Based on conservation of energy principle and heat flow data in China continent, the upper limit of 1.3 μW/m3 heat production is obtained for continental crust in China. Furthermore, using the data of heat flow and h...Based on conservation of energy principle and heat flow data in China continent, the upper limit of 1.3 μW/m3 heat production is obtained for continental crust in China. Furthermore, using the data of heat flow and helium isotope ratio of underground fluid, the heat productions of different tectonic units in China continent are estimated in range of 0.58-1.12 μW/m3 with a median of 0.85 μW/m3. Accordingly, the contents of U, Th and K20 in China crust are in ranges of 0.83-1.76 μg/g, 3.16-6.69 μg/g, and 1.0%-2.12%, respectively. These results indicate that the abundance of radioactive elements in the crust of China continent is much higher than that of Archean crust; and this fact implies China＇s continental crust is much evolved in chemical composition. Meanwhile, significant lateral variation of crustal composition is also exhibited among different tectonic units in China continent. The crust of eastern China is much enriched in incompatible elements such as U, Th and K than that of western China; and the crust of orogenic belts is more enriched than that of platform regions. It can also be inferred that the crusts of eastern China and orogenic belts are much felsic than those of western China and platform regions, respectively, derived from the positive correlation between the heat production and SiO2 content of bulk crust. This deduction is consistent with the results derived from the crustal seismic velocity data in China. According to the facts of the lower seismic velocity of China than the average value of global crust, and the higher heat production of China continent compared with global crust composition models published by previous studies, it is deduced that the average composition models of global continent crust by Rudnick and Fountain （1995）, Rudnick and Gao （2003）, Weaver and Tarney （1984）, Shaw et al. （1986）, and Wedepohl （1995） overestimate the abundance of incompatible elements such as U, Th and K of continental crust.展开更多
We study the recent upper crustal heat flow variations caused by long-term physical processes such as paleoclimate, erosion, sedimentation and mantle plume upwelling. As specific heat flow is a common lower boundary c...We study the recent upper crustal heat flow variations caused by long-term physical processes such as paleoclimate, erosion, sedimentation and mantle plume upwelling. As specific heat flow is a common lower boundary condition in many models of heat en fluid flow in the Earth’s crust we quantify its long-term transient variation caused by paleoclimate, erosion or sedimentation, mantle plume upwelling and deep groundwater flow. The studied area extends between the Eifel mountains and the Maas river inCentral Europe. The total variation due to these processes in our study area amounts to tectonic events manifested in the studied area 20 mW/m2, about 30% of the present day specific heat flow in the region.展开更多
The correlation between seismic velocity （v<sub>p</sub>） and radiogenic heat production （A） en-ables the distribution of crustal heat production to be evaluated,from which the mantle heat flow for 21se...The correlation between seismic velocity （v<sub>p</sub>） and radiogenic heat production （A） en-ables the distribution of crustal heat production to be evaluated,from which the mantle heat flow for 21seismic velocity-depth profiles located along the two continental geotraverses in Southeast China can bededuced.Several approaches have been proposed to special problems connected with the conversion ofseismic velocities into heat production in orogenic areas.The results show that the crustal heat flow inSoutheast China is quite inhomogeneous,varying between 17.8 and 46 mW·m<sup>-2</sup>,which can be attribut-ed to the complicated crustal structure related to overthrusting and overlapping in the upper crust.The re-markable regional variation in the mantle heat flow,ranging from 23.2 to 41.6 mW·m<sup>-2</sup>,correspondsto the large-scale tectonothermal evolution of the orogenic belts.展开更多
We have estimated the DBML（depth to the bottom of the magnetic layer） in South America from the inversion of magnetic anomaly data extracted from the EMAG2 grid. The results show that the DBML values, interpreted as...We have estimated the DBML（depth to the bottom of the magnetic layer） in South America from the inversion of magnetic anomaly data extracted from the EMAG2 grid. The results show that the DBML values, interpreted as the Curie isotherm, vary between -10 and -60 km. The deepest values（〉-45） are mainly observed forming two anomalous zones in the central part of the Andes Cordillera. To the east of the Andes, in most of the stable cratonic area of South America, intermediate values（between -25 and-45 km） are predominant. The shallowest values（〈-25 km） are present in northwestern corner of South America, southern Patagonia, and in a few sectors to the east of the Andes Cordillera. Based on these results, we estimated the heat flow variations along the study area and found a very good correlation with the DBML. Also striking is the observation that the thermal anomalies of low heat flow are closely related to segments of flat subduction, where the presence of a cold and thick subducting oceanic slab beneath the continent, with a virtual absence of hot mantle wedge, leads to a decrease in the heat transfer from the deeper parts of the system.After comparing our results with the Moho depths reported by other authors, we have found that the Curie isotherm is deeper than Moho in most of the South American Platform（northward to -20°S）, which is located in the stable cratonic area at the east of the Andes. This is evidence that the lithospheric mantle here is magnetic and contributes to the long wavelength magnetic signal. Also, our results support the hypothesis that the Curie isotherm may be acting as a boundary above which most of the crustal seismicity is concentrated. Below this boundary the occurrence of seismic events decreases dramatically.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants Nos. 40376013, 40572128, and 40104003)
