Heat-flow — heat-generation studies in Norway

Fifteen heat-flow determinations based on data from 34 drill holes throughout central and southern Norway are presented. Five combined heat-flow — heat-generation measurements from homogeneous Precambrian and Permian crystalline rocks from southern Norway confirm a linear relation between heat flow and heat generation of the form Q = Q₀ + bA, where Q is surface heat flow (1hfu = 10⁻⁶ cal cm⁻² sec⁻¹), A is surface heat generation (1hgu = 10⁻¹³ cal cm⁻³ sec⁻¹), and b and Q₀ are constants. The slope of the line (b = 8.4 km) is in good agreement with results obtained from other stable continental areas, but the intercept (Q₀ = 0.48 hfu) is considerably lower, suggesting the presence of a zone of low heat flow in southern Norway.Nine heat-flow determinations are from the Paleozoic, Caledonian orogenic belt. These values range from 1.09 to 1.29 hfu with an average value of 1.18, are consistent with model data from other Paleozoic orogenic areas including the Appalachian system of North America, and do not appear to reflect the low heat flow observed in southern Norway.