The deep geothermal potential of the Berlin area

In this study, we model the geothermal potential of deep geological formations located in the Berlin region in Germany. Berlin is situated in a sedimentary geological setting (northeastern German basin), comprising low-enthalpic aquifers at horizons down to 4–5 km depth. In the Berlin region, the temperature increases almost linearly with depth by about 30 K per kilometer, thus allowing for direct heating from deep aquifer reservoirs in principle. Our model incorporates eight major sedimentary units (Jurassic, Keuper, Muschelkalk, Upper/Middle/Lower Buntsandstein, Zechstein Salt and Sedimentary Rotliegend). Owing to lack of available petro-physical rock data for the Berlin region, we have evaluated literature data for the larger northeastern German basin to develop a thermodynamic field model which regards depth-corrected equations of state within statistical intervals of confidence. Integration over the thicknesses of the respective structural units yields their “heat in place”—energy densities associated with the pore fluid and the rock matrix under local conditions in Joule per unit area at the surface. The model predicts that aquifers in the Middle Buntsandstein and in the Sedimentary Rotliegend may well exhibit energy densities about 10 GJ m^?2 for the pore fluids and 20 GJ m^?2 to 40 GJ m^?2 for the rock matrices on average. Referring these figures to the city area of Berlin (about 892 km²), a significant hydrothermal potential results, which however remained undeveloped until today for the reason of present development risks. The model accounts for these risks through statistical intervals of confidence which are in the order of ±60 to ±80 % of the trend figures. To minimize these uncertainties, scientific field explorations were required in order to assess the petro-physical aquifer properties locally.     

Detecting thermal anomalies within the Molasse Basin, southern Germany

The groundwater flow regime at great depth within the Molasse Basin (SW Germany) was studied. Data relevant for a flow model at 600–1,600 m depth are sparse in the western part of the basin. However, temperature measurements are available covering much of the area at a wide range of depths. Therefore, a thermal 3D steady-state model was set up with the aim of comparing modeled with observed subsurface temperatures. Stratigraphic information from many boreholes was also available, but only a few values of rock thermal conductivity and heat-production rate could be obtained. Some strong thermal residual anomalies were identified with respect to the purely conductive model, especially along fault zones, and within stratigraphic layers with high hydraulic conductivity. These anomalies can be explained by various advective heat-transport mechanisms, yet most explanations can be eliminated. The most plausible constellation explaining the major positive thermal anomalies of 10 Kelvin and more is a fault zone of E–W strike, intersected by an aquifer with flow parallel to the fault zone. This concept was investigated by using a simplified type model. In spite of some shortcomings, the method presented here can be used to identify temperature anomalies, and to identify possible explanations.     

Analysis and prediction of a catastrophic Indian coastal heat wave of 2015

Heat wave of 2015 over India, a natural disaster with 2500 human deaths, was studied to understand the characteristics, associated atmospheric circulation patterns and to evaluate its predictability. Although temperatures are highest in May over India, occurrence of heat wave conditions over southeast coastal parts of India in May 2015 had been unanticipated. Analyses revealed that isolated region of Andhra Pradesh (AP) had experienced severe heat wave conditions during May 23–27, 2015, with temperatures above 42 °C and the sudden escalation by 7–10 °C within a short span of 2–3 days. Short-range weather predictions with Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting model at 3-km resolution, up to 72-h lead time, have been found accurate with statistical metrics of small mean absolute error and root-mean-square error and high index of agreement confirming the predictability of the heat wave evolution. Analyses have indicated that regional atmospheric pressure disparities within the Eurasia region, i.e., increased pressure gradient between the Middle East and India, had been responsible for increased northwest wind flow over to northwest India and to southeast India which have advected higher temperatures. Estimates of warm air advection have shown heat accumulation over AP region, due to sea breeze effect. The study led to the conclusion that changing pressure gradients between Middle East and India, enhancement of northwest wind flow with warm air advection and sea breeze effect along southeast coast blocking the free flow have contributed to the observed heat wave episode over coastal Andhra Pradesh.     

