Paleogeothermal gradient in the boskovice furrow

Summary A coalification data set from the first seam of the Rosice-Oslavany coal district in the Boskovice furrow was used to estimate the temperature gradient prevailing within the furrow during Autunian sedimentation. An appreciable scatter of the data reflects the complicated history of the sedimentary region. The northern part of the district displays a higher degree of coalification. The results of the evaluation suggest that the region ceased to subside in the upper Autunian, and that the extent of the post-Autunian erosion does not exceed 500 metres. This version of the burial history, which is consistent with geological data, yields a temperature paleogradient of 76 mK/m for the northern part and of 72 mK/m for the southern part of the district. The gradients estimated are higher than those prevailing during the Carboniferous sedimentation in the Central Bohemian Basin (45 – 53 mK/m), lower than values found for the Ostrava Formation in the Upper Silesian Basin during its Namurian A sedimentation (about 95 mK/m), but comparable with values evaluated for the Karviná Formation of the same basin deposited during the Namurian B - C and Westphalian A (60 – 77 mK/m).Dedicated to the Memory of Professor Karel P     

Further evidence for impact of solar flares on potential gradient and air-earth current characteristics at high mountain stations

Summary For the period February 1967–May 1969, a period of increasing solar activity, unrestricted substantiation was obtained of earlier results which had indicated that subsequent to H-flares potential gradient and air-earth current will increase significantly. A presupposition of this result is that the atmospheric electrical elements are recorded at stations with only minimal local climatic and aerosol physical disturbance factors, and that only meteorologically undisturbed days are used. It was ascertained that the exclusive use of fine weather days is of no influence on the results. The confirmed solar-terrestrial relation is even more pronounced when measurements are based on flares in the vicinity of the central meridian of the sun. It was further substantiated that the frequency of sferics pulses is significantly increased from the flare day on. As the cause for this a solar-triggered increase in thunderstorm frequency is suggested which, in turn, leads to an increase of the potential gradient and earth current. Proton flares have an effect analogous to that of H-flares. If H-flare key days are used on which significant changes were observed in the distribution of pressure over the northern hemisphere, a significant increase of potential gradient and air-earth current is found even with these flare key days. Thus for the first time a connection is made between solar-caused atmospheric electrical effects and synchronous global meteorological changes.     

外界条件变化对天然气水合物相平衡曲线及稳定带厚度的影响

目前，有关天然气水合物的相关研究越来越多，而天然气水合物相平衡曲线和稳定带厚度的研究也变得越来越重要.本文利用Sloan的CSMHYD程序研究了外界条件变化对天然气水合物相平衡曲线及稳定带厚度的影响.研究结果表明：当天然气水合物中含有其他气体时，除了氮气会使水合物稳定存在的区域变小外；其他气体都会使稳定区域变大，且甲烷含量越少，水合物越容易形成；对于本文中所提到的几种气体，丙烷和硫化氢对相平衡曲线的影响最大；另外，水合物稳定存在的区域会随着盐度增加而变小.地温梯度、水深、海底温度、气体组成和孔隙水盐度对稳定带厚度的影响不同，其中稳定带厚度与地温梯度呈指数相关关系，与水深呈对数相关关系，与海底温度、水合物中甲烷含量及气体组成呈线性相关关系.水深从1 000 m增加到4 000 m时，稳定带厚度增加了大约400 m；水深2 000 m情况下，地温梯度从0.02℃/m到0.1℃/m变化时，稳定带厚度减薄了大约660 m；底水温度从0~17℃的变化过程中，稳定带厚度减薄了大约1000m；在水合物中气体组成从纯甲烷到含20%乙烷时，稳定带厚度增加了大约170m；盐度在0~4.5 wt％的变化中，稳定带厚度减薄了大约130 m.由此可见，在这几种因素中，地温梯度和底水温度对稳定带厚度的影响较大.     

Heat flow at standard depth

Secular and long-term periodic changes in surface temperature cause perturbations to the geothermal gradient which may be significant to depths of at least 1000 m, and major corrections are required to determine absolute values of heat flow from the Earth's interior. However, detailed climatic models remain contentious and estimates of error in geothermal gradients differ widely. Consequently, regions of anomalous heat flow which could contain geothermal resources may be more easily resolved by measuring relative values at a standard depth (e.g. 100 m) so that all data are subject to similar corrections.Regional heat flow data obtained in existing deep holes show reasonable correlation with values determined at shallow depth. Hence geothermal resources of low enthalpy can be characterised by extrapolating temperatures from relative heat flow data readily obtained from shallow boreholes. Regional control can be provided by casing deep boreholes drilled for other purposes.For routine geothermal exploration, borehole temperatures can be measured using gradient probes with fixed sensor separation (e.g. 5 m), allowing very accurate determinations of the geothermal gradient at a single depth. Values of relative heat flow can then be obtained after determining the thermal resistivity of the corresponding core interval. Sampling errors can be minimised by multiple determinations of thermal conductivity over the complete interval.     

The preliminary heat flow map of Europe and some of its tectonic and geophysical implications

The heat flow map of Europe was derived from 2605 existing observations, which for this purpose were supplemented by numerous results of deep borehole temperatures, gradients and local heat flow patterns. In areas without data the heat flow field was extrapolated on the basis of the regional tectonic structure and the observed correlation of heat flow and the age of the last tectono-thermal event. The heat flow pattern as obtained in the map may be described by two components: (i) regional part and (ii) local part of the measured surface geothermal activity. The regional part of the heat flow field in Europe is dominated on the whole by a general north-east to south-west increase of the geothermal activity, which is an obvious consequence of the tectonic evolution, the major heat flow provinces corresponding thus to the principal tectonic units. The geothermal fine structure (local part) superimposing the former is mainly controlled by local tectonics, especially by the distribution of the deep reaching fracture zones and by the hydrogeological parameters. The correlation between the heat flow pattern and the crustal structure allows some preliminary geophysical implications: (a) areas of the increased seismicity may be connected with the zones of high horizontal temperature gradient, (b) increased surface heat flow may be generally observed in the zones of weakened crustal thickness, (c) there are considerable regional variations in the calculated temperature on the Moho-discontinuity, as well as in the upper mantle heat flow contribution.     

Resistivity methods in geothermal prospecting in Iceland

Resistivity techniques have been used successfully to identify and delineate geothermal resources in Iceland. The most frequently used techniques include Schlumberger, central loop TEM and head-on profiling. Geothermal systems in Iceland are located both within and outsite the active volcanic regions. Outsite the active volcanic regions the temperature in the upper most kilometer of the geothermal systems is below 150° C whereas the temperature in the geothermal fields within the active volcanic regions exceeds 200° C. The resistivity of the rock in geothermal fields located outside the active volcanic regions ranges from about 10 m to some hundreds of m, and are characterized by considerably lower resistivity than of the surrounding rocks. Most of the geothermal systems within the active volcanic regions, show common resistivity structure with low resistivity of 1–5 m surrounding an inner core of higher resistivity. This increasing resistivity with depth is associated with a change in the conduction mechanism, from interface conduction to electrolyte conduction due to a change in alteration minerals at about 240° C. Examples of resistivity surveys of geothermal fields from both outsite and within the active volcanic regions are discussed.     

Quantifying the effect of recent relief changes on age–elevation relationships

The effect that recent relief changes may have on the distribution of rock ages with elevation is investigated for a range of thermochronometers. From the solution of the heat transport equation in a crustal block undergoing uplift and surface erosion, the temperature history of rock particles that are exhumed at the Earth’s surface today is computed. These T-t paths are then used to calculate apparent isotopic ages for the (U–Th)/He system in apatite, characterized by a low (≈70°C) closure temperature. The results show that recent relief changes strongly affect the distribution of ages with elevation (notably the slope of the age–elevation relationship). The calculations presented here predict that, in most situations, regions that have undergone a steady decrease in surface relief in the recent past should be characterized by an inverted age–elevation relationship, that is older ages should be found near valley bottoms and younger ages near summit tops. It is also shown how the wavelength of the topography, the geothermal gradient, the exhumation rate and the duration of the relief reduction event affect this result.     

Soil erosion and sediment transport in Tanzania: Part II – sedimentological evidence of phased land degradation

Soil resources in parts of Tanzania are rapidly being depleted by increased rates of soil erosion and downstream sediment transport, threatening ecosystem health, water and livelihood security in the region. However, incomplete understanding to what effect the dynamics of soil erosion and sediment transport are responding to land-use changes and climatic variability are hindering the actions needed to future-proof Tanzanian land-use practices. Complementary environmental diagnostic tools were applied to reconstruct the rates and sources of sedimentation over time in three Tanzanian river systems that have experienced changing land use and climatic conditions. Detailed historical analysis of sediment deposits revealed drastic changes in sediment yield and source contributions. Quantitative sedimentation reconstruction using radionuclide dating showed a 20-fold increase in sediment yield over the past 120 years. The observed dramatic increase in sediment yield is most likely driven by increasing land-use pressures. Deforestation, cropland expansion and increasing grazing pressures resulted into accelerating rates of sheet erosion. A regime shift after years of progressive soil degradation and convergence of surface flows resulted into a highly incised landscape, where high amounts of eroded soil from throughout the catchment are rapidly transported downstream by strongly connected ephemeral drainage networks. By integrating complementary spatial and temporal evidence bases, this study demonstrated links between land-use change, increased soil erosion and downstream sedimentation. Such evidence can guide stakeholders and policy makers in the design of targeted management interventions to safeguard future soil health and water quality.     

Geothermal energy prospects in Brazil: A preliminary analysis

Results of geothermal gradient measurements in 44 localities in Brazil are presented. The Precambrian shield areas are found to be characterized by relatively low temperature gradients in the range 6 to 20°C/km while younger sedimentary basins are characterized by gradients in the range 15 to 35°C/km. An inverse correlation between geothermal gradient and tectonic age has been observed. This as well as the favourable hydrological conditions suggest that the best sites for extraction of geothermal energy in Brazil are the younger sedimentary basins. The Parana Basin is found to offer at present the best site for extraction of geothermal energy in Brazil. Preliminary examination of the temperature distributions in the major aquifer (Botucatu sandstone) suggest that this aquifer contains substantial quantities of warm waters in the temperature range 40 to 90°C. The water layer in this confined aquifer is in convective motion and can be considered as a low enthalphy geothermal system. Many of the routine uses to which geothermal waters are put, such as space heating and soil warming, are not applicable in Brazil mainly because of the favourable climatic conditions. Conversion of this geothermal energy into electrical energy is also unlikely to be economical. Hence we do not consider the Parana Basin geothermal system as an independent ec9nomically exploitable energy resource. However, a few other applications are pointed out where geothermal waters can be used as a supplementary or supporting energy source in increasing the efficiency of economically viable systems utilizing hot waters.     

川西坳陷鸭子河地区基于多种古温标的钻井热史恢复

利用镜质体反射率(Ro)、磷灰石裂变径迹(AFT)和伊利石结晶度(IC指数)等古温标恢复了四川盆地川西坳陷的钻井热史,对比了不同温标最高古地温的恢复结果.研究表明,研究区晚白垩世至今总体表现为冷却及抬升剥蚀的过程,地温梯度由约26℃·km-1降低至约22℃·km-1,剥蚀量约1.3~1.9km.约80 Ma以来开始抬升剥蚀,40—2.5 Ma经历了一个热平静期,第四纪存在一定的增温,地温梯度增高约5℃·km-1.三种古地温恢复结果具有较高的一致性,相对于镜质体反射率(Ro)和磷灰石裂变径迹(AFT)等成熟古温标,伊利石结晶度作为有机质成熟度指标和沉积岩古温标的应用处于定性分析阶段,该指标的热演化模型仍需进一步探索.     

Depth of the brittle-ductile transition in a transcurrent boundary zone

A model is proposed which describes the boundary zone between two transcurrent plates as a viscoelastic body, with rheological properties changing with depth. In this model, the brittle-ductile transition is defined as the depth at which the time derivative of shear stress changes from positive to negative values. Variations of this depth are studied as functions of geothermal gradient, rheological parameters and strain rate, using a power law rheology with exponent ranging from 1 to 4. Stress relaxation in the ductile zone is controlled by a local characteristic time, which depends on petrology, temperature and, in the case of non-Newtonian rheology, on strain rate. The composition and the hydration degree of crustal rocks may also sensibly influence the depth of the brittle-ductile transition. The model predictions are compared with observations regarding the San Andreas, Imperial Valley and North Anatolian Faults: it is found that values ofn from 1 to 3 are more appropriate to reproduce the transition depth inferred by the seismicity distribution.     

