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Earth and Space Sciences · Glossary

What is Geotherm?

Definition 10.7 University Earth and Space Sciences — Year 1 · Chapter 10 — The Earth’s Heat Budget

The geotherm beneath a point of the surface is the temperature as a function of depth there, T(z)T(z). It is a steady conductive geotherm when it does not change with time and heat is carried along it by conduction alone.

Steady conductive geotherms of a continent with heat production A_0 = 2.5\, µ W\, m-3 decreasing over D = 10\, km, k = 2.5\, W\, m-1\, K-1, for three surface heat flows (reduced heat flow 15, 30 and 45\, mW\, m-2). Each follows its conductive curve (dashed beyond) down to the mantle adiabat, which it meets at the dot: the base of the thermal lithosphere. The ocean-floor geotherm is that of a half-space cooled for 60\, Myr. Uniform conductivity is a simplification.
Steady conductive geotherms of a continent with heat production A0=2.5 µW m−3A_0 = 2.5\,\text{µ}\mathrm{W}\,\mathrm{m}^{-3} decreasing over D=10 kmD = 10\,\mathrm{km}, k=2.5 W m−1 K−1k = 2.5\,\mathrm{W}\,\mathrm{m}^{-1}\,\mathrm{K}^{-1}, for three surface heat flows (reduced heat flow 15, 30 and 45 mW m−245\,\mathrm{mW}\,\mathrm{m}^{-2}). Each follows its conductive curve (dashed beyond) down to the mantle adiabat, which it meets at the dot: the base of the thermal lithosphere. The ocean-floor geotherm is that of a half-space cooled for 60 Myr60\,\mathrm{Myr}. Uniform conductivity is a simplification.
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