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High potential geothermal areas within the Rahat volcanic field, Saudi Arabia, from gravity data and 3D geological modeling

  • Research Article - Applied Geophysics
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Abstract

We present various geological models to examine the geothermal energy potential at the Rahat volcanic field, Saudi Arabia. The method involves the application of geophysical techniques of gravity and seismic tomography results to derive a 3D subsurface geological structure representing possible subsurface structural information beneath the northern Rahat volcanic field. Results show a secluded subsurface structure within the basement crust with low densities (< 2500 \({\mathrm{kg}/\mathrm{m}}^{3}\)) and a slightly high P-wave velocity, enclosed by a high density \((> 2800 {\mathrm{kg}/\mathrm{m}}^{3})\) and low P-wave velocity structure. Identified secluded subsurface structure could depict a magma intrusion within the basement and its depth proximity to the basalt deposition in the region signals the viability of this location for geothermal exploration. Deductions also show that the geothermal reservoir could be reached at starting depths of ~ 1.3 km, whereas its effect could be accessed at depths \(<1\) km. Within the geothermal active region of northern Harrat Rahat, this study has suggested possible locations with high potential for further geothermal exploration.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the support received from the Geohazards Research Center of King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah. We also express our thanks to the anonymous reviewers and the editors for their useful remarks which improved our submitted manuscript.

Funding

This research work was funded by Institutional Fund Projects under grant no IFPNC-001-145-2020. Therefore, authors gratefully acknowledge the technical and financial support from the Ministry of Education and King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geohazards Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Essam Aboud, Faisal Alqahtani & Murad Abdulfarraj

  2. Department of Geology/Geophysics, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, P.M.B. 1010, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

    Ema Abraham

  3. Department of Petroleum Geology and Sedimentology, Faculty of Earth Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Faisal Alqahtani & Murad Abdulfarraj

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  1. Essam Aboud
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Correspondence to Ema Abraham.

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Edited by Prof. Ivana Vasiljevic (ASSOCIATE EDITOR) / Prof. Gabriela Fernández Viejo (CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF).

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Aboud, E., Abraham, E., Alqahtani, F. et al. High potential geothermal areas within the Rahat volcanic field, Saudi Arabia, from gravity data and 3D geological modeling. Acta Geophys. 72, 1713–1729 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11600-023-01182-6

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