云南岩石圈地温分布

根据大地热流和岩石圈结构资料，探讨了云南岩石圈的地温分布。研究结果表明，全区存在３种地热类型：高地温型莫霍面温度＞９６０℃，地壳地温梯度＞２℃／１００ｍ；低地温型莫霍面温度＜７００℃，地壳地温梯度＜１．５℃／１００ｍ；中等地温型莫霍面温度介于前二者之间，地壳地温梯度为１．５～２．０℃／１００ｍ     

南北地震带北段地温场的初步探讨

本文利用39个地温梯度值及估算的热流值讨论了本区地温场的分布特征。并求取了居里等温面。结果表明:(1)全区平均地温梯度为3.2℃/100m,平均热流值为1.5HFU;(2)居里面的深度为14—34公里,强震主要发生在居里等温线的梯度带上。最后就地温场与地震的关系做了初步分析。     

Terrestrial heat flow in Hungary

Summary The geothermal gradient in the Carpathian Basin lies between 40–70 C/km. According to careful measurements in shafts the value of terrestrial heat flow in the southern part of Hungary is (2.055–3.066)·10^–6 cal/cm² sec. These measurements are believed the first ever attempted in continental Europe. Systematic heat flow measurement are being extended to other part of this country.     

济阳坳陷沾化东区块现今地温场及热历史

根据区内钻井测温和镜质体反射率RO资料，在该区现今地温场分析的基础上，采用岩石圈和盆地尺度相结合的多期热演化模型对该区的热史进行了恢复.结果表明：(1)现今地温梯度为35.8℃/km.孤岛及垦东地区地温梯度较高，大于3℃/km.(2)古新世早期的大地热流值为83.6mW/m²，相当于现代活动裂谷的热流值.自古新世以来，盆地有逐步变冷的趋势，中间有二次回升，但回升的幅度逐渐变小.现今大地热流值为63mW/m²，接近全球大地热流的平均值.(3)该区主力烃源岩经历了持续的受热过程，现今仍处于“生油窗口”内，在深度上具有较大的油气赋存空间，热演化背景对油气生成有利.上述模拟结果可以用渤海湾盆地的裂谷演化模式进行较好的解释，并对胜利油田沾化凹陷的油气勘探工作具有一定的实际意义.     

Ignimbrite morphology and the effects of erosion: a New Zealand case study

Ignimbrite morphology, previously generalised using aspect ratios, is here quantified as the relationships between the various thicknesses of material forming an ignimbrite and the areas and volumes represented by those thicknesses. The morphology can be measured for the deposit in its present-day, eroded condition, or reconstructed for the original deposit. The reconstructed morphology of the 22 500 year BP, ca. 11 500 km², ca. 300 km³ Oruanui ignimbrite in New Zealand is documented to illustrate the latter approach. The Oruanui ignimbrite is an intermediate aspect ratio deposit and shows broadly linear relationships between (1) In thickness and the cumulative area occupied by that thickness or less of material and (2) thickness and the volume represented by that thickness or less of material. Two theoretical morphologies, one where thicknesses exponentially decay with distance from a maximum and the other of uniform thickness (slab), are compared with the Oruanui data. Limited comparative data suggest that low aspect ratio (violently emplaced) ignimbrites will show upward-concave curves (at one extreme following the exponential decay model) and high aspect ratio (gently emplaced) ignimbrites downward-concave curves (with the slab model as an extreme) when plotted on diagrams where the Oruanui data show linear trends. The effects of erosion on Oruanui and model ignimbrite morphologies are modelled using two theoretical erosion scenarios: (1) material is evenly removed from the land surface, and (2) thinner, non-welded material is preferentially removed. For the Oruanui ignimbrite data, area is lost much more rapidly in the first instance than volume; for example, 5 m of erosion is sufficient to remove 50 area %, whereas 40 m (scenario 1) or 120 m (scenario 2) of erosion is required to remove 50 volume %. In old ignimbrites, volume estimates may be reasonably accurate even after strong erosion, provided the original thicknesses of ponded/landscape-forming material can be inferred, but estimates of original area and aspect ratio will be inaccurate. An envelope enclosing all known outcrops of an ignimbrite will give a better estimate of original area and aspect ratio than simply summing the areas of known outcrops.     

