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     

The degree of metamorphism of organic matter in sedimentary rocks as a paleo-geothermometer,applied to the Upper Rhine Graben

The subsidence of sedimentary layers implies increasing temperature downwards within the sedimentary column, so that the degree of coalification of organic matter increases continually. Apart from temperature, the slowly reacting chemical compounds of the organic matter strongly depend on time, too.It is shown that the coal rank is proportional to the integral of temperature and time of burial (t) for the Tertiary sedimentary rocks of the Upper Rhine Graben. This relationship is used to calculate paleogeothermal gradients (gradT) for some boreholes in the Upper Rhine Graben, from which the rate of burial during geological history (z(t)) is known. The degree of coalification is measured by its mean optical reflectivity (R _m), so that the relationship between coalification and geothermal history isR _m ² gradT z(t) dt.The results show high heat flow during Lower Tertiary and a decrease during Upper Tertiary at some locations of the Upper Rhine Graben. The recent high heat flow is not detectable in coalification. The young thermal anomaly is perhaps caused by ascending pore fluid and/or by heat conduction from a heat source in the lower crust.     

Low enthalpy geothermal energy resources in Denmark

The deep oil exploration drillings in Denmark have shown that especially the Danish Embayment contains low enthalpy geothermal resources associated with warm aquifers. The most promising reservoirs have been found in highly permeable Upper Triassic sand and sandstone beds, which cover at least 5000 km² at depths of 2000–3000 m and at temperatures of 60–100°C. The porosity of the main reservoir is of 15–25%, and the permeability is presumed to be approximately 1 darcy (10^–12 m²) or higher. A layer thickness of 30–60 m has been observed on a number of localities. Also the Middle Jurassic and the Lower Triassic contain reservoirs of interest. A major geothermal exploration work is planned with seismic investigations, drillings to depths of 2000–4000 m and probably establishment of pilot district heating plants.     

On the evolution of the geothermal regime of the North China Basin

Recent heat flow and regional geothermal studies indicate that the North China Basin is characterized by relatively high heat flow compared with most stable areas in other parts of the world, but lower heat flow than most active tectonic areas. Measured heat flow values range from 61 to 74 mW m⁻². The temperature at a depth of 2000 m is generally in the range 75 to 85°C, but sometimes is 90°C or higher. The geothermal gradient in Cenozoic sediments is in the range 30 to 40°C/km for most of the area. The calculated temperature at the Moho is 560 and 640°C for surface heat flow values of 63 and 71 mW m⁻², respectively. These thermal data are consistent with other geophysical observations for the North China Basin. Relatively high heat flow in this area is related to Late Cretaceous-Paleogene rifting as described in this paper.     

Source parameters of some large earthquakes in the eastern Mediterranean region based on an itertive maximum entropy technique

TeleseismicP-waves of some large earthquakes that occurred in the eastern Mediterranean region have been analysed by using an iterative maximum entropy technique in order to obtain the independent spectral parameters, the long-period spectral level ₀ and the corner frequencyf ₀ of the far-field displacement spectra.Based on these parameters, the seismic source parameters seismic momentM ₀, source dimensionr, fault lengthl, average displacement u, shear stress drop , radiated energyE _s and apparent stressn are calculated for the considered earthquakes by using Brune's and Madariaga's models.The striking feature of the source parameters obtained in this study is the low stress drop value which varies between 5 and 15 bars. If Madariaga's model had been used, higher stress drop values would have been obtained.The low stress drop earthquakes in the eastern Mediterranean region might be interpreted either by the possible presence of low strength material near the source or by the partial stress drop model.     

Possible geothermal resources in the Coast Plutonic Complex of southern British Columbia,Canada

In southern British Columbia the terrestrial heat flow is low (44 mW m^–2) to the west of the Coast Plutonic Complex (CPC), average in CPC (50–60 mW m^–2),and high to the east(80–90 mW m^–2). The average heat flow in CPC and the low heat generation (less than 1 W m^–3) indicate that a relatively large amount of heat flows upwards into the crust which is generally quite cool. Until two million years ago the Explorer plate underthrust this part of the American plate, carrying crustal material into the mantle. Melted crustal rocks have produced the inland Pemberton and Garibaldi volcanic belts in the CPC.Meager Mountain, a volcanic complex in the CPC 150 km north of Vancouver, is a possible geothermal energy resource. It is the product of intermittent activity over a period of 4 My, the most recent eruption being the Bridge River Ash 2440 y B.P. The original explosive eruption produced extensive fracturing in the granitic basement, and a basal explosion breccia from the surface of a cold brittle crust. This breccia may be a geothermal reservoir. Other volcanic complexes in the CPC have a similar potential for geothermal energy.Earth Physics Contribution No. 704.     

