Thermal Dynamics of Crustal Systems

The thermal regime of the Earth’s crust is governed by the generation and transport of heat from its interior to the surface. Radiogenic decay of uranium, thorium and potassium in crustal rocks contributes significantly to internal heat production, while heat advected from the mantle provides an additional basal flux. Heat is transferred through the crust largely by conduction, though advection associated with fluid circulation near faults and hydrothermal systems can play a dominant role in regions of high permeability or magmatic activity. Variations in lithology, crustal thickness and tectonic setting create spatial heterogeneity in heat flow and geothermal gradients, influencing seismicity, metamorphism and the mechanical behaviour of the lithosphere. Understanding thermal dynamics is crucial for assessment of geothermal resources, prediction of crustal deformation, stability of ice sheets and the interpretation of seismic and magnetotelluric data. Recent advances in statistical modelling, high-resolution geochemical data and interdisciplinary approaches have improved estimates of surface heat flux, deep crustal temperatures and the role of heat-producing elements in controlling local to continental-scale thermal structure.

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Thermal Dynamics of Crustal Systems publication trend

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Technical terms

Heat flow: The rate of heat energy transfer per unit area, usually expressed in milliwatts per square metre (mW m−2).

Geothermal gradient: The rate of temperature increase with depth in the Earth’s crust, expressed in °C km−1.

Radiogenic heat: Thermal energy produced by the radioactive decay of isotopes such as uranium, thorium and potassium within crustal rocks.

Conduction: The transfer of heat through a solid medium by molecular vibrations without bulk movement of material.

Advection: The transport of heat by the movement of fluids, such as hydrothermal waters, within the crust.

Moho (Mohorovičić discontinuity): The boundary between the crust and the mantle, across which seismic velocity increases sharply and which influences basal heat input to the crust.

References

1. REHEATFUNQ (REgional HEAT-Flow Uncertainty and aNomaly Quantification) 2.0.1: a model for regional aggregate heat flow distributions and anomaly quantification. Geoscientific Model Development (2024).
2. Earth's surface heat flux. Solid Earth (SE) (2010).
3. Compositional Attributes of the Deep Continental Crust Inferred From Geochemical and Geophysical Data. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth (2022).