Crustal heat flow. A guide to measurement and modelling / Тепловой поток в земной коре. Руководство по измерениям и моделированию

Heat flow data have been used extensively by geoscientists to provide an indication of temperature variations within the Earth. However, there are relatively few experts available with the necessary experience to provide a critique of the central constraints or to obtain new data for second-order models. Terminology relating to thermal conductivity, diffusivity, vitrinite reflectance, xenolith geochemistry, and so on, is widely recognised but poorly understood, particularly by industry professionals.

As an example, the present state of geothermal modelling and interpretation in the petroleum industry is a peculiar one. On the one hand, there are numerous highly sophisticated software applications on the market for solving the complex equations governing the thermal evolution of sedimentary basins and the maturation of organic material. On the other hand, however, the accurate use of these packages requires considerable knowledge of the underlying physical concepts and a wealth of reliable data. Both commodities are in short supply and complex interpretations are often based on an inadequate appreciation of the primary constraints. Consequently, this book grew from a desire to address the problem of education, by covering the fundamental concepts of heat flow from both a practical and a theoretical point of view. <...>