Cs137 gamma-ray absorption in eclogites

Summary The coefficient of the gamma-ray absorption _Cs ¹³⁷ investigated in eclogites of the Bohemian Massif varies with fresh samples from0.2477 cm ^–1 to 0.2804 cm ^–1 . Symplectite is the main factor decreasing the value of down to0.242 cm ^–1 . On the contrary, the coefficient increases with the increasing content of clinopyroxene and especially of garnet. The linear dependence of the coefficient on the density may be expressed by the equation =0.0682+0.028.     

Stress indications in the Bohemian Massif: Reinterpretation of borehole televiewer data

Summary This paper presents the first results of stress determinations in the Bohemian Massif utilizing televiewer data from deeper boreholes. The televiewer survey was originally carried out by Geological Survey Ostrava for the purpose of studying fractures and bedding in coal basins to depths of 2 km. A reinterpretation of the amplitude logs reveal a large number of stress-induced borehole elongations (breakouts) which occur in a direction perpendicular to the maximum horizontal principal stress (S_H). The breakout analysis in the Upper Silesian, Meno and Kladno Basins indicates a dominant NW-SE direction of S_H which is consistent with the pattern of stress orientation in Western Europe. The NE-SW trend observed in the Plze Basin is less reliable. A model for stress magnitude determinations is formulated as a linear programming problem. If the a priori information on rock strength properties is limited, it reduces to explicit formulas for stress regime estimates. The model is applied to data from the Upper Silesian Basin for which a compressional stress regime is derived.     

Radioactivity and heat production data from several boreholes in the Bohemian Massif

Summary The radiogenic heat production of rock samples from boreholes in the Bohemian Massif has been calculated from gamma-radiometric determinations of Th, U and K contents. The results, in general, fit the heat flow distribution on the territory of Czechoslovakia[1]. The values of heat production are in the range from 1.1µW m^–3 in the eastern part to 4.4µW m^–3 in the north-western part of the Bohemian Massif.     

Mantle heat flow and geotherms for major tectonic units in central Europe

The results of seismic measurements along the deep seismic sounding profile VII and terrestrial heat flow measurements used for construction of heat generation models for the crust in the Paleozoic Platform region, the Sudetic Mountains (Variscan Internides) and the European Precambrian Platform show considerable differences in mantle heat flow and temperatures. At the base of the crust variations from 440–510°C in the models of Precambrian Platform to 700–820°C for the Paleozoic Platform and the Variscan Internides (Sudets) are found. These differences are associated with considerable mantle heat flow variations.The calculated models show mantle heat flow of about 8.4–12.6 mW m^–2 for the Precambrian Platform and 31 mW m^–2 to 40.2 mW m^–2 for Paleozoic orogenic areas. The heat flow contribution originating from crustal radioactivity is almost the same for the different tectonic units (from 33.5 mW m^–2 to 37.6 mW m^–2). Considerable physical differences in the lower crust and upper mantle between the Precambrian Platform and the adjacent areas, produced by lateral temperature variations, could be expected. On the basis of carbon ratio data it can be concluded that the Carboniferous paleogeothermal gradient was much lower in the Precambrian Platform area than in the Paleozoic Platform region.     

Lg magnitude scale in the mainland of China

The data of short-period seismograms had been collected widely in the mainland area of China not including Xinjiang and Tibet. The physical quantities of Lg wave are determined respectively in the five subregions. The group velocities of priminary arrival and maximum amplitude of Lg wave are equal to 3.54±0.02 km/s and 3.30±0.05 km/s, respectively. The periods of Lg waves are between 0.2s to 1.2s, averaging 0.7s. The γ-values of Lg waves in the five subregions are equal to 0.0034±0.0001 km⁻¹ for East, 0.0031±0.0004 km⁻¹ for Southwest, 0.0027±0.0004 km⁻¹ for Northeast, 0.0022±0.0001 km⁻¹ for South, and 0.0021±0.0002 km⁻¹ for Northwest subreqion, respectively. The average γ-value for the five subregions, γ=0.0027±0.0006 km⁻¹. The relations among the amplitude ratioH/Z, the station correctionD _z andD _h of amplitudes, and among them and station site condition are discussed. The subregional magnitude calibration functions ofm _Lg had been established according to each regional γ-value. From these, the unified magnitude calibration function of Chinese mainland not including Xinjiang and Tibet was given by

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.     

