Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Models of thermal conductivity of crystalline rocks

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
International Journal of Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A numerical model of a rock sample provides estimates of conductivity related to mineral content that are very close to estimates provided by previous models. For any given volumetric mineral content conductivity may vary slightly, depending on the crystal arrangement and the crystal size. Order of crystallisation of the minerals causes differences of conductivity of less than 2%. Crystal size from small to up to 75% of the sample size creates differences in conductivity of the sample of about 3%. Disagreement of calculated values based on surface point-count of mineral content with measured values of the samples is up to 35%, which is attributed to the inability of one surface to adequately represent the volumetric mineral content.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Brailsford AD, Major KG (1964) The thermal conductivity of aggregates of several phases, including porous material. Br J Appl Phys 15:313–319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hashin Z, Shtrickman S (1962) A variational approach to the theory of effective magnetic permeability of multiphase materials. J Appl Phys 33:3125–3131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jessop AM (1983) The essential ingredients of a continental heat flow determination. Zbl Geol Palaontol 1:70–79

    Google Scholar 

  • Jessop AM (1990) Thermal geophysics. Elsevier, Amsterdam, p 36

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

I acknowledge the Geological Survey of Canada for space and facilities that have helped in this work, Christopher Jessop for many helpful discussions on the logic of programming, John Utting and Glen Stockmal for helpful internal reviews, and Alan Taylor and Trevor Lewis for helpful external reviews.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Alan M. Jessop

    Present address: Institute of Sedimentary and Petroleum Geology, Geological Survey of Canada, 3303, 33 Street NW, Calgary, AB, Canada, T2L 2A7

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 333 Silver Ridge Crescent NW, Calgary, AB, Canada, T3B 3T6

    Alan M. Jessop

Authors
  1. Alan M. Jessop
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alan M. Jessop.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jessop, A.M. Models of thermal conductivity of crystalline rocks. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 97, 413–419 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-007-0214-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-007-0214-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation