Prismatic Edge

With a diameter of 370 feet and a depth of over 121 feet, Grand Prismatic Spring located in Yellowstone National Park, is the third largest hot spring in the world.  This photograph captures just an edge of the spring and showcases the unreal patterns of vibrant colors. Water temperature determines which thermophiles (heat-tolerant organisms) thrive and the type of thermophile determines the colors seen. The natural blue water of the spring can be seen in it’s center where the temperatures are the hottest. The turquoise green is where yellow-colored thermophiles grow.  Further out, orange-colored bacteria form dense mats in the cooler shallower water.