Evidence for deep groundwater flow and convective heat transport in mountainous terrain, Delta County, Colorado, USA

The Tongue Creek watershed lies on the south flank of Grand Mesa in western Colorado, USA and is a site with 1.5 km of topographic relief, heat flow of 100 mW/m², thermal conductivity of 3.3 W m^–1 °C^–1, hydraulic conductivity of 10^-8 m/s, a water table that closely follows surface topography, and groundwater temperatures 3–15°C above mean surface temperatures. These data suggest that convective heat transport by groundwater flow has modified the thermal regime of the site. Steady state three-dimensional numerical simulations of heat flow, groundwater flow, and convective transport were used to model these thermal and hydrological data. The simulations provided estimates for the scale of hydraulic conductivity and bedrock base flow discharge within the watershed. The numerical models show that (1) complex three-dimensional flow systems develop with a range of scales from tens of meters to tens of kilometers; (2) mapped springs are frequently found at locations where contours of hydraulic head indicate strong vertical flow at the water table, and; (3) the distribution of groundwater temperatures in water wells as a function of surface elevation is predicted by the model.     

Low-temperature gas from marine shales

Thermal cracking of kerogens and bitumens is widely accepted as the major source of natural gas (thermal gas). Decomposition is believed to occur at high temperatures, between 100 and 200°C in the subsurface and generally above 300°C in the laboratory. Although there are examples of gas deposits possibly generated at lower temperatures, and reports of gas generation over long periods of time at 100°C, robust gas generation below 100°C under ordinary laboratory conditions is unprecedented. Here we report gas generation under anoxic helium flow at temperatures 300° below thermal cracking temperatures. Gas is generated discontinuously, in distinct aperiodic episodes of near equal intensity. In one three-hour episode at 50°C, six percent of the hydrocarbons (kerogen & bitumen) in a Mississippian marine shale decomposed to gas (C₁–C₅). The same shale generated 72% less gas with helium flow containing 10 ppm O₂ and the two gases were compositionally distinct. In sequential isothermal heating cycles (~1 hour), nearly five times more gas was generated at 50°C (57.4 μg C₁–C₅/g rock) than at 350°C by thermal cracking (12 μg C₁–C₅/g rock). The position that natural gas forms only at high temperatures over geologic time is based largely on pyrolysis experiments under oxic conditions and temperatures where low-temperature gas generation could be suppressed. Our results indicate two paths to gas, a high-temperature thermal path, and a low-temperature catalytic path proceeding 300° below the thermal path. It redefines the time-temperature dimensions of gas habitats and opens the possibility of gas generation at subsurface temperatures previously thought impossible.     

Effect of thermal-hydrogeological and borehole heat exchanger properties on performance and impact of vertical closed-loop geothermal heat pump systems

Ground-source geothermal systems are drawing increasing attention and popularity due to their efficiency, sustainability and being implementable worldwide. Consequently, design software and regulatory guidelines have been developed. Interaction with the subsurface significantly affects the thermal performance, sustainability, and impacts of such systems. Reviewing the related guidelines and the design software, room for improvement is evident, especially in regards to interaction with groundwater movement. In order to accurately evaluate the thermal effect of system and hydrogeological properties on a borehole heat exchanger, a fully discretized finite-element model is used. Sensitivity of the loop outlet temperatures and heat exchange rates to hydrogeological, system and meteorological factors (i.e. groundwater flux, thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity of solids, porosity, thermal dispersivity, grout thermal conductivity, background and inlet temperatures) are analyzed over 6-month and 25-year operation periods. Furthermore, thermal recovery during 25  years after system decommissioning has been modeled. The thermal plume development, transport and dissipation are also assessed. This study shows the importance of subsurface thermal conductivity, groundwater flow (flux > 10^?7 m/s), and background and inlet temperature on system performance and impact. It also shows the importance of groundwater flow (flux > 10^?8 m/s) on thermal recovery of the ground over other factors.     

Shallow groundwater temperature in the Turin area (NW Italy): vertical distribution and anthropogenic effects

This study investigated the thermal regime of shallow groundwater in the Turin area (NW Italy), where the large energy demand has motivated a new interest for renewable sources, such as the use of ground-source heat pumps for domestic heating and cooling. The vertical variability of the groundwater temperature between the ground surface and 10–20 m was detected: deeper temperatures were higher than shallow temperatures in spring, while a decrease with depth occurred in autumn. These variations are connected with the heating and cooling cycles of the ground surface due to the seasonal temperature oscillation. Variations below the seasonal oscillation are likely to be connected with the presence of advective heat transport due to the groundwater flow, according to the hydraulic features of a shallow aquifer. Temperature values mostly ranged between 12 and 14 °C in rural areas, while the values were between 14 and 16 °C below the Turin city. This groundwater warming is attributed to a widespread urban heat island phenomenon linked to warmer land surface temperatures in Turin city. Sparse warm outliers are connected with point heat sources and site-specific conditions of land and subsurface use, which may cause the aquifer temperature to rise. A relatively stable temperature below the seasonal fluctuation zone combined with high productivity and legislated limits for deeper groundwater use represent favourable conditions for a large-scale diffusion of groundwater heat pumps within the shallow aquifer. Moreover, this heat surplus should be regarded as a resource for future geothermal installations.     

A geological database for parameterization in numerical modeling of subsurface storage in northern Germany

Underground land use can play a significant role in future concepts of energy and gas storage and requires an improved understanding of the parameters of potential storage formations (saline aquifers), for instance of porosity and permeability, and also of mineralogical and gas compositions. This study aims at providing data examples and calculating vertical spatial variations through variogram analyses of important North German geological reservoirs from Dogger, Rhaetian, Middle Buntsandstein, and Rotliegend (Sub)Groups and Formations, focusing on the western part of the North German Basin. Vertical correlation lengths of porosity and permeability data range between 0 and 30 m, while most results are calculated at approximately 2–4 m and do not show relevant differences among the evaluated formations. In the majority of the regarded formations, the Kozeny–Carman relationship between porosity and permeability is supported as long as low porosity and permeability values are excluded from the evaluation. Mineral percentages varied significantly among the evaluated sediments. Besides quartz, ankerite is the main compound in the Dogger Group, while feldspars and clay minerals were more frequent in the Rhaetian, Middle Buntsandstein, and Rotliegend sediments. Methane was the main gas compound in the reservoirs, followed by nitrogen, ethane, and carbon dioxide. This study serves as preparatory work to allow for the parameterization of geological models and a subsequent simulation of fluid transport to evaluate (long-term) safety and impacts of geothermal and gas storage projects.     

Numerical investigation on the implications of spring temperature and discharge rate with respect to the geothermal background in a fault zone

Geothermal springs are some of the most obvious indicators of the existence of high-temperature geothermal resources in the subsurface. However, geothermal springs can also occur in areas of low average subsurface temperatures, which makes it difficult to assess exploitable zones. To address this problem, this study quantitatively analyzes the conditions associated with the formation of geothermal springs in fault zones, and numerically investigates the implications that outflow temperature and discharge rate from geothermal springs have on the geothermal background in the subsurface. It is concluded that the temperature of geothermal springs in fault zones is mainly controlled by the recharge rate from the country rock and the hydraulic conductivity in the fault damage zone. Importantly, the topography of the fault trace on the land surface plays an important role in determining the thermal temperature. In fault zones with a permeability higher than 1 mD and a lateral recharge rate from the country rock higher than 1 m³/day, convection plays a dominant role in the heat transport rather than thermal conduction. The geothermal springs do not necessarily occur in the place having an abnormal geothermal background (with the temperature at certain depth exceeding the temperature inferred by the global average continental geothermal gradient of 30 °C/km). Assuming a constant temperature (90 °C here, to represent a normal geothermal background in the subsurface at a depth of 3,000 m), the conditions required for the occurrence of geothermal springs were quantitatively determined.     

Meso—Cenozoic lithospheric thermal structure in the Bohai Bay Basin,eastern North China Craton

The Bohai Bay Basin is a region where part of the North China Craton has been thinned and destroyed. It has experienced two periods of crustal thinning that occurred during the Cretaceous and Paleogene, but investigations of its Mesozoic and Cenozoic lithospheric thermal structure are limited. Therefore, in this study,the distributions of mantle heat flow, crustal heat flow, and Moho temperatures during the Meso-Cenozoic are calculated based on analyses of the thermal history of the Bohai Bay Basin. The results indicate that the ratio of mantle heat flow to surface heat flow peaked during the late stages of the early Cretaceous and during the middle to late Paleogene. The corresponding mantle heat flow was more than 65% of the surface heat flow. Moho temperatures reached three peaks: 900-1100℃ in the late stages of the early Cretaceous;820-900℃ in the middle to late Paleogene; and(in the Linqing Depression, Cangxian Uplift, and Jizhong Depression) 770-810℃ during the early Neogene. These results reveal that the Bohai Bay Basin experienced significant geological change during the Cretaceous, including the transformation of lithospheric thermal structure from "cold mantle and hot crust" before the Cretaceous to "hot mantle and cold crust" after the Cretaceous. The results also indicate that the basin experienced two large-scale rifting events.Therefore, this work may provide the thermal parameters for further investigations of the geodynamic evolution of eastern China.     

Petrography and geochemistry of early-stage, fine- and medium-crystalline dolomites in the Middle Devonian Presqu'ile Barrier at Pine Point, Canada

The petrography and geochemistry of fine- and medium-crystalline dolomites of the Middle Devonian Presqu’ile barrier at Pine Point (Western Canada Sedimentary Basin) are different from those of previously published coarse-crystalline and saddle dolomites that are associated with late-stage hydrothermal fluids. Fine-crystalline dolomite consists of subhedral to euhedral crystals, ranging from 5 to 25 μm (mean 8 μm). The dolomite interbedded with evaporitic anhydrites that occur in the back-barrier facies in the Elk Point Basin. Fine-crystalline dolomite has δ¹⁸Ο values between ?1·6 to –3·8‰ PDB and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios from 0·7079–0·7081, consistent with derivation from Middle Devonian seawater. Its Sr concentrations (55–225 p.p.m., mean 105 p.p.m.) follow a similar trend to modern Little Bahama seawater dolomites. Its rare earth element (REE) patterns are similar to those of the limestone precursors. These data suggest that this fine-crystalline dolomite formed from Middle Devonian seawater at or just below the sea floor. Medium-crystalline dolomite in the Presqu’ile barrier is composed of anhedral to subhedral crystals (150–250 μm, mean 200 μm), some of which have clear rims toward the pore centres. This dolomite occurs mostly in the southern lower part of the barrier. Medium-crystalline dolomite has δ¹⁸O values between ?3·7 to ?9·4‰ PDB (mean ?5·9‰ PDB) and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios from 0·7081–0·7087 (mean 0·7084); Sr concentrations from 30 to 79 p.p.m. (mean 50 p.p.m.) and Mn content from 50 to 253 p.p.m. (mean 161 p.p.m.); and negative Ce anomalies compared with those of marine limestones. The medium-crystalline dolomite may have formed either (1) during shallow burial at slightly elevated temperatures (35–40 °C) from fluids derived from burial compaction, or, more likely (2) soon after deposition of the precursor sediments by Middle Devonian seawater derived from the Elk Point Basin. These results indicate that dolomitization in the Middle Devonian Presqu’ile barrier occurred in at least two stages during evolution of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. The geochemistry of earlier formed dolomites may have been modified if the earlier formed dolomites were porous and permeable and water/rock ratios were large during neomorphism.     

Subsurface dams to harvest rainwater— a case study of the Swarnamukhi River basin, Southern India

Declining water level trends and yields of wells, deterioration of groundwater quality and drying up of shallow wells are common in many parts of India. This is mainly attributed to the recurrence of drought years, over exploitation of groundwater, increase in the number of groundwater structures and explosion of population. In this subcontinent, the saving of water has to be done on the days it rains. India receives much of its rainfall in just 100 h in a year mostly during the monsoon period. If this water is not captured or stored, the rest of the year experiences a precarious situation manifest in water scarcity. The main objective behind the construction of subsurface dams in the Swarnamukhi River basin was to harvest the base flow infiltrating into sandy alluvium as waste to the sea and thereby to increase groundwater potential for meeting future water demands. An analysis of hydrographs of piezometers of four subsurface dams, monitored during October 2001–December 2002, reveals that there is an average rise of 1.44 m in post-monsoon and 1.80 m in the pre-monsoon period after the subsurface dams were constructed. Further, during the pre-monsoon month of June, much before construction of subsurface dams in October 2001, the water level was found fluctuating in the range of 3.1–10 m, in contrast to the fluctuation ranging from 0.4 to 3.1 m during the period following the construction of dams. Hence, the planning of rainwater harvesting structures entails thorough scientific investigations for identifying the most suitable locations for subsurface dams.     

