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The Grand Prismatic

The Grand Prismatic

The third largest hot spring in the world, the Grand Prismatic I think is the most amazing natural wonder on the Planet.

The vivid colours in the spring are the result of pigmented bacteria in the microbial mats that grow around the edges of the mineral-rich water. The bacteria produce colors ranging from green to red; the amount of color in the microbial mats depends on the ratio of chlorophyll to carotenoids and on the temperature of the water that favors one bacterium over another. In the summer, the mats tend to be orange and red, whereas in the winter the mats are usually dark green. The center of the pool is sterile due to extreme heat.

The deep blue colour of the water in the center of the pool results from the intrinsic blue colour of water, itself the result of water's selective absorption of red wavelengths of visible light. Though this effect is responsible for making all large bodies of water blue, it is particularly intense in Grand Prismatic Spring because of the high purity and depth of the water in the middle of the spring


Edition size: 50

Edition size: 50
Watermarks do not appear in the final prints
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