[2] The source of the river's distinctive turquoise color is not due to a chemical species but to a physical phenomenon known as Mie scattering.
Buenavista River carries a large concentration of aluminosilicate particles with a small diameter.
Sour Creek, as its name implies, has a high acidity due to volcanic activity.
When these two streams mix to form Celeste River, the drop in pH causes the aluminosilicate particles to aggregate and enlarge to a diameter of about 566 nm.
These suspended particles produce Mie scattering which gives the river a strong turquoise color.