Thermal structure and metamorphic evolution of the Piemont-Ligurian metasediments in the northern Western Alps

In the Western Alps, the Piemont-Ligurian oceanic domain records blueschist to eclogite metamorphic conditions during the Alpine orogeny. This domain is classically divided into two “zones” (Combin and Zermatt-Saas), with contrasting metamorphic evolution, and separated tectonically by the Combin fault. This study presents new metamorphic and temperature (RSCM thermometry) data obtained in Piemont-Ligurian metasediments and proposes a reevaluation of the P–T evolution of this domain. In the upper unit (or “Combin zone”) temperatures are in the range of 420–530 °C, with an increase of temperature from upper to lower structural levels. Petrological evidences show that these temperatures are related to the retrograde path and to deformation at greenschist metamorphic conditions. This highlights heating during exhumation of HP metamorphic rocks. In the lower unit (or “Zermatt-Saas zone”), temperatures are very homogeneous in the range of 500–540 °C. This shows almost continuous downward temperature increase in the Piemont-Ligurian domain. The observed thermal structure is interpreted as the result of the upper and lower unit juxtaposition along shear zones at a temperature of ~500 °C during the Middle Eocene. This juxtaposition probably occurred at shallow crustal levels (~15–20 km) within a subduction channel. We finally propose that the Piemont-Ligurian Domain should not be viewed as two distinct “zones”, but rather as a stack of several tectonic slices.     

Aquifer heat storage: sulphate reduction with acetate at increased temperatures

Aquifer thermal energy storage in urban and industrial areas can lead to an increase in subsurface temperature to 70 °C and more. Besides its impacts on mineral and sorption equilibria and chemical reaction kinetics in an aquifer, temperature sensitively influences microbial activity and thus redox processes, such as sulphate reduction. Microorganism species can only operate within limited temperature ranges and their adaptability to temperature is a crucial point for the assessment of the environmental consequences of subsurface heat storage. Column experiments with aquifer sediment and tap water at 10, 25, 40, and 70 °C showed that under the constant addition of acetate sulphate reduction could be initiated after 26–63 pore volumes exchanged at all temperatures. Fastest initiation of sulphate reduction with the highest reduction rates was found at 40 °C. Maximum rate constants during experimental run-time were 0.56 h^?1 at 40 °C and 0.33, 0.36, and 0.25 h^?1 at 10 and, 25, and 70 °C, respectively. Hence, microbial activity was enhanced by a temperature increase to 40 °C but was significantly lowered at 70 °C. At 25 °C methane was found in solution, indicating the presence of fermenting organisms; at 10, 40, and 70 °C no methane production was observed. It could be shown that redox processes in an aquifer generally can adapt to temperatures significantly higher than in situ temperature and that the efficiency of the reduction process can be enhanced by temperature increase to a certain limit. Enhancement of sulphate reduction in an aquifer due to temperature increase could also allow enhanced degradation of organic ground water contaminants such as BTEX, where sulphate is an important electron acceptor.     

Local climate change induced by groundwater overexploitation in a high Andean arid watershed,Laguna Lagunillas basin,northern Chile

The Laguna Lagunillas basin in the arid Andes of northern Chile exhibits a shallow aquifer and is exposed to extreme air temperature variations from 20 to ?25 °C. Between 1991 and 2012, groundwater levels in the Pampa Lagunillas aquifer fell from near-surface to ~15 m below ground level (bgl) due to severe overexploitation. In the same period, local mean monthly minimum temperatures started a declining trend, dropping by 3–8 °C relative to a nearby reference station. Meanwhile, mean monthly maximum summer temperatures shifted abruptly upwards by 2.7 °C on average in around 1996. The observed air temperature downturns and upturns are in accordance with detected anomalies in land-surface temperature imagery. Two major factors may be causing the local climate change. One is related to a water-table decline below the evaporative energy potential extinction depth of ~2 m bgl, which causes an up-heating of the bare soil surface and, in turn, influences the lower atmosphere. At the same time, the removal of near-surface groundwater reduces the thermal conductivity of the upper sedimentary layer, which consequently diminishes the heat exchange between the aquifer (constant heat source of ~10 °C) and the lower atmosphere during nights, leading to a severe dropping of minimum air temperatures. The observed critical water-level drawdown was 2–3 m bgl. Future and existing water-production projects in arid high Andean basins with shallow groundwater should avoid a decline of near-surface groundwater below 2 m bgl and take groundwater-climate interactions into account when identifying and monitoring potential environmental impacts.     

Geochemical characterization and origins of the thermal springs in southern Gaoligong Mountains,China

Hydrogeochemistry and environmental isotope data were utilized to understand origins and characteristics of the thermal springs in southern Gaoligong Mountains, China. The groundwater at the thermal springs has low values of total dissolved solids, and its main water types are Na-HCO₃. The thermal springs are mainly recharged from meteoric precipitations. The recharge areas are located near the springs at an approximate elevation of 1,800 m. The groundwater of the thermal springs is immature and partially equilibrated with a strong mixture of the shallow cold waters during the flow process. The shallow cold water accounts for more than 90 %. The temperatures of thermal reservoir that feed the springs are between 146 and 260 °C, and the calculated groundwater circulation depths range from 2,000 to 5,700 m below ground surface.     

Impacts of subsurface heat storage on aquifer hydrogeochemistry

The use of shallow aquifers for subsurface heat storage in terms of energy management and building climatisation can lead to a temperature rise in the aquifer to 70 °C and above. The influence of temperature changes on individual mineral and sorption equilibria, reaction kinetics and microbial activity is largely known. However, the impact of heating to temperatures as high as 70 °C on the aquifer overall system has not been quantified yet. Temperature-related changes in sediment ion exchange behaviour, dimension and rates of mineral dissolution and precipitation as well as microbially enhanced redox processes were studied in column experiments using aquifer sediment and tap water at 10, 25, 40, and 70 °C. At 70 °C, a change in sediment sorption behaviour for cations and organic acids was postulated based on temporal changes in pH, magnesium, and potassium concentration in the experimental solution. No clear changes of pH, TIC and major cations were found at 10–40 °C. Redox zoning shifted from oxic conditions towards nitrate and iron(III) reducing conditions at 25 and 40 °C and sulphate reducing conditions at 70 °C. This was attributed to (a) a temperature-related increase in microbial reduction activity, and (b) three times higher release of organic carbon from the sediment at 70 °C compared to the lower temperatures. The findings of this study predict that a temperature increase in the subsurface up to 25 °C and above can impair the usability of ground water as drinking and process water, by reducing metal oxides and thus possibly releasing heavy metals from the sediment. Generally, at 70 °C, where clear cation and organic carbon desorption processes were observed and sulphate reducing conditions could be achieved, a site-specific assessment of temperature effects is required, especially for long-term operations of subsurface heat storage facilities.     

Hydrochemistry and gas geochemistry of the northeastern Algerian geothermal waters

This study focuses on the water and gas chemistry of the northeastern Algerian thermal waters. The helium gas was used to detect the origin of the geothermal fluid. In the Guelma Basin, the heat flow map shows an anomaly of 120 ± 20 mW/m² linked to the highly conductive Triassic extrusion. The chemical database reveals the existence of three water types, Ca-SO₄/Na-Cl, which are related to evaporites and rich in halite and gypsum minerals. The third type is Ca (Na)-HCO₃, which mostly characterizes the carbonated Tellian sector. The origin of thermal waters using a gas-mixing model indicates a meteoric origin, except for the El Biban hot spring (W10), which shows a He/Ar ratio of 0.213, thus suggesting the presence of batholith. The helium distribution map indicates a lower ³He/⁴He ratio between 0 Ra and 0.04 Ra in the W10 and W15 samples, which is compatible with the crustal ratio. Reservoir temperatures estimated by silica geothermometers give temperatures less than 133 °C. The geothermal conceptual model suggests that a geothermal system was developed by the deep penetration of infiltrated cold waters to a depth of 2.5 km and then heated by a conductive heat source (batholith for El Biban case). The thermal waters rise up to the surface through the deep-seated fractures. During their ascension, they are mixed with shallow cold groundwater, which increase the Mg content and cause the immature classification of the water samples.     

