Skip to main content

Global Heat Flow with Special Reference to the Region of Europe

  • Conference paper

Abstract

A global heat flow map, derived from existing observations supplemented in areas without data by an empirical predictor based on tectonic setting and age, is discussed, along with a generalized map of European heat flow derived from the global parameters. High heat flow in the southern Europe-Mediterranean and North Atlantic regions and low heat flow in the East European platform dominate the long wavelength pattern of heat flow for the European region. The observation that continental and oceanic geotherm families parametric in surface heat flow intersect the mantle solidus at a depth coincident with the top of the seismic low velocity zone, enables surface heat flow variations to be used to infer lithospheric thickness over the European region. Thick lithosphere is projected for the shields and platform of northern and eastern Europe, while thin lithosphere is projected for the North Atlantic and southern European high heat flow zones. No simple relationship appears to exist relating heat flow to crustal thickness.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Ádám, A.: Geothermal effects in the formation of electrically conducting zones and temperature distribution in the earth. Phys. Earth Planet. Int. 17, 21–28 (1978)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, R.N., Langseth, M.G., Sclater, J.G.: The mechanisms of heat transfer through the floor of the Indian Ocean. J. Geophys. Res. 82, 3391–3409 (1977)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Calcagnile, G., Panza, G.F.: Crust and upper mantle structure under the Baltic Shield and Barents Sea from the dispersion of Rayleigh waves. Tectonophys. 47, 59–71 (1978)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Čermák, V.: Heat flow investigation in Czechoslovakia. In: Geoelectric and geothermal studies (East-Central Europe, Soviet Asia). Ádám, A.(ed.), pp. 414–424. Akademiai Kiadó, Budapest: KAPG Geophys. Monogr. 1976

    Google Scholar 

  • Čermák, V., Hurtig, E.: Preliminary heat flow map of Europe, explanatory text. National Committee for Geodesy and Geophysics, Acad. Sci. German Dem. Rep., Potsdam, 58 pp. (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, D.S., Furlong, K.P.: Continental heat flow-age relationships. EOS Trans. Am. Geophys. Union 58, 1240 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, D.S., Pollack, H.N.: Global heat flow: a new look. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 28, 23–32 (1975)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, D.S., Pollack, H.N.: Regional geotherms and lithospheric thickness. Geology 5, 265–268 (1977)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, E.E., Lister, C.R.B.: Heat flow measured over the Juan de Fuca Ridge: Evidence for widespread hydrothermal circulation in a highly heat transportive crust. J. Geophys. Res. 82, 4845–4860 (1977)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grim, P.J. (producer): Terrestrial heat flow data (map). Boulder, Colorado U.S.A.: World Data Center A 1976

    Google Scholar 

  • Horai, K., Simmons, G.: Spherical harmonic analysis of terrestrial heat flow. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 6, 386–394 (1969)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jessop, A.M., Hobart, M.A., Selater, J.G.: The world heat flow data collection, 1975. Geothermal Service of Canada. Geother. Ser. No. 5, Ottawa, Canada, p. 125 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lachenbruch, A.H., Sass, J.H.: Models of an extending lithosphere and heat flow in the Basin and Range province. In: Cenozoic tectonics and regional geophysics of the Western Cordillera, Memoir 152. Smith, R.B., Eaton, G. (eds.). Geol. Soc. Am. (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, W.H.K.: Heat flow data analysis. Rev. Geophys. 1, 449–479 (1963)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, W.H.K., MacDonald, G.J.F.: The global variation of terrestrial heat flow. J. Geophys. Res. 68, 6481–6492 (1963)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, W.H.K., Uyeda, S.: Review of heat flow data. In: Terrestrial heat flow. Geophys. Monogr. 8. Lee, W.H.K.(ed.), pp. 87–190. Washington: Am. Geophys. Union 1965

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Lister, C.R.B.: Estimators for heat flow and deep rock properties based on boundary layer theory. In: Heat flow and geodynamics. Jessop, A.M.(ed.). Tectonophysics 41, 157–171 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Pitman, W.C., Larson, R.L., Herron, E.M.: Magnetic lineations of the oceans (map). Geol. Soc. Am.: 1974

    Google Scholar 

  • Pollack, H.N., Chapman, D.S.: On the regional variation of heat flow geotherms and lithospherie thickness. Tectonophysics 38, 279–296 (1977)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Polyak, B.G., Smirnov, Y.B.: Relationship between terrestrial heat flow and the tectonics of continents. Geotectonics 205–213 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sclater, J.G., Crowe, J.: On the reliability of oceanic heat flow averages. J. Geophys. Res. 81, 2997–3006 (1976)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sclater, J.G., Francheteau, J.: The implications of terrestrial heat flow observations on current tectonic and geochemical models of the crust and upper mantle of the earth. Geophys. J.R. Astron. Soc. 20, 509–542 (1970)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simmons, G., Horai, K.: Heat flow data 2. J. Geophys. Res. 73, 20, 6608–6629 (1968)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1979 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Chapman, D.S., Pollack, H.N., Čermák, V. (1979). Global Heat Flow with Special Reference to the Region of Europe. In: Čermák, V., Rybach, L. (eds) Terrestrial Heat Flow in Europe. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-95357-6_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-95357-6_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-95359-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-95357-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics