Regional Geophysical Investigation of Geothermal Area in Golconda, Nevada: Discussion on the Public-Domain Geophysical/Geospatial Datasets

Abstract

Golconda, Nevada lies within the zone of autochtonous shelf facies in a major tectonic confluence zone of Northern Nevada, situated within two prominent axes of Northern Nevada Rift, on the flanks of the Winnemucca thrust belt to the West, Golconda thrust belt to the South. The complex structural-tectonic and lithologic picture is reflected in the signatures observed on the publically available geophysical and geospatial data. The available geophysical datasets are often regional in nature and cannot offer the desired target-level resolution. However, they may provide hints to the regional likelihood of encountering geothermal systems. Coupled with traditional potential-fields geophysical data, implementation of space-borne (Landsat, ASTER, ALI/ Hyperion) and airborne remote sensing data (AVIRIS, Hymap, HyperspecTIR, MASTER, Prospectir) can enhance investigation and correlation of observables indicating geothermal-favorable conditions. This study outlines several regional trends of interest in geothermal prospection of the wider Golconda area.