The volcanic and geothermally active Campi Flegrei caldera: an integrated multidisciplinary image of its buried structure

The Campi Flegrei caldera in southern Italy is one of the greatest geohazard areas on Earth. Evidence of an active magmatic and geothermal system is provided by ongoing ground uplift, with volcano-tectonic and long-period (LP) seismicity, the persistent degassing of ~1500 tonnes of CO₂ per day, the presence of hot fumaroles at temperatures of 90–150 °C, brine-rich aquifers (with total dissolved solids up to 33 g l^?1) and high thermal gradients in the crust (with temperatures reaching 420 °C at 3,050 m b.s.l.). Since the 1940s, more than 100 exploratory boreholes have been drilled in the area to depths of 80–3,100 m by the Azienda Geologica Italiana Petroli (AGIP) and the Società Anonima Forze Endogene Napoletane (SAFEN). To date, however, no systematic reanalysis of the drilling data has been carried out, and the buried volcanic structure has not been updated using the most recent scientific results and previous findings. By integrating unpublished data from the AGIP and SAFEN reports with published information from geological, volcanological, petrological, petrophysical and geophysical studies, this paper presents an improved picture of the Campi Flegrei caldera that will be useful for volcanic hazard assessment and mitigation in the Naples area and for future research planning. The results suggest that intra-caldera activity has been influenced by how the magmatic system at depths greater than about 4 km has determined the transfer of magma, volatiles, and heat to the overlying geothermal system and, ultimately, to the surface. In particular, intriguing is that the most volcanically active central-eastern sector of the caldera, which is subject to intense bradyseismic ground movement and gas emission, coincides with a structurally delimited subsurface rock volume characterized by an uprising of the 100 °C isotherm, a deep water supply to the shallower aquifer, the early disappearance of secondary calcite, LP seismicity and high seismic S-wave attenuation. In this area, we also document evidence of repeated injection at depths of c. 1.5–3.0 km of isolated and small-volume batches of magma, where occurred their crystallization and degassing. Shallow intrusions and degassing of magma are thus identified as two of the key processes that drive unrest in Campi Flegrei.     

Lithofacies attributes, depositional system and diagenetic properties of the Permian Gharif Formation from Haushi–Huqf area, Central Oman

Over 70 m thick interbedded sandstone, siltstone and claystone of the upper member of the Gharif Formation are exposed in western Huqf area in Oman Interior Sedimentary Basin. The Gharif Formation, particularly its upper member hosts major hydrocarbon reservoir in the subsurface of the Oman Interior Sedimentary Basin. The upper member of the Gharif Formation is comprised of interbedded thick sandstone, siltstone, carbonaceous clays and intraformational conglomerates. The sandstone lithofacies, on average, constitute 10 m thick multistoreyed sequences, which are composed internally of 2–3 m thick and 100 s of metres across vertically and laterally amalgamated sandstone bodies. Two major types of sandstones (types 1 and 2) are identified on the basis of their lithofacies association and internal architecture. The type 1 sandstone constitutes the lower part of the member and is comprised of pebbly to coarse-grained, planar and trough cross-bedded sandstone, plane bedded sandstone and pebble lags at the base of major sandstone bodies. The cross-beds are, on average, 30 cm thick exhibiting a dominant paleoflow direction towards NW (280–300° N). It is interpreted to be deposited by low sinuosity braided streams. The type 2 sandstone constitutes the upper part of the member and is comprised of medium-grained sandstone, trough to low angle plane bedding associated with lateral accretion surfaces. It is commonly interbedded with carbonaceous clays. Silicified plant fragments are commonly distributed in the upper part of the sandstone. Interbedded clays and siltstones are red, mottled and extensively bioturbated due to root burrows. It is interpreted to be deposited by high sinuosity meandering streams. In the uppermost part of the section, several dark grey to black carbonaceous clay/coal beds with plant matter are interbedded with sandstone and red clay indicating development of swampy conditions during onset of the coastal setting in the uppermost part of the formation. About 30 cm thick bioclastic sandstone deposited by the marine coastal bars mark transition from the Gharif Formation to carbonate dominated Khuff Formation. The sandstone of the Gharif Formation is arkosic in composition. Very small amount of cement and negligible compaction of constituent grains in sandstone indicates shallow burial before uplift.