Multiphysics Modeling and Terascale Simulations of Volcanic Blasts Over Complex Terrains

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

This project will focus on modeling of a rare, but catastrophic, style of volcanic eruption that occurs when a dome collapses, resulting in a powerful blast that hurls gases, magma and rocks across the landscape. The intellectual merit of the work is in the fundamental understanding of the physics and fluid dynamics of explosive volcanic eruptions. The work will help in better estimating the extent and severity of damage that the catastrophic volcanic eruptions pose to people and property. The objectives of the work are to formulate a comprehensive mathematical model that describes the time-dependent movement of a turbulent compressible gas-particle mixture flowing from a collapsed volcanic flank onto a three-dimensional terrain and to numerically implement the resulting full set of equation. Once this model is developed, the researchers will perform a number of simulations for progressively more complex terrains. Ultimately, they plan to evaluate the accuracy with which the generalized model developed reflects processes documented or inferred for the Mount St. Helens eruption of 1980.