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The Effect of Cracks and a Steam Cap on Hydrothermal Eruptions

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Abstract

The shock-tube model for a hydrothermal eruption in a geothermal reservoir (Fullard and Lynch, Trans Porous Med, 2011) is used to simulate eruptions that have a steam phase present near the surface in the form of a steam cap or a large crack. Simulations are performed with various steam cap/crack depths and it is shown that the presence of a steam phase greatly reduces the size of an eruption. We show that a steam cap type eruption is physically unlikely because of the large pressure differences required, but conclude that rock cracking is potentially a viable initiation mechanism for a hydrothermal eruption.

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Abbreviations

ρ :

Density (kg m−3)

u :

Fluid velocity (ms−1)

P :

Pressure (Pa)

s :

Entropy (JK−1)

T :

Temperature (K)

μ:

Dynamic viscosity (Pa s)

R :

Specific gas constant (J kg−1 K−1)

V I :

Interface velocity (ms−1)

P I :

Interface pressure (Pa)

\({\phi_{\rm v,l,a}}\) :

Volume fraction of phase (vapour/steam, liquid, air)

\({\epsilon}\) :

Porosity of the porous medium

k :

Permeability of the porous medium

C pm :

Cohesion of porous medium (Pa m−1)

c F :

Ergun coefficient

t :

Time (s)

z :

Vertical coordinate (m)

d p :

Particle diameter (m)

D j :

Drag term (kg m−2 s−2)

L j :

Lift term (kg m−2 s−2)

δ :

Solid profile constant

g :

Acceleration due to gravity (m s−2)

f:

Fluid

v:

Vapour phase

l:

Liquid phase

a:

Air

s:

Solid

0:

Pertaining to time t = 0

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

    L. A. Fullard & T. A. Lynch

Authors
  1. L. A. Fullard
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  2. T. A. Lynch
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Correspondence to L. A. Fullard.

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Fullard, L.A., Lynch, T.A. The Effect of Cracks and a Steam Cap on Hydrothermal Eruptions. Transp Porous Med 92, 15–28 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-011-9888-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-011-9888-5

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