18.6-year Earth tide regulates geyser activity.

Over 40 years of records from Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, show that the 18.6-year tidal component strongly regulates the frequencies of eruption of Grand and Steamboat geysers. The frequency of Grand Geyser increases with increasing tidal force and that of Steamboat Geyser decreases, which suggests that tidal dilatation is one factor affecting heat flow to a geyser.