，此处还有一些由菌类形成的橙色或绿色的河道，也非常美丽。

诺里斯间歇泉盆地是黄石地区温度最高，历史最久，最活跃的地热区。目前整个黄石地区通过钻孔测量记录到的最高温度在诺里斯（Norris）地下326米处，237摄氏度。诺里斯地区几乎就没有低于沸点的地热活动（在黄石的海拔上沸点为93摄氏度）。

其地热活动历史可以追溯到十一万五千年前。在地震和地下水位的影响下，盆地的地热现象每天都不同。诺里斯的水大部分都是酸性的，包括其他地方很少见到酸性间歇泉。著名景点包括喷发高达300到400英尺的世界上最高的蒸汽船间歇泉（Steamboat Geyser）和pH值为3.5的海胆间歇泉。

The Norris Geyser Basin 44°43′43″N 110°42′16″W is the hottest geyser basin in the park and is located near the northwest edge of Yellowstone Caldera near Norris Junction and on the intersection of three major faults. The Norris-Mammoth Corridor is a fault that runs from Norris north through Mammoth to the Gardiner, Montana, area. The Hebgen Lake fault runs from northwest of West Yellowstone, Montana, to Norris. This fault experienced an earthquake in 1959 that measured 7.4 on the Richter scale (sources vary on exact magnitude between 7.1 and 7.8; see 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake). Norris Geyser Basin is so hot and dynamic because these two faults intersect with the ring fracture zone that resulted from the creation of the Yellowstone Caldera of 640,000 years ago.

The Basin consists of three main areas: Porcelain Basin, Back Basin, and One Hundred Springs Plain. Unlike most of other geyser basins in the park, the waters from Norris are acidic rather than alkaline (for example, Echinus Geyser has a pH of ~3.5). The difference in pH allows for a different class of bacterial thermophiles to live at Norris, creating different color patterns in and around the Norris Basin waters.

Norris Geyser Basin periodically undergoes a large-scale, basin-wide thermal disturbance lasting a few weeks. Water levels fluctuate, and temperatures, pH, colors, and eruptive patterns change throughout the basin. During a disturbance in 1985, Porkchop Geyser continually jetted steam and water; in 1989, the same geyser apparently clogged with silica and blew up, throwing rocks more than 200 feet (61 m). In 2003 a park ranger observed it bubbling heavily, the first such activity seen since 1991. Activity increased dramatically in mid-2003. Because of high ground temperatures and new features beside the trail much of Back Basin was closed until October. In 2004 the boardwalk was routed around the dangerous area and now leads behind Porkchop Geyser.

Whirligig Geyser