文摘Based on conservation of energy principle and heat flow data in China continent, the upper limit of 1.3 μW/m3 heat production is obtained for continental crust in China. Furthermore, using the data of heat flow and helium isotope ratio of underground fluid, the heat productions of different tectonic units in China continent are estimated in range of 0.58-1.12 μW/m3 with a median of 0.85 μW/m3. Accordingly, the contents of U, Th and K20 in China crust are in ranges of 0.83-1.76 μg/g, 3.16-6.69 μg/g, and 1.0%-2.12%, respectively. These results indicate that the abundance of radioactive elements in the crust of China continent is much higher than that of Archean crust; and this fact implies China＇s continental crust is much evolved in chemical composition. Meanwhile, significant lateral variation of crustal composition is also exhibited among different tectonic units in China continent. The crust of eastern China is much enriched in incompatible elements such as U, Th and K than that of western China; and the crust of orogenic belts is more enriched than that of platform regions. It can also be inferred that the crusts of eastern China and orogenic belts are much felsic than those of western China and platform regions, respectively, derived from the positive correlation between the heat production and SiO2 content of bulk crust. This deduction is consistent with the results derived from the crustal seismic velocity data in China. According to the facts of the lower seismic velocity of China than the average value of global crust, and the higher heat production of China continent compared with global crust composition models published by previous studies, it is deduced that the average composition models of global continent crust by Rudnick and Fountain （1995）, Rudnick and Gao （2003）, Weaver and Tarney （1984）, Shaw et al. （1986）, and Wedepohl （1995） overestimate the abundance of incompatible elements such as U, Th and K of continental crust.
文摘We study the recent upper crustal heat flow variations caused by long-term physical processes such as paleoclimate, erosion, sedimentation and mantle plume upwelling. As specific heat flow is a common lower boundary condition in many models of heat en fluid flow in the Earth’s crust we quantify its long-term transient variation caused by paleoclimate, erosion or sedimentation, mantle plume upwelling and deep groundwater flow. The studied area extends between the Eifel mountains and the Maas river inCentral Europe. The total variation due to these processes in our study area amounts to tectonic events manifested in the studied area 20 mW/m2, about 30% of the present day specific heat flow in the region.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘The correlation between seismic velocity （v<sub>p</sub>） and radiogenic heat production （A） en-ables the distribution of crustal heat production to be evaluated,from which the mantle heat flow for 21seismic velocity-depth profiles located along the two continental geotraverses in Southeast China can bededuced.Several approaches have been proposed to special problems connected with the conversion ofseismic velocities into heat production in orogenic areas.The results show that the crustal heat flow inSoutheast China is quite inhomogeneous,varying between 17.8 and 46 mW·m<sup>-2</sup>,which can be attribut-ed to the complicated crustal structure related to overthrusting and overlapping in the upper crust.The re-markable regional variation in the mantle heat flow,ranging from 23.2 to 41.6 mW·m<sup>-2</sup>,correspondsto the large-scale tectonothermal evolution of the orogenic belts.
文摘We have estimated the DBML（depth to the bottom of the magnetic layer） in South America from the inversion of magnetic anomaly data extracted from the EMAG2 grid. The results show that the DBML values, interpreted as the Curie isotherm, vary between -10 and -60 km. The deepest values（〉-45） are mainly observed forming two anomalous zones in the central part of the Andes Cordillera. To the east of the Andes, in most of the stable cratonic area of South America, intermediate values（between -25 and-45 km） are predominant. The shallowest values（〈-25 km） are present in northwestern corner of South America, southern Patagonia, and in a few sectors to the east of the Andes Cordillera. Based on these results, we estimated the heat flow variations along the study area and found a very good correlation with the DBML. Also striking is the observation that the thermal anomalies of low heat flow are closely related to segments of flat subduction, where the presence of a cold and thick subducting oceanic slab beneath the continent, with a virtual absence of hot mantle wedge, leads to a decrease in the heat transfer from the deeper parts of the system.After comparing our results with the Moho depths reported by other authors, we have found that the Curie isotherm is deeper than Moho in most of the South American Platform（northward to -20°S）, which is located in the stable cratonic area at the east of the Andes. This is evidence that the lithospheric mantle here is magnetic and contributes to the long wavelength magnetic signal. Also, our results support the hypothesis that the Curie isotherm may be acting as a boundary above which most of the crustal seismicity is concentrated. Below this boundary the occurrence of seismic events decreases dramatically.