南海南部礼乐盆地礁体发育区的构造热演化特征

礼乐滩是礼乐盆地的重要组成部分,自晚渐新世礼乐地块裂离北部陆缘后开始发育礁灰岩.为认识这些长期浸没海水中的礼乐礁体及其下伏地层的热状态与热演化特征,在详细分析礼乐滩钻井测温数据和镜质体反射率数据的基础上,对一条穿过礁体的骨干剖面进行了构造热演化数值模拟.结果显示,礁体区钻井2000～4500 m深度范围内温度介于30～90℃之间,井底与海底之间的平均地温梯度仅10℃·km~(-1)左右,地温梯度随深度逐渐增加,3000～4000m深度段地温梯度介于32～37℃·km~(-1);礁体下伏地层有机质曾经经历了比现今所处温度更高的古温度.进一步分析表明,高孔高渗的礁体上部因与周围低温海水发生热交换,导致地层温度降低、地温梯度和热流降低甚至为负值;与海水热交换作用随深度增加而减弱并最终停止,地层温度逐渐升高,地温梯度和热流值趋于正常;现今钻井3000～4000 m深度段地温梯度约为35℃·km~(-1),基底热流可能介于65～75 mW·m~(-2),平均约为70 mW·m~(-2);礁体发育区有机质热成熟度主要是在礁体与周围低温海水发生实际热交换前获得的,礁体与海水热交换作用导致地层温度逐渐降低,有机质热成熟度增长缓慢,现今生烃门限深度明显大于邻近的北1凹陷中部区域的门限深度.     

Did tillage erosion play a role in millennial scale landscape development?

Landscape evolution models (LEMs) quantitatively simulate processes of sedimentation and erosion on millennial timescales. An important aspect of human impact on erosion is sediment redistribution due to agriculture, referred to herein as tillage erosion. In this study we aim to analyse the potential contribution of tillage erosion to landscape development using LEM LAPSUS. The model is calibrated separately for a water erosion process (i) without tillage and (ii) with tillage. The model is applied to the ~250 km² Torrealvilla case study catchment, SE Spain. We were able to simulate alternating sequences of incision and aggradation, that are important on longer (millennial) timescales. Generally, model results show that tillage erosion adds to deposition in the lower floodplain area, but neither water erosion alone nor water with tillage erosion together could exactly reproduce the observed amounts of erosion and sedimentation for the case study area. In addition, scale effects are apparent. On hillslopes, tillage may contribute importantly to erosion and may fill local depressions. If assessed on the catchment scale, sediments from tillage erosion eventually reach the lower floodplain area where they contribute to deposition. However, water erosion was observed in the model simulations to be the most important process on the catchment scale. This is the first time that tillage erosion has been explicitly included in a landscape evolution model at a millennial timescale and large catchment scale. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

南海珠江口盆地钻井BHT温度校正及现今地温场特征

温度是盆地现今地温场研究最重要的基础参数之一,针对钻井井底温度(BHT)一般低于地层真实温度的情况,本文对珠江口盆地16口钻井的BHT数据进行了校正,并根据校正后的温度数据采用最小二乘法新增计算了16个地温梯度及大地热流数据.结合前人发表数据,本文绘制了珠江口盆地最新地温梯度等值线图及大地热流等值线图.除此之外,系统收集整理了盆地钻井大地热流、生热率以及热导率等参数,利用一维热传导方程计算了盆地1~5km深度处的温度,并绘制了盆地深部温度等值线图.在此基础上,分析了盆地现今地温场特征及其成因,以期为珠江口盆地地球动力学背景研究及油气资源评价与勘探提供地热学参数.     

Uniform heat flow in a semi-infinite medium disturbed by a body of different thermal conductivity

Summary The approximate solution for the disturbance of a uniform heat flow in a homogeneous semi-infinite medium by an object of different thermal conductivity buried in it is generally used in the interpretation of heat flow anomalies on the ocean bottom. In order to know the accuracy of the approximate solution, a comparison between the approximate solution and the exact solution is given in the case of a very long horizontal cylinder in a semi-infinite medium. The computed results indicate that the two solutions agree to within 10% whend>1.3 and 0.5<<2, whered is ratio of the depth to the radiusR ₀ of the cylinder and is the factor of the contrast of the thermal conductivities between the medium and the body. As for the cases when 1 and 1, the same accuracy can be obtained only whend>2. A similar approach is also applied to the case of a spherical conductor in a semi-infinite medium by using a bispherical harmonic solution. The results of both the bipolar solution and the bispherical solution show that when 1 andd1, the vertical thermal gradient at the surface of the semi-infinite medium is always positive and tends to zero, but a negative vertical gradient may be obtained for the approximate solutions.