Abstract
A compilation of available thermal data in Spain, including thermal gradient, heat flow and other thermal indicators, and its interpretation are presented. A regional geothermal gradient map constructed on the basis of data from onshore and offshore oil wells, water wells and geothermal exploration work allows the definition of thermal gradients in the Alpine part of Spain but leaves uncovered the Hercynian part. The thermal field shows high, intermediate and low frequency variations. High frequency anomalies are clearly related to forced convection processes. To determine the origin of intermediate and low frequency variations a thermal lithospheric model has been developed using available seismic data. The results of the thermal model do not explain the observed thermal field. This is interpreted, at least for intermediate frequency variations, as due to large-scale groundwater circulation. Such convective processes mask the conductive lithospheric thermal signal. However, the low frequency variations tend to match lithospheric features.
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Banda, E., Albert-Beltran, J., Torné, M., Fernàndez, M. (1991). Regional Geothermal Gradients and Lithospheric Structure in Spain. In: Čermák, V., Rybach, L. (eds) Terrestrial Heat Flow and the Lithosphere Structure. Exploration of the Deep Continental Crust. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-75582-8_8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-75582-8_8
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