Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park in the United States
How It Works
The mysterious source of heat that makes natural springs bubble is heat from the center of the earth's crust. Hot springs have often been described as geothermal, meaning heated from within the earth. Groundwater, found in natural soil pores all over the planet, is naturally heated by the extreme temperatures given off by rocks from the earth's interior. If the hot spring is a volcanic one, the heat comes from water coming into contact with magma. Often the springs can reach such intense temperatures that the water shoots into the air to let off pressure, which is classified as a geyser. Hot springs are usually 11.7 degrees above the mean air temperature, which translates into ranging from about 105 to 112 degrees F. Spa experts and scientists have learned manipulate the temperature of hot springs, especially in natural hot springs that are used for cosmetic or therapeutic spa purposes. Geothermal groundwater springs have been organized in several different categories, a hot spring being one of them. Natural groundwater springs can also be cold.
How It's Used
Natural hot springs are found all over the world, on all continents. Native Americans used hot springs in North America as natural healing baths for hundreds of year. Even further back, nomadic peoples in what is now Arizona left artifacts that suggest that natural hot springs were imperative to their lifestyle. The natural hot springs found in Arkansas have attracted thousands of visitors; throughout the 1900s, entrepreneurs, tourists, settlers and adventure seekers fled to the mineral-infused hot springs to enjoy the earthly botanicals and the rumored healing power of the springs. Spas and health facilities have been built around some springs to attract celebrities and tourists, while the country of Iceland has made a habit out of using hot springs, as well as geysers, to bring green energy to the island. Hot springs heat 85 percent of Iceland's homes, as well as greenhouses, where agriculture has thrived.
Where It's Found
Hot springs are not limited to an Icelandic paradise or an isolated forest getaway. Some of the most popular, natural hot springs are found in Yellowstone National Park and parts of Colorado and Arkansas. However, the majority of hot springs are found below the surface, resting in the depths of oceans and seas. A list of all geothermal springs found above surface in the United States can be found at the National Geophysical Data Center (see Resources). Some of the world's most recognizable geothermal springs are in Japan, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Zambia, Malaysia and other destinations resting on volcanic land.
Tags: natural springs, springs found, geothermal springs, groundwater springs, have been, National Park
