A compressible Lagrangian framework for the simulation of the underwater implosion of large air bubbles

► A Lagrangian framework for the simulation of underwater implosion is developed. ► A variationally consistent form of the hydrodynamic set of conservation equations is considered. ► Discontinuous kinetic properties are considered at the nodally matched interface. ► Adaptive connectivity-preserving mesh generation is performed. ► For the large bubbles, RT instabilities are identified at the final stage of the collapse.