Earthquakes Trigger Rapid Flash Boiling Front at Optimal Geologic Conditions

Abstract

The interplay between seismic activity and fluid flow is essential during the evolution of hydrothermal systems. Although earthquakes can trigger transient fluid flow and phase changes in dilational jogs, the temporal scale and the geologic conditions that enhance such process are poorly quantified. Here, we use numerical simulations of deformation and fluid flow to constrain the conditions that maximize adiabatic boiling—referred to as flashing—and estimate the extent and duration of such process. We show that there is an optimal geometry for a dilational jog that maximizes co‐seismic flashing within the jog. Fluid flow simulations indicate that the duration, intensity, and propagation of the flashing front are limited and highly dependent on the magnitude of the co‐seismic slip and the initial pressure‐enthalpy conditions. Our results are valuable to better understand the implications of pressure fluctuations during the seismogenic cycle, as well the mineralization processes in the Earth's crust.