Wave Propagation in Axi-Symmetrical Magmatic Conduits Due to an Internal Source

Abstract:

The classical Trefftz’s method is implemented to simulate wave propagation in and around axi-symmetrical magmatic conduits. In this fluid-solid system the fluid (magma) is confined by an elastic unbounded medium that represents the surrounding rock. Our aim is to associate wave behavior with mechanical and geometrical conduit characteristics. The source is assumed to be at a point along the conduit centered axis medium are constructed in both cases as linear combinations of particular solutions.

Within the fluid such solutions are spherical standing waves that are smooth at the origins. In the elastic solid region the field is constructed with monopoles and dipoles for the P waves and spheroidal dipoles for SV waves. The particular solutions satisfy the elastodynamic equations that govern the wave motion at those media and are associated to origins (selected points) distributed along the conduit axis. For the surrounding rock the solutions are sources that satisfy Sommerfeld’s radiation condition. These sets of solutions are assumed to be complete. This conjecture is exact in 2D acoustic problems. The conduit can be closed or open at the ends and the surrounding elastic domain is unbounded. In order to find the coefficients of Trefftz’s wave expansions, boundary conditions at the fluid-solid interface (null shear and continuity of pressures and normal velocities) are satisfied in the least squares sense. The solution is obtained in the frequency domain and the source time function can be introduced using Fourier analysis.

Regardless the low order of the formulation our results display a rich variety of behaviors. For a uniform infinite cylinder we reproduced the exact analytical solution. In addition, this approach allows identifying some important effects of the conduit geometry, including changes of sections. Lateral and longitudinal resonances of irregular axi-symmetric conduits are well resolved. The stiffness of the solid domain with respect to the fluid compressibility is explored regarding the effects of changing fluid and solid properties. Our analytical approach can be useful to understand volcanic conduit dynamics from the interpretation of the observed seismic wave field.