Simultaneous Modelling of Gravity and Magnetic Data in a Measured Heat Flux Area to Characterize Geothermal Heat Sources: A Case for Eburru Geothermal Complex, Kenya

Forward modelling of gravity and magnetic data was done simultaneously to show the correlation between gravity and magnetic anomalies on a measured heat flux region. The results were used to characterize the heat source structures in Eburru area. Modelling was done using Oasis montaj geosoft software which is an iteration process where the gravity and magnetic anomalies were calculated and compared to the observed residual anomaly until there was a fit. The start model was constructed based on depths from Euler deconvolution and models constrained using stratigraphy data from the existing wells in the study area. Forward modelling of gravity and magnetic data revealed intrusions within the Earth’s subsurface with depth to the top of the sources ranging from 739 m to 5811 m. The density of the sources ranges between 3.0 g/cm3 and 3.2 g/cm3 while their magnetic susceptibility was zero. This implies that intrusions from the mantle with a magnetic susceptibility of zero have temperatures exceeding the curie temperature of rocks. The density of the intrusions modelled was higher than 2.67 g/cm3, the average crustal density, hence it explains the observed positive gravity anomaly. The results also revealed that areas with high heat flux have shallow heat sources and if the heat sources are deep, then there must be a good heat transfer mechanism to the surface.