How Do Geysers Erupt?

Geysers are hot springs with constrictions in their plumbing, usually near
the surface, that prevent water from circulating freely to the surface where heat
would escape. The deepest circulating water can exceed the surface boiling point
(199F/93C)
The process begins as water migrates to the geyser's plumbing system
through fissures in ground. Since the plumbing system is miles deep, the water at
the bottom of the geyser's plumbing is under incredible pressure from the water
above it. Think of the entire system as a giant pressure cooker.
Pressure cookers work by creating a sealed, pressurized enclosure that helps to
cook food much faster than cooking it in a normal pot. Pressure cookers can do
this because water's boiling point rises as it's pressurized. Think of what actually
happens when water boils: Water starts to churn and bubbles of air begin to
surface. If more pressure pushes down on the water, water needs more and more
energy (in the form of heat) to overcome that pressure and start pushing bubbles
to the surface. This explains why water inside a pressure cooker can reach
temperatures of more than 125 degrees Celsius (257 degrees Fahrenheit), while
the boiling point of water at standard pressure is only 100 degrees Celsius (212
degrees Fahrenheit).
Now consider the massive pressures placed on water within a geyser's plumbing
system. Water in such a system can reach incredibly high temperatures (and store
incredible amounts of energy as a result) before it starts to boil. As the magma at
the base of the geyser transfers heat throughout the system, more energy gets
trapped in the water. Eventually, pockets of water begin to reach their boiling
point and become turbulent. This turbulence pushes a relatively small quantity of
water out of the opening of the geyser, decreasing the amount of pressure on the
water remaining in the geyser. With this sudden pressure drop (and corresponding
drop in boiling point), the water in the geyser flashes into steam. The steam
quickly expands to 1,500 times the volume of water and this expansion violently
pushes water and steam from the mouth of the geyser in an eruption. These
eruptions last as long as the water in the geyser remains hot enough to push water
out of the geyser opening. Eventually, the entire system will either run out of

water or the water will cool down enough for the eruption to stop. The cycle, of
course, starts all over again