A Fault-Zone Controlled Model of the Mesa Anomaly

Abstract

Recent studies of liquid-dominated systems like Wairakei (Grindley, 1965), Broadlands (Grindley, 1970), Cerro Prieto (Mercado, 1969), Long Valley (Rinehart and ROSS, 1964, Bailey, et al. 1976), Ahuachapan (Ward and Jacob, 1971) suggest that geothermal anomalies are intimately associated with specific patterns of faulting.

In the Imperial Valley, California, there are several geothermal anomalies which are close to or intersected by active faults (Elders, et al. (1972)). The basic field data for these systems are described by Babcock, Combs and Biehler in Rex (1971), Helgeson (1968), Meidav and Furgerson (1972), Goforth, et al. (1972), Douze and Sorrells (1972), Combs and Swanberg (1977), Combs and Hadley (1975, 1977), Loeltz, et al. (1975), Dutcher, et al. (1972), Elders, et al. (1972), Swanberg (1974, 1976), Elders and Bird (1974), Coplen, et al. (1975) and Coplen (1976). Some of the information is surveyed in Kruger and Otte (1973) and in a series of Bureau of Reclamation Reports (1974). Black (1975) and Bailey (1977) have summarized a large spectrum of the available geological, geophysical, geochemical, hydrological and heat flux data for the purpose of synthesizing a composite conceptual model of the Mesa system. In addition they used primary bore hole logging data to provide additional input.