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Thermophysical parameters and lithospheric thermal structure in Guide Basin, Northeast Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

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Abstract

Comprehensive knowledge in lithospheric thermal structure and subsurface temperature distribution is indispensable for the research and utilization of geothermal resources. This paper studies the characteristics of heat generation rate and heat conductivity of shallow rocks and deep rocks encompassing Guide Basin by sampling, measuring, data collection and analysis, establishes the conceptual model of its lithospheric thermal structure. The research shows that the mantle heat flow of Guide Basin is about 35 mW/m2, and the ratio of crust heat flow to mantle heat flow is 1.2. With the one-dimensional steady-state thermal conduction formula, the temperature at different depth is calculated in the research area. Ground temperature at the depth of 1.5 and 3 km is about 72 and 115 °C, respectively. The depth of Curie surface is about 21–22.5 km with the temperature of 570–600 °C, and the temperature of Moho is about 1100 °C. Most of the analysis results above are consistent with previous research findings in the research area and its vicinities, proving the reasonability of the lithospheric thermal structure model established by this paper. As the geothermal research of Guide Basin still stays at a low level, the conceptual model of lithospheric thermal structure in Guide Basin established in this paper still needs to be improved and corrected with new methods and data in further study.

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Fig. 1

(modified from Li et al. 2013)

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(modified from Zhang et al. 2011)

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41402231), geothermal survey project of China Geological Survey (Grant No. 12120114024701). One of the authors was partially supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for central public research institutes (YYWF201626).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang, 050061, China

    Feng Liu, Chuan Lu, Wenjing Lin & Guiling Wang

  2. School of Water Resources and Environment, Hebei GEO University, Shijiazhuang, 050061, China

    Xujuan Lang

  3. Environmental Geological Exploration Bureau of Qinghai Province, Xining, 810007, China

    Jue Tong

  4. Key Laboratory of Environmental Geology of Qinghai Province, Xining, 810007, China

    Jue Tong

Authors
  1. Feng Liu
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  2. Xujuan Lang
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  3. Chuan Lu
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  4. Wenjing Lin
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  5. Jue Tong
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  6. Guiling Wang
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Correspondence to Guiling Wang.

Additional information

This article is part of a Topical Collection in Environmental Earth Sciences on “Subsurface Energy Storage II,” guest edited by Zhonghe Pang, Yanlong Kong, Haibing Shao and Olaf Kolditz.

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Liu, F., Lang, X., Lu, C. et al. Thermophysical parameters and lithospheric thermal structure in Guide Basin, Northeast Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Environ Earth Sci 76, 199 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-017-6503-2

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