Simulations of the explosive eruption of superheated fluids through deformable media

The sudden release of superheated fluids at depth can cause surface disturbances in the form of vents, mud volcanoes, or seafloor pockmarks. I have performed calculations with the Sage hydrocode (from Los Alamos and Science Applications International) of superheated venting in an idealised geometry, varying the pressure and velocity of hot fluid injected at depth. The simulations show several different patterns of propagation and fracturing in the deformable overburden. The simulations performed so far show, for different conditions, upward-propagating cylindrical pipes with hardened walls, narrowly diverging conical pipes, cone sheets, downward-propagating cracks, and funnel-shaped craters.