TITLE:
Relative importance of different physical processes on upper crustal specific heat flow in the Eifel-Maas region, Central Europe and ramifications for the production of geothermal energy
AUTHORS:
Lydia Dijkshoorn, Christoph Clauser
KEYWORDS:
Crustal Heat Flow; Physical Process Modeling; Eifel; Geothermal Energy; Hydrothermal System
JOURNAL NAME:
Natural Science,
Vol.5 No.2A,
February
27,
2013
ABSTRACT: We study the recent
upper crustal heat flow variations caused by long-term physical processes such
as paleoclimate, erosion, sedimentation and mantle plume upwelling. As specific
heat flow is a common lower boundary condition in many models of heat en fluid
flow in the Earth’s crust we quantify its long-term transient variation caused
by paleoclimate, erosion or sedimentation, mantle plume upwelling and deep
groundwater flow. The studied area extends between the Eifel mountains and the
Maas river inCentral Europe. The total variation
due to these processes in our study area amounts to tectonic events manifested
in the studied area 20 mW/m2, about 30% of the present day specific
heat flow in the region.