Anelasticity of the crust and upper mantle beneath north and central India from the inversion of observed Love and Rayleigh wave attenuation data

The fundamental mode Love and Rayleigh waves generated by earthquakes occurring in Kashmir, Nepal Himalaya, northeast India and Burma and recorded at Hyderabad, New Delhi and Kodaikanal seismic stations are analysed. Love and Rayleigh wave attenuation coefficients are obtained at time periods of 15–100 seconds, using the spectral amplitude of these waves for 23 different paths along northern (across Burma to New Delhi) and central (across Kashmir, Nepal Himalaya and northeast India to Hyderabad and Kodaikanal) India. Love wave attenuation coefficients are found to vary from 0.0003 to 0.0022 km^–1 for northern India and 0.00003 km^–1 to 0.00016 km^–1 for central India. Similarly, Rayleigh wave attenuation coefficients vary from 0.0002 km^–1 to 0.0016 km^–1 for northern India and 0.00001 km^–1 to 0.0009 km^–1 for central India. Backus and Gilbert inversion theory is applied to these surface wave attenuation data to obtainQ ^–1 models for the crust and uppermost mantle beneath northern and central India. Inversion of Love and Rayleigh wave attenuation data shows a highly attenuating zone centred at a depth of 20–80 km with lowQ for northern India. Similarly, inversion of Love and Rayleigh wave attenuation data shows a high attenuation zone below a depth of 100 km. The inferred lowQ value at mid-crustal depth (high attenuating zone) in the model for northern India can be by underthrusting of the Indian plate beneath the Eurasian plate which has caused a low velocity zone at this shallow depth. The gradual increase ofQ ^–1 from shallow to deeper depth shows that the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary is not sharply defined beneath central India, but rather it represents a gradual transformation, which starts beneath the uppermost mantle. The lithospheric thickness is 100 km beneath central India and below that the asthenosphere shows higher attenuation, a factor of about two greater than that in the lithosphere. The very lowQ can be explained by changes in the chemical constitution taking place in the uppermost mantle.     

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.     

The magnetic anisotropy of basalts and its variations under oxidation of titanomagnetites

Summary Using four samples of basaltic rocks from the Bohemian Massif, Nos 201, 202, 206 and 218, the curves of rotational moments in a magnetic field of 4 × 10⁵ A/m were studied as a function of the degree of oxidation of titanomagnetites. The amplitudes of the individual harmonics were determined by harmonic analysis for samples oxidized to various degrees. It was found that the proportion of the harmonic A ₁ withsin increases with the degree of oxidation. Simultaneously, the anisotropy of the magnetic susceptibility changes in a field of 60 A/m and the structure changes from linearly parallel to plane parallel.     

南海北部大陆边缘盆地地热特征与油气富集

本文报道了莺歌海盆地、北部湾盆地共148个新测热导率数据,根据收集的钻井温度数据新增计算65个大地热流数据;结合前人研究成果绘制了南海北部大陆边缘沉积盆地的地温梯度图、大地热流分布图;系统归纳了南海北部大陆边缘油气勘探成果.结果表明,南海北部大陆边缘珠江口盆地、琼东南盆地、北部湾盆地、莺歌海盆地的平均热流值分别为68.7±11 mW/m²、71.1±13 mW/m²、65.7±8.9 mW/m²、74.7±10 mW/m²,属于典型的“热盆”.热流区域分布特征总体上受大地构造背景控制,随地壳厚度从北向南,由陆架到陆坡区逐渐减薄而增高,水热活动与岩浆活动等是引起局部高热流异常的原因.盆地地温场的差异控制和约束了油气分布富集规律,从研究区油气勘探成果中可以发现,该区域的气田多发育于高热流盆地（凹陷）,而中-低热流盆地（凹陷）则多孕育油田,油气田具有“北油南气”的分布特征.     

High velocity debris avalanche at Lastarria volcano in the north Chilean Andes

A pre-historic collapse of the southeast flank of Lastarria volcano ( 5700 m) in the north Chilean Andes (25° 10 S), produced a fluidized volcanic debris avalanche whose morphology and surface structures are exceptionally well preserved. The avalanche travelled to the east-south-east, covering an area of 9.3 km², and came to rest after climbing and over-riding a 125 m high older scoria cone. The 0.091 km³ avalanche has an apparent coefficient of friction (H/L) of 0.15 and an excessive travel distance index (Le) of 5.1 km, indicating high emplacement velocity, perhaps of the order of 80 m s^–1. An important cause of the high mobility may have been the predominance of low-density, poorly cohesive scoriaceous and pumiceous layers in the source region. The flow may have had properties similar to those of a small ignimbrite.     

Sodium twilight emission measured with a tilting filter photometer

Summary In this note we report preliminary measurements of sodium twilight emissions showing the variation of theD ₂ /D ₁ ratio during twilight at solar depression angles as low as 3.5°.     

A relationship between phonon conductivity and seismic parameter Φ for silicate minerals

Summary The relationship between the phonon conductivity at room temperature (K _N ) and the seismic parameter () for silicate minerals is suggested. The considerations are based on the Debye model of thermal energy transport phenomena in solids and on the seismic equation of state for silicates and oxides given byAnderson (1967). The semiempirical relationship is the formK _N = 0.43^0.82 where is in km²/s² andK _N in mcal/cm s K, and the empirical relationship isK _N =(0.528±0.006) –(8.18±2.11). The laboratory data on thermal and elastic properties for several silicates were taken fromHorai andSimmons (1970).